Things to see and do
Explore
Although it may be very tempting to stay in and relax when staying at Brae House, there is great opportunity to explore what this part of Scotland has to offer. Whether it be the outdoor activities, food and drink, crafts, culture and history or wildlife and landscape, there is always something of interest around Coigach and Wester Ross. Check out the links below to see what takes your fancy.
Outdoor Activities
Walking and Climbing
Coigach and Wester Ross is home to some of the finest walking and climbing in the country. In the immediate area of Polbain there are some lovely walks accessible to people with all levels of fitness. For the more adventurous walker there are the peaks of Stac Pollaidh, Col Mor, Ben More Coigach, Suilven, Ben More Assynt and Conival.
Hamlet mountaineering
Situated in Achiltibuie, Hamlet Mountaineering offers tailor-made adventures to suit all experience levels and abilities. So if you want to do a bit of hill walking, rock climbing, canoeing and sea kayaking, they will help you to find your perfect adventure.
Cycling
The roads around Coigach are quiet and generally easy for cycling and there is plenty to entertain the more adventurous mountain-bikers in the shape of off road hill and shore routes. Don’t be intimidated by those hills, just keep going - the view from the top will make it all worthwhile and it’s also a lot of fun going down the other side.
Angling
The many rivers, burns, lochs and lochans around Coigach hold wild brown trout, sea trout, salmon, ferrox trout and arctic char. Permits are widely available from the shops, bars and hotels around the area.
Sea angling from boat, shore or pier, Achiltibuie and the Summer Isles offers great scope for magical fishing trips. All the best species are here, from easy-to-catch mackerel to record-breaking skate.
Kayaking and Sailing
NorWest Sea Kayaking offers Day, 1/2Day and multi-day trips, four star accommodation based tours, camping expeditions and skills courses in the Ullapool/Achiltibuie-Summer Isles & Lochinver area.
Summer Isles Sailing School have courses on offer which include RYA Dinghy Sailing and RYA National Powerboat Scheme.
Diving
The west coast of Scotland around the Summer Isles and Ullapool provides visitors with the opportunity to experience some of the best diving sites in Scotland. Scuba diving trips to the many famous wreck, underwater caves and fantastic wall dives that are found around the Summer Isles, Loch Broom and Gruinard area.
Golf
For golf enthusiasts a round can be had at the Ullapool Golf Club. The course is of a high standard and maintains a balance with the surrounding landscape so that visitors and members alike can enjoy their game whilst appreciating the beauty of the Highlands of Scotland.
Find out more at visitcoigach.com
Food and Drink
Shopping
Achiltibuie Stores is a short drive and is located just on the left as you drive into Achiltibue. They supply just about anything you need for your stay. They also supply fuel, kindling and even fishing tackle. They are also the only suppliers of petrol and diesel with in a 25 mile radius.
There is also A Bhuth Bheag (the small shop), at Port A Bhaigh campsite at Altandhu.
Am Fuaran Bar, Altandhu
Amenities:- Pool, darts and entertainment. Children's' license, snacks, lunches, evening meals, local seafood a specialty. Teas, coffee & biscuits served all day Takeaway food counter, freshly prepared food available.
Find out more at visitcoigach.com
Crafts, Culture, Wildlife & Landscape
Fisk Gallery
Only a couple of miles or so from Achiltibuie, on the Coigach peninsula, Fisk Gallery features the work of local artisans and creatives, some of whom work in their own studio workshops within the building.
Wildlife around Coigach
In the mountains you will often see Red Deer, Eagles and other birds of prey, Snow Buntings and Ptarmigan. On the fabulous coast there is a huge variety of sea birds, including Sea Eagles, Divers, Terns, Skuas, Gannets and virtually every type of gull imaginable. In the water, we have seen Basking Sharks, Minke Whale, Dolphins and Porpoise, seals and occasionally an elusive Otter.
The Summer Isles
The Summer Isles (Scottish Gaelic: Na h-Eileanan Samhraidh) are an archipelago lying in the mouth of Loch Broom, just to the south of Polbain. The only inhabited isle, Tanera Mòr, is also the largest. It is home to a salmon farm, some holiday lets, a café and a post office, which has operated its own local post and printed its own stamps since 1970. Boats sail to the island from Ullapool and Badentarbet pier, which lies between Polbain and Achiltibuie.
North West Highlands Geopark
NW Highlands Geopark is located in the far north of the Scottish Highlands. Beginning at The Summer Isles in Wester Ross, near the busy ferry and fishing town of Ullapool, one of the gateways to the Geopark, the area takes in around 2000 sq km of mountain, peat land, beach, forest and coastline across west Sutherland and on to the north coast.
The eastern boundary of the Geopark extends beyond the settlement of Durness and Loch Eriboll to follow the Moine Thrust Zone, an internationally significant geological structure that helped 19th century geologists work out how the world’s great mountain ranges were formed.
Find out more at visitcoigach.com