Wester Ross

The mainland north-west — Gairloch, Poolewe, Aultbea, Torridon and the road north toward Ullapool.

Plan your visit

Single-track coast roads, white sand beaches, sea-lochs and some of Britain's most dramatic mountain country. Gairloch is the main hub for visitors, with hotels, the museum and the Gale Centre.

Wester Ross is the mainland north-west — the run of coast and mountain country between Lochcarron in the south and Ullapool in the north, taking in Gairloch (IV21), Poolewe and Aultbea on Loch Ewe (IV22), the Torridon peninsula, and the National Trust's Inverewe garden.

Getting there

By car on the A832 coast road, reached from the A9/A835 via Garve and Achnasheen or from the south through Lochcarron. There is no rail service to the coast; the nearest stations are Achnasheen and Strathcarron on the Kyle of Lochalsh line. Wester Ross features on the free Ullapool & Western Isles printed map.

When to go

Spring to autumn (April to October) is the working season for most businesses, gardens and boat trips; Inverewe is at its best from late spring. Summer brings long daylight and busier single-track roads; May and September are quieter. Some small businesses close over winter.

Sub-regions

Ullapool Ferry port and fishing town on Loch Broom — the mainland gateway to the Outer Hebrides. CalMac sails from here to Stornoway on Lewis, and th …

Trails through this region

route · driving · cycling North Coast 500 Scotland's flagship scenic road trip — 516 miles around the rugged northern coastline, starting and finishing at Inverness Castle. The single most-marketed route in Scottish tourism, and a serious cycling objective for those willing to take it on as the loop it actually is.

Plan your trip

Take the printed map with you.

The Ullapool & Western Isles 2026 (2026) edition covers Ullapool, Wester Ross, Isle of Lewis, Isle of Harris, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist and Isle of Barra — full-colour, OS-grade, and free where you travel. The same maps you've found at ferry ports and visitor centres for over 20 years.

About this edition → Download PDF

Gairloch is the main hub. Around it: the Gairloch Museum (winner of the 2020 Art Fund Museum of the Year shortlist), the Gale Centre community hub at Achtercairn, hotels at Badachro and Charlestown, and the family-run businesses in the village itself. North along the A832, Pool House at Poolewe sits beside Loch Ewe, and the Russian Arctic Convoy Museum at Aultbea tells the story of the WWII convoys mustered in the loch.

Frequently asked questions

What is there to see in Wester Ross?

Gairloch and its museum, Inverewe Garden at Poolewe, the Torridon mountains, the Russian Arctic Convoy Museum at Aultbea, and a string of white-sand beaches and sea-lochs along the coast.

How do I get to Wester Ross?

By car on the A832 coast road, reached via the A9/A835 or from the south through Lochcarron. There's no rail line to the coast; the nearest stations are Achnasheen and Strathcarron.