Ullapool – Second Look!

Continuing with our exploration of Ullapool Scotland…

We just loved the setting.  Ullapool is situated on a natural protected harbor…actually its Loch Broom…a sea loch where the River Broom and its tributaries enter the Atlantic Ocean.

We like critters, feathered or otherwise.  This seagull paid no attention to me as it procured a bit of a snack.  I have no idea which species of gull it is but it may be a juvenile…

This cute harbor seal was hanging around the commercial dock on Ullapool’s waterfront.  He obliged by hanging around while Laurie and I took a few photos.

Harbor or Common Seals are the most widely distributed species of the Pinniped family.  Their habitat includes the coastal waters of the Northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as well as the Baltic and North Seas.   These seals can be over 6 feet long and weigh as much as 290 lbs.  There are up to 500,000 of them world-wide.

This gull has ‘angry eyes’ doesn’t it?  He was looking for a handout and I didn’t have anything to offer!  Being a fishing port and a tourist destination, seagulls were everywhere in Ullapool.  It’s all about the dining opportunities…

One more seagull… I tried a bit of research in an effort to identify which gulls were which.  The problem is that there are 10 different genus of gulls within the family Laridae.  In total, there are 57 different species of gulls!

Hey!  What about me!  It isn’t all about those darn gulls… This raven was working over this cache of stones looking for morsels of something to eat.

I believe that this is a ‘Common’ Raven, although there are 8 sub-species of this species of ravens.  In total there are 9 different actual species of this bird.  In a group, ravens are referred to an “unkindness” or more commonly, a “conspiracy” of ravens.  They are very smart too…

Here’s another view of the upper portion of Ullapool’s harbor with the hills in the background.  Rugged mountains surround Ullapool and Loch Broom.  The tallest of these peaks is An Teallach which rises to 3,484 feet above sea level.  An Teallach translates to “The Anvil” or “The Forge” in Scottish Gaelic. 

With my 10:1 zoom lens I took this photo of a lone house on the opposite shore of Loch Broom across from Ullapool.  I just liked the way it looked.  I’m guessing that its residents have about a 12 mile drive to town, having to drive all the way to the beginning of the loch before heading to Ullapool.

Here’s another view of the fishing fleet… Ullapool’s fishing fleet has 20 fishing boats that are at least 32.8 feet long and another 13 boats that are under that length.  No wonder there is so much great seafood everywhere in Scotland.

The largest boat in this photo is UL.145 which is 54 feet long.  The Challenger is about 41 feet long and the Olivia…although being very attractive, isn’t registered in Ullapool as part of the fleet. 

This is one of Ullapool’s best known landmarks.  It’s the Sir Arthur Fowler, (the 2^nd Baronet of Braemore), Memorial Clock.  This cast iron clock with twin lamps was erected back in 1899.  

It also serves as a memorial to the 1^st Baronet of Braemore, Sir John Fowler.  Sir John was a renowned engineer who designed many railroads and as well as the Firth of Forth railroad bridge.

He apparently designed an amazing railroad bridge!  His 8,094 foot long cantilever bridge was completed in 1890 and today it still handles 190 – 200 trains per day!  The Forth Bridge has also been designated as a World Heritage Site.  For photos and the bridge’s history, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forth_Bridge.

This is a photo of the memorial clock in Ullapool that was taken back in the early 1900s.   It was moved at a later date because it was sitting in the middle of the street and it was interfering with traffic. 

Unfortunately Sir Arthur died in 1899 at the age of 44.  His father, who had been awarded the barony for his work on the bridge, was 81 when he died in 1998.  Sadly, the clock also memorializes Captains Alan Flower and Captain Sir John Fowler, who were both killed in action in France during World War I.  

  

As we strolled the streets of Ullapool, we came across this classy looking car for sale.  I’d never heard of the brand name before… It is a 1948 Riley RMB – 2.5 L.  As per the sign on the windscreen, it was restored in 2010, the interior is original and it has a 4-cylinder ‘longstroke’ engine.

Riley was a British automobile and bicycle manufacturer that dated back to 1890.  It became part of the Nuffield Organization (Morris, Wolseley and MG automobiles) and it 1938 it was merged into the British Leyland Motor Corporation.  In July of 1969, Leyland ended production of the Riley brand.  The rights to Riley name now belong to BMW.

 

The for sale sign asks anyone who is interested to ‘call into’ The White Rabbit…which is the collectables and antique shop visible over the hood of the car.  I found a 1948 Riley RMB on line that sold for about $22,000 U.S.  The phone number for the White Rabbit is 01854 613870… Go for it!

Flowers… Isn’t this rose lovely!  It added color to a partially gray day.

So what is this large complex/structure just down the street from our Bed and Breakfast in Ullapool?  It is The Ceilidh Place, a combination hotel, bunkhouse, café, bar, bookshop and music venue. 

What really caught my attention was that sign at the right side of the photo.  Like the street signs and names of places throughout Scotland, the sign is in both English and Scottish Gaelic.  Hotel is ‘Taigh-Osda’. Café – Bar is ‘Cafaidh – Bar’.  Restaurant is ‘Taigh-Bidh’, Bookshop is ‘Leabhraichean’ and Music is ‘Ceol’.  In 2014, The Ceilidh Place was named as the Venue of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards. 

For more information on this establishment, you can go to their website at http://www.theceilidhplace.com/.  There were so many things to explore in Ullapool…but with such limited time!

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for following along on our Scottish adventure!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave