It was another lovely sunny day with clear blue skies. It was cool at first, but by lunchtime, it had become very warm.

In the morning, we were due to go on a Shellfish Safari in a traditional working fishing boat to see langoustine, creels, and lobster pots hauled from the deep, but sadly it was cancelled.

Instead, we walked around Gairloch. Gairloch is a small fishing village with a population of just under 700 situated on the shore of Loch Gairloch amongst the awe-inspiring scenery of Wester Ross.

We first visited the museum, which is housed in an old, reinforced concrete nuclear bunker built during the Cold War. Two of the six-inch reinforced doors are used as exhibition stands. The museum offers diverse exhibits highlighting local history, culture, and the natural environment. Highlights include the original lens from Rubh Re lighthouse, a replica croft house, an interactive natural world gallery, a Pictish Symbol stone, and a 25-minute video of local people discussing how life in Gairloch has changed over the last few hundred years, which was fascinating.

After the museum, we took a stroll around the picturesque small harbour. On our way there, we spotted a lovely beach in the distance, but could not see how to get there. We eventually found a sign pointing up a steep hill saying, “Beach 1km.” But despite walking for around 15 minutes, we never saw the beach!!

By the afternoon, it had become very hot, so we returned to our hotel and found a nice place in the shade to read and relax.

For our evening meal, we went to the Badachro Inn. This involved driving along a narrow, winding single-track road with many blind corners for three miles. During this, we encountered a few locals who appeared to be practicing to be motor racing drivers. But we finally made it without incident and were seated in the lovely conservatory with spectacular views overlooking Loch Gairloch. The food was enjoyable without being anything special.

We have eaten far too much this holiday. Once back home, we must return to exercise and healthy eating to lose these excess pounds.