Cape Wrath Trail - Ullapool

After a substantial breakfast at the Kinlochewe Hotel, Dorothy and I set off past yet another ghastly hydro-electric scheme at the 'Heights of Kinlochewe'. It was another very hot day until a slight breeze built up. We met Daniel from Dusseldorf, who was also doing the CWT. We got the tent set up out of the wind next to Loch an Nid with a great view of An Teallach beyond.

Slioch and Lochan Fada

On the next day we walked up to the ridge and then on to Mullach Choire Mhic Fhearchair (top of the corries of the son of Farquhar). We also climbed Sgurr Ban (white peak) and Beinn a' Chlaidheimh (mountain of the sword). On the way up we walked up a gently sloping slab.

However, by taking a photo at the right angle it looks as if Dorothy is free climbing up a rock face.

After Loch an Nid, I carried on - bypassing Sheneval Bothy. However, Shenavall – A Brief History by Alex Sutherland is worth reading. I carry on down to the A832. This road is known locally as Desolation Road and was built to give employment in the years following the potato famine of 1846. I then carry on to the Ullapool road, past An Teallach and over what I later discovered was the Coffin Road to Inverlael.

An Tealach from Beinn a' Chlaidheimh

Dorothy went South, retracing our steps back to the car. She then drove round to Inverlael to collect me and take us to Ullapool for two days.

Dorothy disappears into the distance

In 1820 about 55 families were evicted from Inverlael and Braemore. Inverbroom and Achindrean were also cleared pre – 1850. Other evictions took place here and there including some in Coigach – one attempt to evict there was unsuccessful because the officers with the warrant were attacked and humiliated by a band of irate women.

(http://www.ullapool.co.uk/clearances.html)

In the late 1960’s to early 1970’s low-draft Scandinavian cargo “Klondykers” appeared in Ullapool to buy the herring. They employed many local men to ice the herring caught by the east coast boats which was then taken to Norway, Africa and the Canaries, etc. These boats would then return laden with fruit for the home markets

As the herring again declined around 1975 and the nutritional value of mackerel became apparent, we experienced the amazing sight of up to 70 Eastern Bloc factory ships anchored in Loch Broom and Annat Bay – long before the end of the “Cold War” – and often viewed with disbelief by visitors! On occasions their numbers swelled by Nigerian, Irish, French and even Japanese klondykers, all intent on cashing in on the mackerel bonanza – so once again Ullapool harbour had to be extended to cope with the extra traffic

The klondykers literally were processing factories and the end products were loaded on to reefers to be exported to all parts of the world. They often stayed for 6 months out of each year and their crews could increase the population of Ullapool to over 400! They came ashore in watches, in small orange ‘liberty’ boats to buy up all the goods, which were unavailable in their own countries. Shop owners smiled happily as their stores were quickly emptied of all manner of electrical goods, coffee, cosmetics, ladies tights, etc. and there were even buses laid on to take the crews on shopping trips to Inverness!
In the early days of these visits by the Eastern Bloc ships, the crews had little or no sterling with which to buy our goods, but not to be outdone, they would often be seen on the pavements selling shirts, towels, fur hats and beautifully made model sailing ships. Needless to say, many hotels and homes in Ullapool now boast one of their carefully detailed models.(http://www.ullapool.co.uk/fishermen.html)