Overview of Ullapool

Located in Ross and Cromarty district, 59 miles (95 km) northeast of Inverness, 225 miles (362 km) north of Glasgow and 214 miles (344 km) northeast of Edinburgh and within Highland Council Area, Ullapool became the principal port for the trade in herring as a consequence of promotion and development by the British Fisheries Society in 1788. It grew through much of the 19th Century although it was known that the herring shoals were in decline. By the early 20th Century and with the drop in the herring trade Ullapool did not warrant a rail link and as such the town had a period of decline. This was reversed with improved road connections and the development of the harbour, for a time accommodating factory ships from Eastern Europe which brought much revenue to the town. Tourism is now one of the main income generators to the local economy and visitors come for the beaches, stunning scenery as well as local attractions. The town, like many other West Coast villages, has whitewashed buildings, many of which can be attributed to the engineer Thomas Telford (1757 - 1834). Notable amongst these is a Parliamentary Church, built in 1829 and now home to the Ullapool Museum and Visitor Centre, which explores and natural and social history of the area.