Scotland Road Trip Day 4: Thurso to Ullapool

We woke to find that our clothes had not dried overnight and, defying all logic, seemed to have actually gotten more damp. We ate a quick breakfast and then headed over to the launderette. Twenty minutes later our clothes were gloriously dry. We went back to the hotel, backed our bags, and headed out for the day.

The first stop was the local beach in Thurso. There were only two other people there when we arrived and, again, it felt like we had the place to ourselves. I took off my shoes and tested the water temperature. It wasn't as cold as I had expected and it was definitely warmer than Lake Michigan. We walked the length of the beach and then back to the car.

Thurso beach with Thurso Castle in the distance.

Around 11:30 we started seeing glimpses of the beautiful coastline. A sign pointing to "Melvich Beach" intrigue us so we turned down the one-lane road. A couple of cattle guards later, we wound up in a parking lot that contained only a few cars. We walked towards the dunes and could immediately hear the crashing waves. After a short trek through the dune grass, we arrived at the beach and found that it was nearly deserted. I counted no more than five other humans and one very happy dog. 

We walked the length of the beach and then over to the spot where the Halladale River empties into the bay. We had a great view of the Big House Estate and also found some beautiful rocks. Due to airline weight restrictions and my husband's reluctance to lug my rocks through two countries and two airports, I was limited to one souvenir rock. It's a beauty though; about 14 ounces and perfectly egg shaped.

Looking across the river to the Big House

I thought that we could climb the dune to get back to the car. It was only after climbing the dune that we realized I was wrong, terribly wrong, and that we would need to go down, walk the length of the beach again, and then trek back through the dune. We arrived back to the car sweaty and panting but grateful for the beauty that we had just witnessed.

For the next four hours, we drove twisting mountain roads. Most had two lanes, but sometimes they reduced to one. There were plenty of places to stop and take in the scenery and we did so as often as we could. The sky alternated between sun and clouds with an occasional brief rain shower. The landscape was so beautiful that I couldn't find words to attach to my emotions. I was reduced to "wow," "oh my goodness," and "oh my..." for the duration.

Around 4:30, we stopped at Ardvreck Castle. Visitors are free to explore the castle ruins and the area surrounding it. 

Ardvreck Castle

Calda House, built with stones from Ardvreck Castle sits just down the road. We didn't visit the house but we did snap a few photos.

We arrived in Ullapool around 6:00 p.m. and checked into the Ferry Boat Inn. The last Caledonian ferry of the day to the Isle of Lewis was still in port and we walked down to get a closer view.

The Ferry Boat Inn

The Caledonian ferry in the background

Our hunger urged us back to the hotel where my heart was set on a dinner of fresh seafood. I was not disappointed. We had fresh oysters to start and then mussels in cream sauce with fries for a main. 

 

We returned to the room and sampled some of the Dalwhinnie whisky that we bought a couple days before. It was delicious! Our room overlooked the harbor and I feel asleep to the sounds of waves and seagulls.