I’m returning to a series of articles that has become the most popular source of information on Traveling Savage. These Itinerary Ideas highlight different regions of Scotland and provide a handy batch of activities, sights, and experiences I’ve drummed up during my explorations. It always feels good to craft another entry in this series. I look at it as an homage to the area, one I plan to make for every corner of Scotland. Today I’m highlighting Wester Ross, a region whose landscapes are the dreams of gods and whose very name sounds like something out of a fantasy novel. If you’ve read George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, you’d know Westeros sounds damningly similar.

These Scotland Itinerary Ideas collect many of my previous articles on the selected region into one place, along with my assessment of their importance for the visitor and a bevy of useful tidbits that might’ve gotten lost along the way. At the end of the day, these articles should be useful cheat sheets to refer to when you begin dreaming up your trip, and they are especially good starting points when you decide to contact me for help in planning your trip to Scotland.

As always, don’t hesitate to pepper me with questions.

Wester Ross

Loch Maree from Glen Docharty, Wester Ross, Scotland

Wester Ross. The name alone conjures forgotten lands in musty tomes, and to look upon its sky-swallowing glens and lonely, cloud-wreathed mountains is to step into a fantasy of unrivaled natural splendor. Here the sea has risen to an ideal height, for the narrow roads mirroring the rocky coastline are in fact clinging to the sides of mountains where red deer and golden eagles roam. Of all Scotland’s wonderful corners, perhaps Wester Ross is closest to a past when man was not so profligate as he is today. There are tiny towns and quaint pubs and cafés nestled in wooded vales, but there is a sense of companionship between our two kingdoms that gives hope. Wester Ross stands far from everything, at the edge of Europe, often just beyond reach, like any good fantasy. But when you arrive — and you will, someday — a spell falls, ensorcelling, compelling you to return to this fey, most beautiful place.

Things You Can’t Miss

The Applecross Peninsula. The Applecross Peninsula has taken on a legendary status among Scots and Scotophiles for its great beauty and its position just off the tourist trail to Skye. It takes some effort and itinerary wrangling to make your way here, but it’s worth it. The serpentine road up and down the Bealach na Bà makes for the most harrowing drive in Scotland, but it takes you through epic vistas of great, stoney mountains and island-studded seas beneath the incredible Scottish light. Applecross town is itself a worthy destination, just a small blip on the Applecross coast with a great inn and a warm, welcoming vibe.

Atop the Bealach na Ba, Applecross, Wester Ross, Scotland

The Wester Ross Coastal Trail. The Wester Ross Coastal Trail hugs the coast between Kyle of Lochalsh and just south of Ullapool. This road is neither the shortest nor the fastest way to travel through Wester Ross, but it is by far the most beautiful one. The journey takes in many of the sights below, and I especially like the stretch between Gairloch and Corrieshalloch Gorge. Here you’ll find beautiful vacant beaches, island-speckled waters, towering mountains, and waterfalls tumbling through the hills. There are few better ways to spend a day in Scotland.

Along the Wester Ross Coastal Trail, Scotland

The Lonely Mountains. One of the most amazing aspects of Wester Ross is the geology of the landscape. There are plenty of mountains out here, and the vast majority of them jut up from otherwise low-lying terrain and give the countryside a sawtooth appearance. An Tealach, Stac Pollaidh, and Slioch are a few of the most famous mountains, and they will stop you in your tracks. Luckily, there are plenty of places to pull over on these desolate roads and gawk or begin your career as a Munro bagger.

A view to An Teallach, Wester Ross, Scotland

Things You Shouldn’t Miss

Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve. There’s a feeling as you drive through Wester Ross around Beinn Eighe and Loch Maree that this area could one day become a national park. A great visitor center lies just off the A832 where the reserve’s natural history and wild inhabitants are covered in detail, and a couple of easy hiking trails lead from here up into the mountains’ low foothills. With Beinn Eighe’s hills, lochs, and long-distance views, it’s the perfect place to get a feel for Wester Ross.

Among the heather at Beinn Eighe NNR

Corrieshalloch Gorge. Scotland’s northwest highlands are basically one huge natural wonder, but there are certain sites within this gorgeous expanse that even the Scots mention with awe. Case in point: Scotland’s “Grand Canyon,” Corrieshalloch Gorge, which you can find a dozen miles southeast of Ullapool. Corrieshalloch is a slot gorge or box-canyon created by glacial meltwater, and it looks like a giant swung his axe through the earth’s crust to its iron mantle. An old suspension bridges sways over the River Droma flowing through this cleft. The river drops 100 meters through a series of waterfalls, including the precipitous Falls of Measach.

