Waiting.

A bright start to the day and it’s remained dry, bright and blustery.

Waited till 10.00 to set off out as I wanted to call in at the Fisk gallery in Polbain before we headed down to Ullapool.

We arrived in perfect time for coffee. Chris had heard about a new place on Argyle Street called Cult, it has been suggested it may be New Zealand style, hard to tell as we sat out side. We’d been heading to use the public toilets on the way only to discover they are suddenly charging 50p - 50p for a pee says ‘outraged from Yorkshire! ‘ We went in the cafe.

After a short walk we went back to The Seafood Shack which opens at 12.00. This place has had phenomenal success and you can see queues down the street at times. Although not yet open people were sat at tables (it’s all outdoors) so we took the last one and Chris joined the queue, far right, whilst the staff wrote out the menu board and made general preparation. Not too long a wait but by the time they started serving the queue was out of the gate. We both had Cullen Skink which was piping hot and delicious although I have burned my mouth.
The gin booth was there but I thought it was a little early!

We left and visited The Ceilidh Place bookshop. They didn’t  have the book I wanted for Eda, I’ve been buying her Katie Morag books whenever I come up here but she has all the ones  they had in stock. Luckily yesterday I bought a couple of books in Lochinver. They are animal stories set in the Highlands and at the back there are photographs of the actual animals they are based on. I took them to the counter and the lady said ..’shall I sign them to someone?’ She had written them and told me there are more to come.

A quick look in Ceard, a beautiful shop and then we followed a leaflet I’d found in the house of a tour around old Ullapool. It was interesting to see the origin of some of the buildings. I knew the whole town was built by the British Fisheries Society and was built on a grid design with suggestions from Thomas Telford as to the street width, for improved sanitary conditions, as well as designing the church which is now the Ullapool Museum. 
It was interesting to see the buildings by the harbour that were formerly herring curing sheds. The buildings on Shore Street originally all had gardens across the road adjacent to the water, they were removed to widen the road.

Not a very long walk but it took us to the river side in Moorfield where we’ve never walked before and then down the side of Loch Broom. 

Apparently there is a Skiff Regatta run by Ullapool Rowing club tomorrow and through the weekend. We should have got a newsletter telling us what is on. We had a drink sat outside the Arch and we could see preparations along the shore on West Shore Street. Hope it is less windy for them.
We’ve made other plans for tomorrow and Saturday will be far to busy so I think we’ll have to miss it. Think Grace and John have been here for it one time.

We stayed to see the 4.30 ‘Loch Seaforth’ ferry from Stornaway come in and then headed back.

A lovely evening but I don’t think we’ll go out again. Not done as much walking today but feel quite tired. I’ll just sit and enjoy seeing the change in colours as the sun goes down. I’ve brought sewing but unusually haven’t done any this visit.

Extra - Laburnums outside the Ceidilh Place 


12,000 steps.