20260407 Viking Vela Northern Lights and British Isles - Day 23/32

Viking Vela In Search of the Northern Lights and British Isles Explorer Cruise Day 23/32 – Ullapool in the Scottish Highlands

We didn't drop anchor until after noon today, so it was a sailing morning. Where are we sailing, exactly?

We left Belfast around 6:30 last night and arrived at Ullapool about 12:30 this afternoon

This area is called the Scottish Highlands. We didn't know what to expect, but it wasn't this.

Snowcapped peaks

Rugged mountains

It just kept getting prettier the farther we sailed

To make things even better, the high temperature today approached 60°F, so that was a huge improvement from the mid-40s and strong winds we've had the last few days. Another oddity, especially in Scotland, was the unusual blue color and the bright yellow ball shining in the sky. It was going to be a good day. The one usual thing was the intense Scottish breeze, which was blowing intensely.

After breakfast, we went up to the Explorers Bar for a panoramic view of the scenic approach to Ullapool

We dropped anchor just outside the city - a five-minute tender ride away

We took the tender into town around 12:45 to join the included tour, Explore Picturesque Ullapool. It was a walking tour that lasted about one hour.

Our first glimpse of the Saltire, or St. Andrew's Cross - the Scottish national flag, marking our 115th country visited

The yellow flag featuring a red lion is the Lion Rampant, or Royal Banner of the Royal Arms of Scotland

The main street in Ullapool

Typical construction

Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland

The Latheron Building

Lochbroom Free Church

Sir John Fowler Memorial Clock, the most photographed clock in the Highlands, was erected in 1899 in the middle of the road, and it was relocated here in the mid-1960s

Fowler, a famous civil engineer known for designing the Forth Rail Bridge 

The Caledonian Hotel, one of the oldest hotels in Ullapool, was built in the early 1900s

More homes

One interesting thing we learned is that the local school supports an area of more than 100 miles, due to the relatively low population of the area. Because of that, most students are housed in hostels during the week and only go home for the weekend, returning Sunday night.

Street names in English and Gaelic

Telford Church from the 1880s, now the Ullapool Museum

The cemetery went around the building

The Caley Inn

An outdoor barometer and thermometer

We did a little shopping in the few shops in town and took the tender back to the ship. Since it was already 3:00, we split a burger from the pool grill.

Arlona noticed this small waterfall off in the distance

We enjoyed cocktails in the Explorers Bar. Arlona checked on outside activities and saw that we were still waiting to load tenders back on the ship.

 Eventually, we sailed away from Ullapool, departing around 6:30 pm. We bid farewell to the Scottish Highlands and set sail for Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands of Scotland.

Since we ate such a late lunch, we weren't terribly hungry for dinner. We did see that the World Café offered escargot tonight, so Arlona hatched a plan. We went to Manfredi's and grabbed three of their absolutely delicious garlic rolls. Then, we went up to the World Café and each grabbed escargot. We used the garlic rolls to sop up the garlic butter from the escargot. Yes, we ate tremendously healthy tonight.

Yesterday, I mentioned that it would be nice if they had mint chocolate chip gelato more often. Once again, one day after I suggest it, mint chocolate chip gelato appears in the World Café.

They were showing a movie under the stars on the pool deck tonight, so that means popcorn. We grabbed some and returned to the room for the perfect finish to our gourmet evening.

Arlona checked the Aurora forecast, and there is a potential that the Northern Lights may be visible where we are tonight. Unfortunately, clouds rolled in before we sailed, and it looks like they will continue through the night. Perhaps we'll get lucky tomorrow night.

Our Scottish adventure continues tomorrow.