Ullapool Harbour in Scotland: Getting There, Harbour Info and Sailing Destinations

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Ullapool harbour lies on the northwest coast of Scotland on Loch Broom, a long sea loch opposite the Isle of Lewis. Here you can read how to get to Ullapool for the start of your sailing trip, where to park and shop, what weather to expect, which sailing destinations are nearby and what skippers should bear in mind when approaching and berthing.

Where is Ullapool harbour?

Ullapool lies on a flat peninsula on the north shore of Loch Broom. The pier with the ferry terminal juts out into the water roughly in the middle of the village's shoreline, just under half a kilometre east of the headland Ullapool Point. The visitor berths are at the pontoons in the inner harbour, in the basin on the east side of the pier directly off Shore Street, sheltered by a floating breakwater. From the pontoons it is only a few steps to Shore Street with its shops, pubs and the bus stop.

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Loch Broom is a natural deep-water harbour that shelters Ullapool well from the open water of the Minch, the strait between the mainland and the Outer Hebrides. The harbour operator Ullapool Harbour Trust manages the harbour and the waters of Loch Broom, Annat Bay and Loch Kanaird. Besides the pontoons, there are moorings for visiting yachts and an anchorage to the south of them.

Arriving for the start of your sailing trip in Ullapool

Ullapool is a small place with short distances: buses, ferry, supermarket and pharmacy are all close together around the pier.

From Inverness Airport to Ullapool

The nearest airport is Inverness, around 100 road kilometres from the harbour. Direct flights operate from, among others, three London airports, Manchester, Amsterdam and Dublin (as of November 2026). By hire car, you drive from Inverness via the A835 through the Highlands to the west coast.

Without a car, take the city bus (route 1 or 13) from the airport to the bus station in Inverness. By taxi it takes about 20 minutes into the city. From the bus station, regular buses run to Ullapool, and they connect with the ferry to Stornoway. The fastest journey takes 1 hour 20 minutes, and in the winter half of the year there are up to two buses a day (as of November 2026). The buses stop about 10 metres from the ferry terminal, right at the pier.

By car, train, bus or ferry

You can get to Inverness by train, and from London also on the Caledonian Sleeper night train from Euston. The bus station is a few minutes' walk from the railway station, and that is where you change onto the bus to Ullapool. By car, the A835 leads from Inverness all the way into the village. Direct long-distance coaches also run to Ullapool from Glasgow and Edinburgh. In summer, an additional bus continues from Inverness via Ullapool further north to Lochinver and Durness. In Ullapool itself you can hire a car at the petrol station, and there is also a taxi firm in the village.

From the Isle of Lewis, you can come over on the ferry from Stornoway. It runs twice a day all year round, with additional sailings in summer and slightly fewer ferries on Sundays in winter. The crossing takes 2 hours 40 minutes. It is best to book vehicles in advance. By car, you should be at the terminal at least 45 minutes before departure, and on foot at least 30 minutes (as of November 2026). The ferry terminal is on Shore Street, right at the pier.

If you are travelling on a passport from the EU (except Ireland), you need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) for the UK, which you apply for via the app or on the British government website. Apply at least three working days before your journey (as of November 2026).

Parking

About 200 metres from the pontoons there is a car park at the ferry harbour. Directly in front of the harbour building at the pier there are drop-off bays and parking spaces. The village's main car park is next to the Tesco supermarket on Latheron Lane, a few minutes' walk from the pier. Payment is made there at the Highland Council machine. In the car park opposite the ferry terminal there are charging points for electric cars, and there is also a rapid charger at the harbour.

Showers and sanitary facilities

Near the harbour there are public showers and a launderette.

Shopping for the trip

The nearest shop is Ullapool Unpacked on Argyle Street, about 100 metres from the pontoons. It sells fresh vegetables, eggs and sustainably produced goods. A Tesco supermarket is on Latheron Lane, about 350 metres from the pontoons. There is no larger supermarket within about 25 kilometres that you could drive to. Local meat and groceries for a quick shop are available from the Lochbroom Garage on Garve Road.

A fish van sells fresh fish on Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm at the Village Hall in Market Street, and on Tuesdays at the same time in front of the Ceilidh Place; a butcher's van is at the Village Hall on Thursdays until 4 pm.

Doctor, pharmacy and emergency services

The GP surgery Ullapool Medical Practice is on North Road in the village. The nearest A&E department is at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness. A pharmacy is in the village centre, about 50 metres from the pontoons. For complaints that cannot wait until the next working day, you can reach the telephone health service NHS 24 in Scotland free of charge on 111.