Corrieshalloch Gorge, Wester Ross, Scotland

Torridon. The road is so narrow between Kinlochewe and Loch Torridon that it feels like you’re driving on a bike path. The mountains of Glen Torridon loom to left and right, and it’s not hard to imagine traveling through the glen on foot hundreds of years ago. Those moments are priceless, waiting to be captured all over Scotland, and as Glen Torridon deposits you on the secluded shores of Loch Torridon you’re forgiven whatever fugue moments have overtaken you.

Driving through Glen Torridon, Wester Ross, Scotland

Things to Do Off the Beaten Path

Red Point Beach. South of Gairloch, at the end of a long, winding, narrow road, lies the surreal Red Point Beach. Here you can feel the sky, and its movements are writ in the sand. This is a place for contemplation, to alter your consciousness and pick out the threads that normally remain hidden to perception. I could have spent a long time here just thinking and writing, but that would have been unfair to my traveling companions and actually impossible because my fingers would have seized up in the cold. Yet it’s places like Red Point Beach that make Wester Ross such a special visit.

Red Point Beach, Wester Ross, Scotland

The Summer Isles. Northwest of Ullapool, just off the Coigach coast in true hinterland, lies the Summer Isles archipelago. Come to Achiltibuie for the view or a boat ride to Tanera Mór or one of the smaller isles, it’s up to you, but if you’re looking for an out-of-the-way, beautiful place this is it. And if you’re swimming in cash, some of these islands are actually for sale right now!

View to the Summer Isles from Polbain

Knockan Crag. At the very northern border of Wester Ross lies Knockan Crag, a stunning line of cliffs that compose one of the oldest landscapes in Europe. A visitors center provides an in-depth analysis of the local geology, flora, and fauna, and there are walking paths and art installations around the reserve. Knockan Crag is a great place to get above Wester Ross and appreciate the spectacular scenery.

Knockan Crag, Wester Ross, Scotland

Logistics & Salient Bits

Bases. Perhaps more than anywhere else in Scotland, where you base yourself is less important than happiness with your accommodations. The entire region is gorgeous, and driving through it is the primary pleasure. That said, I think Gairloch and Poolewe are the most central bases and an ideal place to start your searches. Gairloch in particular is a pretty town on the coast — check out that view above town on the way to Poolewe. Torridon also makes a nice base if you aren’t on a budget. Both the Torridon Hotel and the Torridon Inn are very nice accommodations, and I’ve found them ideal for exploring the Applecross Peninsula. Further north, Ullapool seems like an obvious base, and it would be fine, but it’s not as beautiful as other coastal towns in Scotland, places like Portree and Tobermory. Instead, consider splurging on the Brochs of Coigach near Achiltibuie. You will have an unforgettable time there.

The Brochs of Coigach, Achiltibuie, Wester Ross, Scotland

Transportation. You need a car. There is no feasible way to explore Wester Ross without one. The entire region is composed of single-track, windswept roads where I don’t think I saw a single bus. The nearest the train gets is Strathcarron and Achnasheen, but they’re not quite far enough north to be ideal. Even if you could use public transportation to explore Wester Ross, however, I wouldn’t recommend it. A large part of the fun is driving down these tiny roads to hidden beaches, coves, and cliffs and just watching the water or the deer come down from the hilltops. Barring the Bealach na Bà, this is not stressful driving. While the roads are mostly single-track, there’s not enough traffic to make that bothersome.

Food & Drink. The recent “creation” of the North Coast 500 means that more and more tourism amenities will be making their way to this stretch of Scotland, but by and large Wester Ross is still fairly limited in its offering. However, I found both the Badachro Inn and the Applecross Inn to be a couple of the nicest pubs out there. The Badachro had a surprisingly huge wine list and the food was consistently delicious. Speaking of good food, the Torridon Hotel‘s 1887 is world-class fine-dining and produced one of my all-time favorite meals. Its sister accommodation, the Torridon Inn, has a more casual restaurant with a nice pub. The Old Inn in Gairloch and the Summer Isles Hotel in Achiltibuie were both decent places to spend a meal. Also in Achiltibuie, SALT Seafood Kitchen was a welcome surprise serving the freshest seafood in the area. In Ullapool you really shouldn’t miss The Ceilidh Place — the food is fantastic and they have a great little bookshop attached.

Salmon at the Badachro Inn, Wester Ross, Scotland

I hope you’ve found some itinerary ideas that catch your interest. Wester Ross is a true gem that blew me away with its beauty, and it deserves a place on most itineraries of at least two weeks in length.

Photo of Knockan Crag by Les Dunford via Creative Commons

Article Comments

  1. Janice December 31, 2016 at 12:31 pm

    Hi Keith,
    I’m so grateful that I found your website! My husband and I are planning a month-long trip to Scotland in June with our baby daughter, flying into Glasgow and renting a car. We are most excited to see the Highlands and castles of Scotland. As we will be traveling with a baby, we are hoping not to spend to many days on the road, but perhaps base ourselves in 1-2 places. Would you have any recommendations? I have combed through travel books and websites, but am having a hard time as there is so much to see in Scotland and everything seems to be spread out. Any suggestions would be appreciated!
    Thanks!

