Loch Broom was once a major producer of herring, and in 1788 the British Fisheries Society began the layout of a new port at Ullapool. But by the second half of the 19th century it was becoming clear that herring stocks were on the decline. No rail connection didn't help either, and it wasn't until the roads were improved that things began to pick up for Ullapool. The one major asset the village has is it's excellent harbour, well-placed and equipped. It provides a shelter to west coast vessels, including international ones, and now the Stornoway ferry from Ullapool makes the village another vital link.

The village is actually built on a spit, a piece of land jutting out into the sea loch. You can see that many of the buildings in Ullapool are whitewashed, and quite a number of them date back to the original construction of the village. There was a large factory ship at the pier when I arrived, and what seemed like much activity on the pier itself.

The view up Loch Broom was spectacular, with the high visibility providing an excellent view of the mountains. Loch Broom is, of course, a sea loch on the Atlantic ocean, and reaches in like a finger of water on this western coast. I decided to grab some lunch and sit by the sea to admire the view, before setting off towards Corrieshalloch Gorge. Well, me and some two hundred seagulls that also seem to feel like a sandwich.

The Corrieshalloch Gorge is some 12 miles east of Ullapool on the road home. At this time of year, all the leaves are coming out and some of the trees on the road between Ullapool and Corrieshalloch really are beautiful. The drive along the road is a pleasure in itself, but a word of warning for those who make the journey; the parking area for the gorge appears suddenly on this twisting road, and is often quite busy with tourists, so approach with care.

Times are moving on, as when I arrived at the parking area, there was a burger/ice cream van doing a roaring trade with some folk on motorbikes and quite a few caravans and motorhomes.

They certainly chose the right day to look at the gorge, and Corrieshalloch was as spectacular as ever. The sudden and vertical drop of 200 feet is breathtaking, and with the right weather, a view of the waterfall within the gorge is fantastic.

I found that it is extremely difficult to convey the true depth of the gorge on these photos, as I can only frame up to a certain size and the gorge is long and thin with heavily wooded ground on eithe side. Nevertheless, I hope you get an idea from the photos that I did take.

After looking at Corrieshalloch Gorge, I had one more stop to make before heading for home. If you turn west at Braemore Junction and continue for about half a mile, you will come to a parking area with the most magnificent view.

It is actually above the gorge, and at the head of Strathmore, the glen that runs up from Loch Broom. The view is excellent on a day such as this, and is a great way to appreciate glaciers at work, as this valley was formed by a glacier following a smaller pre-existing valley, resulting in this classic u-shaped glen.