• 999: Emergency number for police, fire brigade and ambulance service
• 999 and “Coastguard”: emergency at sea or on the coast; HM Coastguard takes the call
• At sea: VHF channel 16

What does Ullapool harbour offer?

Ullapool harbour has six visitor berths at the pontoons, twelve moorings for visiting yachts up to 15 metres and an anchorage. The key details at a glance (as of November 2026):

Feature	Details
Operator	Ullapool Harbour Trust
Harbour office address	Harbour Buildings, The Pier, Ullapool IV26 2UH
Visitor berths at the pontoon	6 (berths 27 to 32), £30 per night including VAT and electricity; electricity is also included in the price at the head pontoon
Moorings	12 for visiting yachts up to 15 m or 15 t, £20 per night incl. VAT
Anchorage	south of the moorings, good holding ground
VHF channel	14 (harbour radio), also calling on 16
Phone	+44 1854 612091, harbour staffed around the clock
Seekarte	BA 2500

Equipment

Drinking water is available at several points on the pontoons. At berths 27 to 32 and at the head pontoon, electricity is included in the berthing fee. For taking on water, provisions or diesel, there is a 40-metre pontoon on the inner side of the pier, which you should arrange with the harbour office beforehand. Smaller amounts of diesel can be collected in your own jerry cans at the petrol station at the east end of Shore Street, while larger quantities are delivered by the fuel supplier Highland Fuels by arrangement (+44 1463 245824). Gas bottles are available at the same petrol station and at the shop The Bothy on the western edge of the village, at the entrance to the campsite.

Next to the moorings there is a landing stage where you can get ashore by dinghy. At the Wee Pier at the entrance to the village, you can slip small boats free of charge. The harbour has a 7-tonne telehandler and can arrange larger cranes, both by arrangement. Boat electrics and electronics are sold and repaired by Watt Marine in the Latheron Centre in the village.

What is the sailing weather like around Ullapool?

On the Scottish west coast, the wind blows mostly from the southwest, and the strongest winds almost always come from directions between south and northwest. When a low crosses from the Atlantic, the wind usually sets in from the south or southwest and then veers to west or northwest. Lows are most frequent and strongest in the winter half of the year, especially from December to February. In spring, the wind blows from the northeast more often than usual.

In its coastal forecast, the British weather service Met Office warns of strong wind from Beaufort 6 and issues a Gale Warning from Beaufort 8. In Loch Broom you are sheltered, whereas out in the Minch the sea runs in unobstructed. Between the Summer Isles, strong tidal streams set in.

The tidal range in Ullapool harbour averages 4.2 metres at spring tides and 1.8 metres at neap tides. At mean high water springs, the water stands 5.2 metres above chart datum, and at mean low water springs 1.0 metre.

Which sailing destinations are near Ullapool?

From Ullapool, you first sail north-west out of Loch Broom. After that, the Summer Isles lie ahead of you, the coast of Assynt to the north and, to the west across the Minch, the Isle of Lewis. The distances are rounded distances over water on the usual course; for precise planning, rely on the chart.

• Isle Martin: about 4 nm
• Summer Isles (Tanera Mòr): about 10 nm
• Lochinver: about 25 nm
• Stornoway (Lewis): about 45 nm

Isle Martin lies just north of the mouth of Loch Broom, off Loch Kanaird.

Summer Isles: The island group lies off the Coigach peninsula. Between the islands there are rocky reefs and strong tidal streams. Tanera Mòr is the largest of the islands.

Lochinver lies further north on the coast of Assynt. The route takes you around the Coigach peninsula and makes for a full day's sail. The village is an important fishing landing port. For visiting yachts there are floating pontoons with water and electricity, and the harbour office is at the east end of the large fish hall. Loch Inver is usually not suitable for anchoring, as it is open to the prevailing winds.

Stornoway is the main town of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides and the destination of the ferry from Ullapool. The passage across the Minch is long and crosses open water. The Inner Harbour Marina is in the middle of the town and is accessible at any state of the tide for yachts up to 24 metres in length and 3 metres in draught. There are showers, shore power, a fuel pontoon and gas.

What can you do on a harbour day in Ullapool?

Everything you need is within walking distance: the waterfront promenade, the pier with its history, the museum and the Wee Pier at the entrance to the village.

Promenade on Shore Street: The waterfront road was widened in 2023 and has since had a promenade facing the loch with a space for events. At both ends, ramps lead down to the beach.

