The Vikings are in.

An unexpected day. The wind changed last night and the mountains disappeared giving a mizzly, murky evening.
Based on the forecast we decided on Ullapool today but woke to a better day than forecast, cloudy but fine, no wind and still quite warm (too warm for a cardigan!)

Coffee first at The Cult on West Argyle Street, tempted by an olive, feta and sun dried tomato scone we put off lunch till later.
Popped into my favourite little book shop in the Ceilidh Place and got two books for the girls. Love this shop as it doesn’t overwhelm.

Walking back to Shore Street we spotted (couldn’t miss it) a Norwegian cruise ship in the harbour. The tall masted yacht is still there too.

Decided to take a look and short walk around the Lael Forest Garden we’d passed a sign for on the way here a I’d found a leaflet for in the house.
A pine scented walk around a forested area near the R Broom with many species of trees labelled. Lots we’d never heard of. A pleasant hour except a very steep and unnecessary path to start with as you later had to come back down some equally steep steps to the garden!

Back in Ullapool for a late lunch, would it be Seafood Shack or fish and chips? Both excellent. 
We went straight to the Seafood shack and got a table, they are all outdoor but always busy. No Cullen Skink but a spicy Seafood soup was on the menu instead so I opted for the tempura battered haddock wrap with salad. Chris had the same so we won’t need to bother with any tea! The big surprise was Val McDermid sitting on the next table. I asked in the lovely shop next door if there was a literally festival on. They have stopped them now but apparent she is a frequent visitor. Sneaky pic in the extra which is terrible of Chris and she’s not in focus but you can plainly see it is her.

Back across to the Ceilidh Place for a drink sitting outside after a visit to the lovely shop that I can’t pronounce, a bit of provision shopping in Tesco and then we were off leaving the cruise crowds behind.

Parked by the Ferry Boat Inn - loved their signs extra 

There are new information boards on the new promenade along Shore Street, one of them points out the geological fault or thrust seen diagonally crossing the hillside at tge far side of the loch. Obvious when you see it. There is a more famous one further north, the Moine Thrust, on Loch Glencoul at Kykescu. No wonder this is a UNESCO site, the North West Geopark starts just up the road.