The walk begins up the Ullapool Hill Path to take in great views of the town and Loch Broom, before visiting to the lonely shores of Loch Achall and the Ullapool River.
Bog Factor
Clear paths, track and minor road with some steep sections.
Ullapool town centre.
Regular bus service to Ullapool from Inverness and more local villages.
NH125942
The description begins from the large car park (payment invited) adjacent to the Tesco supermarket in Ullapool. From here head back along Latheron Lane, turn right along Quay Street and follow it all the way to the waterfront. Now turn left along Shore Street, passing the harbour. When the A835 is reached at the end, keep right along the pavement (beside road to Inverness), passing the petrol station, then turn left to head up the lane to the right of the Royal Hotel (footpath sign for Ullapool Hill).
The drive swings left behind the hotel - go ahead on the signed footpath. It skirts a housing estate, and then continues through broom and gorse. After a footbridge a path junction is reached - turn right here. Soon afterwards the path turns sharp left, then continue to a bench with a great view over Ullapool. Fork right behind the bench. A second bench is soon reached - this time the onward route takes the left fork (the right branch is a short detour up to another viewpoint).
The path winds through the heather onto more open moorland. Soon a metal viewpoint is reached showing the surrounding hills and lochs. Fork right behind the bench. The path soon reaches another bench - ignore the path off right here (it peters out) and keep to the main left fork this time. The path leads past a metal view indicator; the outlook over Loch Broom is superb.
The hill seen ahead is Meall Mòr and the path continues towards it. Ignore a path turning off right (used on our Ullapool hill and the Braes route), soon reaching yet another path junction with a bench. It is worth detouring to the right here to climb to the top of Meall Mòr, a rocky outcrop at 270m with great views down Loch Broom. Return to the path junction with the bench, and keep right.
The path crosses heathery moorland and widens then passes through a gate. Keep on the track as it heads towards Loch Achall visible ahead. The path descends towards woodland and passes through another gate. Immediately after the gate turn left downhill until the path emerges at a track. Turn left until the tarmac road is reached.
Here turn right along the road, crossing the bridge - the Eas Dubh rapids / waterfall are down to the left. Keep on the road until you reach the outflow of Loch Achall. The road continues along Loch Achall, but our route turns right along the track by the shores, then beside the Ullapool River. When the track ends (the bridge is gone) continue following the path along the riverbank. This eventually leads back to the road.
Turn left along the road, crossing back over the river. Continue on the road as it heads through pleasant woodland before passing several sections of the Ullapool limestone quarry. When in operation, care should be taken for quarry traffic. The track keeps left of quarry works further down and eventually reaches a cattle grid.
Immediately before the cattle grid turn left onto a signed path and climb gently uphill. Where the path forks take the right fork, descending slightly. This path soon returns to the first bench above Ullapool on the outward path. Continue straight past the bench, then keep to the path as it turns sharp right. Ignore the path off left over the footbridge from the outward route, instead continuing ahead. When the path emerges through a gate onto a lane, go straight ahead to reach the main A835. Here turn left along the pavement on the far side, then take the second right to head along Market Street. When this reaches a t-junction turn right then left to return to Tesco and the start.
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