North West Highlands Accommodation

Gairloch Bay

Sandy beaches next to Gairloch Golf Club

Gairloch harbour

Gairloch has a range of shops, cafes and plenty of holiday accommodation

Lots of hill walking around Gairloch in the stunning Wester Ross countryside

Poolewe on the Wester Ross Trail

Gruinard Bay - stunning beaches and mountain backdrop

Loch Maree's famous wooded islands

Benn Eighe NNR - the oldest in the UK

Gairloch Wester Ross North West Highlands Scotland

Gairloch on the West Coast is actually two settlements, Strath and Charlestown, that both line the shores of Loch Gairloch. It is a popular seaside destination in the stunning Wester Ross countryside.

Gairloch has a good choice of holiday accommodation, restaurants and things to do. The countryside around Gairloch and between here and Torridon is excellent walking and wildlife spotting country.

Gairloch Wester Ross Scotland Tourist Information

Gairloch is essentially a crofting town that comes under siege from summer visitors who come for the views, sandy beach and that mild Atlantic weather, although it does also get a bit wild at times. Gairloch has just about anything you could want for a Scottish Highland holiday. Beaches, mountains and beautiful lochs nearby, a golf course, leisure centre, museum, cafes, shops including a supermarket, petrol station and a goof choice of holiday accommodation from budget to five star. As it gets busy in peak summer it is best to book accommodation in advance. Many of the restaurants serve up locally caught seafood.

The Tourist Information Office is next to the Museum and is open 7 days a week during the summer. It also has a shop selling locally made products, profits of which go the local Action Forum to help finance community projects. Gairloch Tourist Information Centre and Shop, Auchtercairn, Gairloch, Highland IV21 2DN. Tel: 01445 712130. Fax: 01445 712071. For additional local informtion you can always tune into Britain's smallest commercial radio station, Two Lochs Radio, which covers the Gairloch and Loch Ewe areas of Wester Ross on 106 and 106.6 FM.

Gailoch's museum the Gairloch Heritage Centre, is housed in old farm buildings and has a varied display of geology, archaeology and items from the fishing and farming heritage of the area including a mock up of a croft. Gairloch residents have also put together memories and photographs archives. The museum also holds parish records and the old parochial register for the Gairloch area as well as a range of other estate records - useful for genealogy research. Open between March and September Mon-Sat 10am-5pm. October 10-1.30pm. Closed Sundays. Outside of these times visits can be made by appointment. Gairloch Heritage Museum, Achtercairn, Gairloch, Ross-shire IV21 2BP. Tel: 01445 712287. Email:info@gairlochheritagemuseum.org.uk

In warmer weather the area can become plagued with midges so make sure you take insect repellent and antihistamine cream to stop the itching if you do get bitten!

Gairloch Golf Club

Gairloch has a golf club right on the coast overlooking Loch Gairloch and out into the Minch. It is an 18 hole link course that has been established since 1898.

The Club welcomes visitors and you can buy tickets for a round of golf, full day or a weekly unlimited ticket. Under sixteen's receive discounted prices. You can also hire clubs and trolleys from the Club. You are asked to contact the Club to book tee times in advance.

Gairloch Golf Club, Gairloch, Ross-Shire. IV21 2BE. Tel: 01445 712407. Email: gairlochgolfclub@hotmail.co.uk

Torridon Mountains and Nature Reserves near Gairloch

The scenery around Gairloch is truly stunning. As you head south east from Gairloch you start to feel you're in the heart of the Highlands. Loch Maree must be one of the most photographed lochs in Scotland. It's renowned for its islands which are designated as a National Nature Reserve called Loch Maree Islands. There are over forty islands within the reserve which support some of the oldest and least disturbed native pinewood left in Scotland. The islands are also important as back-throated diver breeding sites.

The Torridon Mountains lie to the south of Gairloch and is some of the most spectacular scenery in Scotland. Between Torridon and Gairloch is the Benn Eighe National Nature Reserve, the oldest National Nature Reserve in Britain. Designated in 1951 the reserve was set up to protect the native ancient pinewood west of Kinlochewe. Some of the oldest trees, the granny pines, are more than 350 years old. However, its boundary covers 48 square kilometres of mountain and lochs around Benn Eighe and Glen Torridon. The Reserve is fascinating for geology lovers and botanists alike. The rocks that form the spectacular mountains were formed around 400 million years ago when the earth's crust was thrust upwards pushing Torridian sandstone above the younger quartzite rocks which is one of the particular geological features of the Reserve. The reserve is also renowned for its insect-life and for plants that have become especially adapted to the mountain environment, such as dwarf shrub heath including dwarf willow, prostrate juniper and fir and alpine clubmosses. Golden eagles and red deer can be seen in the area.

There is the Benn Eighe visitor centre just outside Kinlochewe, a converted croft, that has a wealth of information about Benn Eighe and Loch Maree Islands. Several trails also lead off from here. The visitor centre is open from Easter to October. SNH Kinlochewe Office, Anancaun, Kinlochewe, Ross-shire IV22 2PD. Tel: 01445 760254. Fax: 01445 760301

The A896 road takes you through Glen Torridon with mountain scenery on both sides. So spectacular is the scenery that the Torridon area has been used as a location in several films including the gripping Highlander film featuring Sean Connery and Christopher Lambert and Stardust featuring Michelle Pfieffer and Robert De Niro. The area has some of the most demanding hiking and climbing routes available. There are 20 Munros and over 20 Corbetts around the Torridon area. The weather can be unpredictable and the terrain tough so you need to make sure you're prepared for the difficulty of hike you're embarking on. The National Trust for Scotland runs a range of guided walks from their centre in Torridon, Achnasheen, Ross-shire, IV22 2ET. Tel: 0844 4932229 where you can find out more about the geology, wildlife and mountains of the area.

Fishing Gairloch Northwest Highlands

The Gairloch area is good for trout and salmon fishing with plenty of lochs and rivers to choose from. River, sea and loch fishing are all popular in the area amongst some spectacular views. Gairloch Chandlery in Charleston has details of local fishing and sells permits where required and you can also book sea fishing trips from there.

There is a good guide to game fishing in the Gairloch area by Derek Roxborough link right. This guide lists some popular spots and lochs for fishing and the owners who should be contacted. It is available in a downloadable document.

Books are also available from the local Tourist Office on the following: "Fishing in Wester Ross: from Applecross to Gruinard Bay", "Fishing the North West Highlands: From Little Loch Broom to Cape Wrath" and "Lochcarron Fishing: Hill Lochs and Rivers"

Gairloch Highland Gathering

Gairloch has its Highland Gathering during the summer. It's a celebration of the Highland culture of the area including ceilidh and traditional dancing, piping and a range of sports and animal based events like the dog and duck hazard displays! A good family day out.

Check the weblink right for the latest Gathering information.

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