Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
menu that starts at burgers, pastas and curries and includes steaks and seafood dishes in
classic bistro style with a range of influences. Good value, but check opening times ahead.
CAFE
Mountain Coffee Company£
(Strath Sq, Strath; light meals £3-6; 9am-5pm, shorter hours in low season)
More the
sort of place you'd expect to find on the gringo trail in the Andes or a backpacker town in
Southeast Asia, this offbeat and cosy spot is a shrine to all things mountaineering and
travelling. It sells light meals, home baking and a range of decadent coffees and hot
chocolates stuffed with sugary things. The conservatory is the place to lap up the sun,
while the attached
Hillbillies Bookshop
is worth a browse.
Information
Gairloch Information Centre
(
01445-712071; 10am-4pm Mon-Sat, to 5pm plus
11am-4pm Sun Jun-mid-Sep)
Set in the smart new wooden Gale Centre, on the main road
through town, this has good walking pamphlets.
Getting There & Away
Public transport to Gairloch is very limited.
Westerbus
(
01445-712255)
runs Monday
to Saturday to/from Inverness, and Thursday to/from Ullapool.
LOCH MAREE & AROUND
Stretching for 12 miles between Poolewe and Kinlochewe,
Loch Maree
is often regarded
as one of the most beautiful lochs in Scotland. At the southern end of the loch, tiny
Kinlo-
chewe
makes a good base for outdoor activities. The
Beinn Eighe Visitor Centre
(
01445-760254;
www.nnr-scotland.org.uk/beinneighe
;
admission free; 10am-5pm
Easter-Oct; )
, a mile north of Kinlochewe, has interactive displays (good for kids, too)
on local geography, ecology, flora and fauna, and provides information on local walking
routes, including the
Beinn Eighe Mountain Trail
.
Kinlochewe Hotel
(
01445-760253;
www.kinlochewehotel.co.uk
;
dm £14.50, s £50,
d £90-98; )
is a well-run, welcoming place that's very walker-friendly. As well as
comfortable, spotless, new-looking rooms, there are nice features like a handsome lounge
well stocked with books, a great bar with several real ales on tap and a thoughtful menu of
locally sourced food. There's also a bunkhouse with one no-frills 12-bed dorm (BYO
sleeping bag and towels), a decent kitchen and clean bathrooms.
