Suggested duration: 9 hours Available any day of the year - boat trip seasonal Price - see Private Tours for a general guide to prices for private trips, apply to us with time of year you wish to travel for an exact quotation. Optional 2-hour boat trip

Click on thumbnail, above, for a more detailed map of this and other itineraries. The light blue line - ASSYNT - is the Assynt itinerary

We depart Inverness and cross Easter Ross by the old cattle droving road known as the Struie, most famous named road in the Highlands. From here we get spectacular views west to the first of today's mighty mountains, Ben More Assynt. Across the Dornoch Firth at Spinningdale we see the house which was James Robertson Justice's residence in his heyday. Beyond Bonar we make a stop at Shin Falls and its nearby visitor centre, acquired in 2002 by Mr al Fayed - so now we have 'Harrods in the Highlands'. We spend almost an hour in this area, which also has short forest walks.

Atlantic salmon are often seen jumping at Shin Falls

We continue west and enter the area of the bleak Torridonian sandstone with its widely separated but dramatic peaks. First Canisp comes into view, then Suilven.

Suilven - only 2399' but often described as the most remarkable mountain in Scotland, its shape changing dramatically according to one's viewpoint. Suilven's colloquial English name is 'The Sugarloaf'

We continue west. At Ledmore Junction we turn south and stop at Knockan Crag. With a modest walk here you can view the Moine Thrust, where older rocks overlie younger ones! The next link gives more general information on the North West Highlands Geopark.
We continue south to Ullapool where you may make an optional 2-hour cruise by MV Summer Queen in Loch Broom - please see their website for birds and animals which may be viewed.
If you don't wish to make the boat trip, you have time to explore Ullapool, one of the most attractive small towns in the Highlands. If it's fine it's pleasant just to spend time round the town and on the shore, if it's not so fine you can visit the museum housed in the former church built by the distinguished engineer Thomas Telford. There is also a delightful and little-known aboretum at Lael Forest Garden with over 170 varieties of trees and shrubs from the Americas, Australia, the British Isles, the Continent, New Zealand, and the Far East. Small waterfalls and wonderful ambience. And it's FREE! (Lael is a few miles east of Ullapool and we drive you there if you want to make this visit.)
After collecting the 'sailors' we all go to Corrieshalloch Gorge, one of the most spectacular canyons in the Highlands before crossing the wild moorland of the Dirie Mhor and returning to Inverness - an almost completely circular tour.

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