Ullapool was founded in 1788 as a fishing village and until recently survived off the bounty of the sea but these days tourism is the driver.
Ullapool has a population around 1500 people, jobs are available but as usual in these kinds of communities it’s hard to make ends meet here never mind thinking about buying a house. You’d be hard pressed to find a home for less than half a million dollars unless it’s inconveniently located outside the village. This a neat tidy village bustling with events and shops of all kinds including a well stocked “charity shop” as thrift stores are known here. My jacket for the wedding came from here for five bucks Lucy told me. I recall formal meals at the Caledonian hotel which half a century ago was the place to go. Lucy tells me it has lost some of that luster but is working its way back as time changes all things. I still like the exterior look. Nowadays there are many more restaurant choices in such a small town. And ethnic foods are also available mostly in the summer months of the tourist season. Ullapool is too cold for me but I really enjoy the warmth of the people and the small town atmosphere. I had never heard of a refill store, a place where you bring your containers to refill them with pastas or nuts or seeds or even soaps and detergents. Lucy was looking for gram flour which is British for chickpea flour and here it was in tiny Ullapool.
There is a supermarket of course which also now incorporates the post office since the last post mistress retired and the stand alone office was closed. Tesco is a nationwide chain: I remember the old sea mine standing on the sidewalk in Ullapool since forever. It’s supposed to raise funds for distressed seamen, but Lucy gave me a stricken look and said she’d never put any money in it and of course neither have I. It’s padlocked so there’s no way to know if there is any cash in there:Ullapool has a new waterfront promenade made of locally quarried stone:And a proper new marina for fishing boats and pleasure craft. The Harbour Trust spent about six million dollars three years ago to create this new waterfront and ferry terminal.
And there is a new in 2022 ferry terminal for the twice daily service to Stornoway on the isle of Lewis. Calmac is the ferry company that serves the Hebrides and the communities along the west coast,…and the harbor also is a stopping point for Norwegian flagged ships that supply the salmon farms on Loch Broom, controversial as they are. Farmed salmon are raised in terrible conditions I have discovered, crowded pens filled with sea lice that eat the salmon alive. But there’s money to be made of course and local jobs at stake. We had lunch at the Ceilidh (“Kay-lee”) Place where the ceremony will be performed. I had celeriac soup which looked like potato but had a slight carrot flavor. Made extra good with Scottish oatcakes from a surprising menu that reaches far beyond traditional Scottish dishes and the dining room was packed. We inspected the venue and walked around town with Lucy who has plenty on her mind already taking time to show us the sights.
The Summer Isles are half an hour away by boat. I got some information about the islands from the Internet as I have never been myself and it’s about time I did visit.
This a neat tidy village bustling with events and shops of all kinds including a well stocked “charity shop” as thrift stores are known here. My jacket for the wedding came from here for five bucks Lucy told me. 
I recall formal meals at the Caledonian hotel which half a century ago was the place to go. Lucy tells me it has lost some of that luster but is working its way back as time changes all things. I still like the exterior look. 
Nowadays there are many more restaurant choices in such a small town. 
And ethnic foods are also available mostly in the summer months of the tourist season. Ullapool is too cold for me but I really enjoy the warmth of the people and the small town atmosphere. 
I had never heard of a refill store, a place where you bring your containers to refill them with pastas or nuts or seeds or even soaps and detergents. Lucy was looking for gram flour which is British for chickpea flour and here it was in tiny Ullapool. 
There is a supermarket of course which also now incorporates the post office since the last post mistress retired and the stand alone office was closed. Tesco is a nationwide chain: 
I remember the old sea mine standing on the sidewalk in Ullapool since forever. It’s supposed to raise funds for distressed seamen, but Lucy gave me a stricken look and said she’d never put any money in it and of course neither have I. It’s padlocked so there’s no way to know if there is any cash in there:
Ullapool has a new waterfront promenade made of locally quarried stone:
And a proper new marina for fishing boats and pleasure craft. 
The Harbour Trust spent about six million dollars three years ago to create this new waterfront and ferry terminal. 
And there is a new in 2022 ferry terminal for the twice daily service to Stornoway on the isle of Lewis. 
Calmac is the ferry company that serves the Hebrides and the communities along the west coast,
…and the harbor also is a stopping point for Norwegian flagged ships that supply the salmon farms on Loch Broom, controversial as they are. Farmed salmon are raised in terrible conditions I have discovered, crowded pens filled with sea lice that eat the salmon alive. But there’s money to be made of course and local jobs at stake. 
