Gairloch View Guest House

Gairloch is situated some 70 miles west of Inverness, on the west coast of Scotland overlooking the Isle of Skye.

It offers a wide range of shops, unusually for a place so small and comparatively remote, these including an award winning butcher and a very cosy book shop where you can spend  hours perusing books and enjoying a lovely cup of coffee.

You will also find a wealth of gift shops and picture galleries at the harbour along with the local post office and a branch of the Bank of Scotland (which has an Autoteller cash machine).    

Gairloch has a varied choice of dining establishments which offer local and not so local fare, with real ales from both Scottish and English breweries and more single malt whiskies than you can imagine.

The Golf Club in Gairloch has a 9-hole links course  fringed by golden sands and enjoys wonderful views of the loch and surrounding areas. The photo above was taken from the dunes immediately adjacent to the golf course and shows the magnificent beach next to the course. This latter is a must, come rain or shine, a lovely sandy beach where sand castles can be built to your heart's content.

Inverewe Garden,  owned by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS), lies only 15 minutes' drive to the north up the coast from Gairloch. The gardens were established in 1862 and, despite being on a latitude more northerly than Moscow, they benefit from the warmth of the Gulf Stream and are home to a wealth of tropical plants and trees from around the world.

This is a fine opportunity to see a whole host of different exotic species, enjoy the beautiful views over Loch Ewe from the various vantage points and visit the gift and plant centre and cafe. 

Gairloch and the surrounding area has a fantastic variety of waterfalls with Flowerdale a short walk from the harbour. Victoria Falls are 15 minutes' drive to the south, just adjacent to the famous and beautiful Loch Maree. Ardessie Falls are some 25 minutes to the north and are even more breath-taking, especially when it rains. Even on wet days the Highlands offer plenty to see, especially the waterfalls!

In the locality there are also numerous leisure attractions. Poolewe, about 5 miles away northwards, has a swimming pool, whilst the Gairloch Trekking Centre is only  five minutes from us and offers a wonderful opportunity to go pony trekking amidst the beautiful Scottish Highland scenery.

For the walkers and climbers amongst you, Gairloch is an excellent base from which to explore the Highlands. Whether you want a long walk , a short walk or sometimes a wet walk, they're never too far away !

Of course, we cannot possibly present a page of tourist information without making mention of the local wildlife which, as in many parts of the Highlands, abounds in the Gairloch area.

The wildlife , depending on the season, can be seen from the shore or from the locally run boat trips.

There are regular sightings of porpoise, occasionally whales and dolphins and, if you know where to look, seals, otters, eagles and, of course, deer. The deer population has, in fact, increased quite considerably in recent years and they can often be seen quite close to the roadside, especially in the colder winter months. Motorists are well advised to be especially vigilant as these majestic animals have no road sense whatsoever and an unintentional coming together with a full-grown stag can have pretty serious consequences for all concerned!

We hope you have found this section of our website interesting and that it will have whetted your appetite for a visit to this beautiful part of the British Isles which will most certainly appeal to all those who love the great outdoors. You can find more information via our "Useful Links" page.