A friend of mine was to be married in Ullapool and my partner and I decided to make a holiday of it. Ullapool has a good selection of hotels, B&Bs and guest houses, but we wanted to rent a self-catering cottage, and chose the Leckmelm Holiday Cottages because of their commitment to Green Tourism, and because they offered a very reasonable rate. The cottages are situated a couple of miles outside Ullapool (we ventured into the village on foot and found it to be somewhat further than the suggested three miles, up a main road with no footpath, and with a few alarming moments thanks to drivers putting their collective foot down). Accessing these cottages is easier if you have a car, though the village does have a very good taxi service.

There are several cottages to choose from, and we booked a 2-star cottage, Campbeltown number 2, advertised with views of Loch Broom. And what views! Standing on the doorstep on a crisp, quiet October morning, with nothing but the loch and... more