Ullapool
Ullapool
Ullapool is located in Ross and Cromarty
Ullapool
Ullapool
Location within the Ross and Cromarty area
Population1,500 (mid-2020 est.)[1]
OS grid referenceNH125945
• Edinburgh153 mi (246 km)
• London485 mi (781 km)
Civil parish
  • Lochbroom
Council area
Lieutenancy area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townULLAPOOL
Postcode districtIV26
Dialling code01854
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament

Ullapool (/ˈʌləpuːl/;[2] Scottish Gaelic: Ulapul [ˈul̪ˠapʰul̪ˠ])[3] is a village and port located in Northern Scotland. Ullapool has a population of approximately 1,500 inhabitants.[4][5] It is located around 45 miles (70 kilometres) northwest of Inverness in Ross and Cromarty, Scottish Highlands. Despite its modest size, it is the largest settlement for many miles around. It is an important port and tourist destination. The North Atlantic Drift passes Ullapool, moderating the temperature. A few Cordyline australis (New Zealand cabbage trees) are grown in the town and are often mistaken for palm trees. The Ullapool River flows through the town, which lies on Loch Broom, on the A835 road from Inverness.

History

On the east shore of Loch Broom, Ullapool was founded in 1788 as a herring port by the British Fisheries Society.[6] It was designed by Thomas Telford. Prior to 1788 the town was only an insignificant hamlet made up of just over 20 households.[7] The harbour is used as a fishing port, yachting haven, and ferry port. Ferries sail to Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides.

A road to link Ullapool with Dingwall was commenced in 1792.[8] The village was historically in Cromartyshire, a county made up of many separate enclaves scattered across northern Ross-shire. Cromartyshire was abolished and combined with surrounding Ross-shire in 1890.

Many of the pivotal Victorian era discoveries that informed the concept of plate tectonics were made in this area. There are still regular international geological conferences held in Ullapool, which has been described as the top geological hotspot in Scotland.[9]

Parliament granted permission in the 1890s for a railway from Ullapool to the main Highland network at Garve, but the scheme was abandoned due to insufficient funds.

The name is possibly derived from the Norse for "Wool farm" or "Ulli's farm".[10]

Landscape and geology

The region surrounding Ullapool is dominated by rugged mountains, and especially by Bheinn Ghobhlach to the west, An Teallach to the southwest (both across the loch), Beinn Dearg to the southeast close to the head of Loch Broom, and Beinn Mhòr na Còigich to the north. These summits are referred to as periglacial enclaves, a term used to describe areas that were adjacent to glaciers and impacted by cold climates.[11]

An Teallach is a mountain which dominates the area and consists of Torridonian sandstone, which is layered nearly horizontally. It is a challenging climb and a considerable distance from the nearest road. Climbing affords views to the sea and the islands to the west, but also to the south, and the desolate Whitbread wilderness.[12]

Ullapool sits on a substantial geological structure known as the Moine Thrust Belt. This geological feature spans a considerable distance from Loch Eriboll in the north, extending southwards to the Isle of Skye. The Moine Thrust Belt represents the forefront of the ancient Silurian-era Caledonian orogeny.[11][13]

Culture

Ullapool

Venues for music and the performing arts in Ullapool include the Macphail Centre, which is located in the High School and includes a small theatre,[14] and The Ceilidh Place, a hotel, restaurant, and music venue which has previously held concerts by artists including Rab Noakes, Dick Gaughan, Kathleen MacInnes, and The Peatbog Faeries.[15][16] The Ullapool Guitar Festival is also held annually in the village.[17]

An talla solais, an arts centre, is located in the village,[18] along with a swimming pool and fitness centre, and several pubs, restaurants, and tourist accommodation facilities.[19] The 19th, and final, Ullapool Book Festival was held in the village in May 2023.[20][21] The Tall Ships visited Ullapool in July 2011, whilst sailing from Greenock to Lerwick.[22][23]

Ullapool was home to the shinty team Lochbroom Camanachd; however, the club has not completed a competitive fixture since 2015.[24][25]

Music

Throughout the year there are many small fèisean and music festivals in the local halls and hotels, especially in the Ceilidh Place and the Arch Inn. The Ullapool Guitar Festival takes place in early October each year, attracting performers at several venues over the weekend.