Pier and harbour history: The first pier was built in the late 18th century as a short stone pier with a breakwater in front of it, and over some 220 years it has been extended and expanded several times. Today fishermen land their catch here, the ferry to Lewis berths here, and cruise ships anchor off the village.

Wee Pier and rock pools: At the Wee Pier at the entrance to the village, the harbour has created three rock pools at different tidal heights, where you can watch marine life at low water. The local sailing club, the Lochbroom Sailing Club, uses the Wee Pier as its base.

Ullapool Museum: The museum on West Argyle Street is about 200 metres from the pontoons. It shows life in the village, the seafaring and fishing history, and the Gaelic culture of the area. In season, it is open until the end of October, Monday to Saturday from 11am to 4pm (as of November 2026).

North West Highlands Geopark: Ullapool is part of the UNESCO North West Highlands Geopark. In the landscape north of the village, Lewisian gneiss comes to the surface, at around three billion years old the oldest rock in Europe.

For skippers: berthing and marine weather in Ullapool

Before entering and before leaving Ullapool harbour, call the harbour radio (Watchroom) on VHF channel 14. There you will be given your berth and information on harbour traffic.

Registration and Berthing

You can call the harbour radio on channel 14 or 16, or reach it by phone on +44 1854 612091. The harbour is staffed around the clock. You can pay in cash, or by credit card over the phone or in the harbour building opposite the ferry terminal: the harbour radio is on the ground floor and the harbour office on the first floor.

The moorings are for visiting yachts up to 15 metres or 15 tonnes. If you would like to anchor, you will find good holding ground south of the moorings. When mooring, the harbour staff mainly help larger vessels; outside working hours you moor up yourself.

Harbour rules

The harbour rules of the Ullapool Harbour Trust apply to all vessels. These points matter for a visit:

• In the inner harbour you travel at no more than 6 knots and create no wash that could endanger boats or pontoons.
• When leaving a berth or mooring, give way to vessels under way.
• Keep pontoons, slipways and public landing stages clear.
• In the fairway, keep to the starboard side. Water skiing, jet skiing and kiting are prohibited near the piers.

Approach

A pilot is not compulsory. The harbour limit lies far out in front of Loch Broom, on a line from Cailleach Head over the southern tip of Meall nan Caorach to the mouth of the Garbh Allt, as marked on Admiralty chart BA 2500. From there you sail up Loch Broom to the southeast until you reach the village.

The harbour monitors the fairway and the inner anchorage by radar. Watch out for the ferry to Stornoway, which comes and goes several times a day, and for fishing boats. The inner anchorage for larger vessels lies southwest of the piers. Within 0.3 nautical miles of the piers you will find depths of 20 metres or more there. Watch out for a shallower spot of 8 metres at 57° 53.33′ N, 005° 09.75′ W.

If you arrive in Ullapool directly from abroad, report your arrival online to the British authorities and fly the Q flag from the 12-nautical-mile limit until the report has been completed.

Which marine weather forecast applies to Ullapool?

For Ullapool, the Met Office coastal waters forecast applies, with the areas “The Minch” and “Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath”. It is issued four times a day and is valid for the following 24 hours each time. You can read it on the Met Office website.

For the open sea, the Met Office issues the Shipping Forecast four times a day. The radio station BBC Radio 4 broadcasts it at 00.48 and 05.20 on long wave and FM, and at 12.01 and 17.54, as a rule on long wave only.

Sailing trips from Ullapool on Törnfinder

You can find all current offers, including those in other sailing areas, in the trip overview.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get from Inverness Airport to Ullapool?

By hire car via the A835, around 100 road kilometres. Without a car, take the bus to Inverness and from there a scheduled bus to the pier in Ullapool.

Where can I park at the start of my sailing trip in Ullapool?

About 200 metres from the pontoons there is a car park at the ferry harbour. The village's main car park is next to the Tesco supermarket on Latheron Lane, a few minutes' walk from the pier. You pay at the machine there.

Are there showers in Ullapool harbour?

Yes, there are public showers and a launderette near the harbour.

Is there a supermarket near Ullapool harbour?

Yes. A Tesco is about 350 metres from the pontoons on Latheron Lane, and fresh vegetables are available even closer at Ullapool Unpacked on Argyle Street, about 100 metres from the pontoons.

How much does a visitor berth in Ullapool harbour cost?

A visitor berth on the pontoon costs £30 per night including electricity and VAT, and a mooring costs £20.

Which VHF channel can Ullapool harbour be reached on?

On channel 14, where you report to harbour radio before entering and leaving. The harbour also monitors channel 16. All information for visiting yachts is on the harbour website.