    1. Keith Savage January 2, 2017 at 9:05 am

      It’s probably best to pick a city and then another place in the highlands for your two bases on your month-long trip. That will give you access to the greatest number of places with the greatest ease. I’d be happy to help you plan this trip. Have a look at my Scotland trip-planning services. Cheers!

      1. Janice January 2, 2017 at 10:00 am

        Thanks, Keith! We’ll do a bit more reading/research and contact you if we need any more help. Have a great new year!

    2. Ignacio April 2, 2017 at 9:29 am

      Hi Janice, Im travelling to Scotland with a baby daughter in June as well and was wondering what did you end up planning as places to base yourselves.
      Thanks for the info and cheers from Argentina!

      1. Janice April 8, 2017 at 6:39 am

        Hi Ignacio,
        We have a month in Scotland, so we ended up picking 3 home bases, and will be spending 10 nights in each area – one near Edinburgh (for the east coast), one in the Highlands, and one near Oban (for the west coast). After much deliberation, it seemed that distances between different sights in Scotland are too vast for us to pick a single home base, and the different parts of Scotland are so different! I’m not sure how much time you have, but if I had to pick a single home base, it might be in Oban or the surrounding areas, which, I’ve heard, has good facilities (for baby’s needs)and may allow for easier access to the west and northern areas. I’ve not been on the trip yet, so this is all based on my research, but I hope this helps!

  2. John Lyon August 12, 2018 at 1:53 pm

    Ok Keith, we’re leaving on Thursday the 16th, the plan was to fly to Inverness, pick up the camper van and see the Highlands in 8 days…and yeah adjustments have been made. I’m facing reality now, have to skip a whole list of locations and sights, (including Highland Games) and now think we will focus on Skye and Wester Ross for the time that we have. We don’t want to spend too much time driving from awesome destination to awesome destination. Your sections on those two areas have pretty much convinced me. We do have a guided fly fishing trip scheduled for our last full day near Ardgay, which not far from our base of Inveness. Any thoughts?

    1. Keith Savage August 12, 2018 at 9:44 pm

      Hi John. Narrowing your focus is a very good idea, and I would prioritize Wester Ross over Skye. Skye gets very busy in August, some might say to the detriment of that beautiful island. Enjoy your trip!

  3. Keena Murray Charbonneau August 24, 2018 at 4:55 pm

    I have loved your site for years and appreciate all of your awesome info! My husband, 26-year-old daughter, her boyfriend and I are visiting Scotland in September. We want to see the natural beauty, although we will fit some castles and distilleries in. I have one night after leaving Skye, before heading to Edinburgh. I have us leaving Skye early Wednesday, going up through Torridon and then the coastal road to Ullapool for the night. That would mean a long day on Thursday, taking our time driving through Inverness, Pitlochry, etc… to Edinburgh, which we are fine with. But, I am wondering if we should skip Ullapool. See as much of Wester Ross and Torridon as we can and then spend the night in Inverness or Aviemore. Any opinions would be much appreciated!

    1. Keith Savage August 24, 2018 at 11:01 pm

      I say spend the night in Ullapool. It’s nice to actually overnight in Wester Ross, and it will give you more time in the area. The drive down to Edinburgh will be long but also shorter than you might think. Enjoy your trip and thanks for reading!

  4. Iona Silver November 20, 2023 at 10:52 pm

    Hi Keith,
    Your article re the Wester Ross is so informative – Thank you for your insights.
    You mention the Bealach na Bà, as being ‘stressful’. Is this because of weather conditions?, state of the road? Please could you elaborate, does that mean you need 4×4? We are hiring a medium sized car and will be there in May 2024. Also is it realistic to think we can drive Ullapool to Kyle of Lochalsh on the coast road in one day?
    I would really appreciate your opinion, many thanks!

    1. Aelyth January 28, 2024 at 8:53 am

      Hi Iona. The road is single-lane with multiple switchbacks and hairpins as it climbs the mountain. Passing places are common but often require reversing into them as a large caravan meets you head on on the road. Plus, there aren’t rails or safe-guarding so you need to be extremely careful. In poor weather I would not even attempt.

      Driving from Ullapool to Kyle of Lochalsh in one day is possible. I would expect it to take 5-6 hours. The drive will be somewhat tiring, though gorgeous. Speeding through this area isn’t ideal, though.

  5. Sarah Samith February 23, 2024 at 6:15 am

    Such a great photos! It looks so peacful in there , wish i had hills where i live, would love to hike more ! Thank you for sharing!

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