The Loopallu Festival, created by the American rock-grass band Hayseed Dixie and local promoter Robert Hicks in 2005,[26] was well received and has become a major regional annual event, more than doubling the size of the village during the festival. In 2007 it attracted several bands including The Saw Doctors, Dreadzone and Franz Ferdinand headlining on the second night. There are also fringe events at local bars. The Pigeon Detectives have played the Village Hall. Amy MacDonald in 2008 and Paolo Nutini in 2007 both played the Ceilidh Place. Mumford & Sons have also played in Ullapool twice.[27][28] The final festival took place in 2019.[29]

Ullapool has a local radio station called Lochbroom FM broadcasting on 102.2 and 96.8 FM and online, with programming provided mostly by Two Lochs Radio in Gairloch.[30][31]

The community was rated as among the "20 most beautiful villages in the UK and Ireland" by Condé Nast Traveler in 2020.[32]

Ullapool is referenced in the multiplayer video game Team Fortress 2 as the hometown of the Demoman[33] and in the name of an in-game melee weapon that the Demoman can choose to have in his loadout, the "Ullapool Caber".[34]

Ferry service

In 1970, Ross and Cromarty council voted to create a new £460,000 (equivalent to £7,569,800 in 2021)[35] ferry terminal at Ullapool, 43 miles (69 km) from Stornoway, replacing that at the Kyle of Lochalsh that is 71 miles (114 km) from Stornoway.[36] The ferry terminal is linked to the A835 trunk road with the A893. During 2022 the Ullapool Harbour Trust commenced a £4.3 million project to construct a new promenade and wider access road along the trunk road which will improve the inner harbour, provide pontoons for marine tourism and provide better access for pedestrians and cyclists.[37] At the terminal Caledonian MacBrayne operates a roll-on/roll-off carferry to Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis.

Climate

Ullapool has an oceanic climate (Cfb) with, considering its northerly latitude, relatively mild temperatures year-round. With an average 1,105 sunshine hours per year, it is cloudier than any major city in Europe.

Climate data for Ullapool (1 m asl, averages 1981-2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 5.1
(41.2)		 5.5
(41.9)		 7.0
(44.6)		 10.0
(50.0)		 13.4
(56.1)		 15.3
(59.5)		 17.2
(63.0)		 16.6
(61.9)		 14.4
(57.9)		 10.8
(51.4)		 7.5
(45.5)		 5.2
(41.4)		 10.7
(51.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −1.2
(29.8)		 −1.1
(30.0)		 0.2
(32.4)		 1.6
(34.9)		 3.9
(39.0)		 7.1
(44.8)		 9.1
(48.4)		 8.8
(47.8)		 6.6
(43.9)		 4.0
(39.2)		 1.3
(34.3)		 −1.4
(29.5)		 3.2
(37.8)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 236.3
(9.30)		 164.0
(6.46)		 175.3
(6.90)		 94.0
(3.70)		 87.7
(3.45)		 85.7
(3.37)		 98.2
(3.87)		 103.5
(4.07)		 150.3
(5.92)		 199.5
(7.85)		 191.8
(7.55)		 180.5
(7.11)		 1,766.8
(69.55)
Average rainy days (≥ 1 mm) 19.7 17.0 20.4 16.0 14.7 14.2 14.9 16.5 17.4 20.1 19.2 17.2 207.3
Mean monthly sunshine hours 26 54 85 134 186 151 127 125 96 66 34 21 1,105
Source 1: [38]
Source 2: [39]

See also

  • Morefield
  • Stac Fada Member, distinctive geology resulting from the largest bolide impact ever to strike what are now the British Isles

