Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CEILIDHS
The
ceilidh
is essentially an informal, homespun kind of entertainment, the word being Gaelic
for a “visit”. In remote Highland communities, talents and resources were pooled, people
gathering to play music, sing, recite poems and dance. The dances themselves are thought to be
ancient in origin; the Romans wrote that the Caledonians danced with abandon round swords
stuck in the ground, a practice echoed in today's traditional sword dance, where the weapons
are crossed on the floor and a dancer skips over them. Like much of clan culture, the traditions
died or were forced underground after the defeat of the Highlanders at
Culloden
and the
passing of the 1747 Act of Proscription, which forbade the wearing of the plaid and other
expressions of Highland identity. Ceilidhs were enthusiastically revived in the reign of tartan-
fetishist
Queen Victoria,
and in the twentieth century became the preserve of the village hall
and hotel ballroom. More recently, though, the ceilidh has thrown off its dated associations, with
places such as
The
Ceilidh Place
in Ullapool and the
Taybank Hotel
in Dunkeld (see p.330) restoring
some of its spontaneous, infectious fun to a night of Scottish music and dancing.
EATING AND DRINKING
For a waterfront picnic, pick up fine regional nosh at the West Coast Delicatessen, 5 Argyle St.
The Arch Inn
West Shore St
T
01854 612454.
Ullapool's
liveliest pub divides between a popular bar and informal
restaurant with Scottish-French cooking: starters like pan-
fried scallops with curry oil or Cullen skink, then home-
made fishcakes or duck confit alongside the usual fish and
chips.
Mon-Thurs
11am-11pm, Fri & Sat 11am-1am,
Sun 12.30-11pm; food served noon-2pm & 6-9pm.
The Ceilidh Place
West Argyle St
T
01854 612103.
Though locals warn that quality can be erratic, this hall-like
venue remains one of the best in town. After breakfasts,
it shifts into a bistro menu - home-made burgers,
salads, schnitzels, plus daily specials like risotto and fish
casseroles - and its bar hosts live music.
Daily 9am-10pm.
Deli-ca-sea
West Shore St (opposite ferry terminal)
T
01854 612141.
Come here for the best takeaway fish
and chips to eat by the harbour; all fish is prepared to order
and sourced that morning direct from local boats.
Mon-
Thurs & Sun noon-9pm, Fri & Sat noon-10pm.
Ferry Boat Inn
Shore St
T
01854 612366.
The interior is
nothing special - all of the character of the eighteenth-
century pub has been replaced bland by, modern café
furnishings - but the
FBI
remains a choice spot to swig a
pint of ale at the lochside (midges permitting) and watch
the boats.
Daily 11am-11pm.
Tea Store
Argyle St
T
01854 612995.
Fabulous fry-up
breakfasts with black pudding and haggis, home-baked
cakes and scones, soups and baked potatoes and a
refreshing cuppa at prices around £5 - small wonder this
unpretentious wee café is popular with locals.
Mon-Sat
8am-5pm, Sun 9am-4pm.
12
ENTERTAINMENT AND FESTIVALS
The liveliest pub around, the
Arch Inn
(see above) hosts live bands, and live Scottish
folk music
is a feature at
The Ceilidh
Place
(see above). The town's musical highlight, however, is the excellent
Loopallu rock festival
(
W
loopallu.co.uk),
which takes place on the third weekend in Sept; past acts have included Franz Ferdinand, Echo and the Bunnymen,
Mumford and Sons, and Paolo Nutini. On a different track, the
Ullapool Book Festival
(
W
ullapoolbookfestival.co.uk) is
the Highlands' answer to Hay-on-Wye.
Assynt
If the landscape before Ullapool was impressive, the
Assynt
region just north has an
epic, almost cinematic quality. Marking the transition from Wester Ross into
Sutherland, this region is one of the least populated areas in Europe and its landscape
consists not of mountain ranges but extraordinary peaks which rise individually from
the moorland. See a mountain like
Suilven
and you understand why the name is said to
derive from “A-ssynt”, meaning seen from afar, or “ass” - Old Norse for rocky.
Certainly, Assynt boasts some of the world's oldest rock formations, and roadside signs
highlight the region's geological importance as the
Northwest Highlands Geopark
(
W
northwest-highlands-geopark.org.uk).
