Gairloch
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-> Highland region
-> West coast
-> Wester Ross
-> Gairloch
Mostly scattered around the sheltered northeastern shore of Loch Gairloch, the crofting township of GAIRLOCH thrives during the summer as a low-key holiday resort with several tempting sandy beaches and some excellent coastal walks within easy reach. The Gairloch Heritage Museum (April-Sept Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Oct Mon-Fri 10am-1.30pm; call for winter hours; tel 01445/712287; £2.50) has eclectic, appealing displays covering geology, archeology, fishing and farming that range from a mock-up of a croft house to an early knitting machine. One leisurely way to explore the coast is on a wildlife-spotting cruise: Gairloch Marine Life Centre & Cruises (Easter-Oct; tel 01445/712636), at the pier, run informative and enjoyable boat trips across the bay in search of dolphins, porpoises, seals and even the odd whale.
Gairloch has a good choice of accommodation, most of it mid-range; the tourist office, right by the museum (July to mid-Sept Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun noon-5pm; June Mon-Fri 9.30am-5.30pm, Sat 10am-5pm; April, May & mid-Sept to Oct Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 11am-4pm; tel 01445/712130) can help you search for possibilities. In the heart of the village, the Mountain Lodge & Restaurant (tel 01445/712316; £40-50) offers a refreshingly alternative experience - run by enthusiastic, young outdoor types the ground floor has a shop crammed with wind chimes and travel books, a café serving hearty, wholesome food and a conservatory and deck with great views over the bay, while upstairs are three comfortable rooms. There are good B&Bs scattered throughout the area: try Gaelic-speaking Miss Mackenzie's Duisary (tel 01445/712252; under £40) or Harbour View (tel 01445/741316; under £40) at Badachro. There's an SYHA hostel in a spectacular setting on the edge of a cliff at Carn Dearg two miles up the Melvaig road (tel 01445/712219, www.syha.org.uk; mid-May to Sept), as well as accommodation at Rua Reidh lighthouse. Camping is possible at Big Sand or at Redpoint.
For food, the fact that the chef at Gairloch's Scottish Seafood Restaurant next to the petrol station near the pier is also the harbourmaster means that the fish and shellfish served up will be the pick of the catch. For snacks, the Mountain Lodge do a busy trade with their massive (and pricey) muffins and decent cups of coffee.
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