References

  1. ↑ "Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  2. ↑ John C. Wells, Longman Pronunciation Dictionary
  3. ↑ Iain Mac an Tàilleir. "Placenames" (PDF). Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
  4. ↑ "Moving to Ullapool | Welcome to Ullapool". www.ullapool.com. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  5. ↑ "statistics.gov.scot/atlas".
  6. ↑ "History". Ullapool Harbour Trust. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  7. ↑ "Welcome to Ullapool". Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  8. ↑ Miller, James (2017). The finest road in the world: the story of travel and transport in the Scottish Highlands. Edinburgh: Birlinn. ISBN 978-1-78027-430-0.
  9. ↑ "Dramatic Scottish coasts among top geology hotspots". The Scotsman. 16 June 2016.
  10. ↑ Iain Mac an Tàilleir. "Placenames" (PDF). Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  11. 1 2 Goodenough, K. M.; Krabbendam, M.; Bradwell, T.; Finlayson, A.; Leslie, A. G. (2009). "Digital surface models and the landscape: interaction between bedrock and glacial geology in the Ullapool area". Scottish Journal of Geology. 45 (2): 99–105. doi:10.1144/0036-9276/01-397. ISSN 0036-9276. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  12. ↑ "Make Mine A Big Whitbread Please (1)". Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  13. ↑ Stone, John O.; Ballantyne, Colin K.; Keith Fifield, L. (1998). "Exposure dating and validation of periglacial weathering limits, northwest Scotland". Geology. 26 (7): 587. doi:10.1130/0091-7613(1998)026<0587:EDAVOP>2.3.CO;2. ISSN 0091-7613. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  14. ↑ "Home". www.macphailcentre.com. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  15. ↑ Media, Web Smart. "Whats On at The Ceilidh Place in Ullapool". The Ceilidh Place. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  16. ↑ Spiegel, Max. "Dick Gaughan performing again". mudcat.org. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  17. ↑ "Ullapool Guitar Festival, Ullapool – Celtic, Folk and Traditional". www.visitscotland.com. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  18. ↑ "An Talla Solais". An Talla Solais. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  19. ↑ "Ullapool Visitor Guide - Accommodation, Things To Do & More". www.visitscotland.com. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  20. ↑ "Ullapool Book Festival to be held for last time in 2023". BBC News. 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  21. ↑ "ANNOUNCEMENT – Ullapool Book Festival". Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  22. ↑ "Tall ships to arrive in Ullapool in the Highlands". BBC News. 14 July 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  23. ↑ "Tall Ships at Ullapool | The Scottish Coastal Rowing Association". 18 July 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  24. ↑ "Lochbroom lift Minch Cup". Lewis Camanachd. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  25. ↑ "Clubs". Shinty.com. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  26. ↑ "AUK album premiere: Mark Olson "Spokeswoman of the Bright Sun" – Listen". 31 August 2017.
  27. ↑ "Mumford & Sons unveil mini festival near Aviemore". BBC News. 2 March 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  28. ↑ Goodwyn, Tom (16 February 2011). "Mumford & Sons announce Scotland tour and ticket details". NME. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  29. ↑ "Loopallu festival bows out after 15 years". BBC News. 26 September 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  30. ↑ "Lochbroom FM || Local Radio in the Highlands of Scotland". lochbroomfm.com. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  31. ↑ "Two Lochs Radio, Wester Ross, 106 & 106.6 FM". www.2lr.co.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  32. ↑ "THE 20 MOST BEAUTIFUL VILLAGES IN THE UK AND IRELAND, 20 October 2020". Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  33. ↑ Team Fortress 2 - Demoman Retrieved 2012-5-7.
  34. ↑ Ullapool Caber - Official Team Fortress Wiki Retrieved 2017-1-6.
  35. ↑ UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  36. ↑ "Ross and Cromarty council vote. Ullapool is Ferry Terminal". Aberdeen Press and Journal. Scotland. 22 October 1970. Retrieved 25 November 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  37. ↑ "Shore Street & Inner Harbour Development". Retrieved 27 October 2022 – via Ullapool Harbour Trust.
  38. ↑ "Ullapool climate". Met Office. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
  39. ↑ "Climate information for Ullapool". Scottish Places. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
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