Ardmair Point

Alright, first things first. Ardmair Point is next to a road, it has over 100 pitches and a quintet of wooden chalets and caravans enjoy the best waterfront positions. But – and this is a big but – the site enjoys one of the most spectacular locations of any in Europe: set adrift on its own peninsula, with the Atlantic lapping at three sides, the Coigach Ridge rising impossibly steeply just to the north and the famed Summer Isles tempting on the horizon. Oh, and the fishing port of Ullapool, with its lively pubs and great food, is just three miles down the road.

Your attention will immediately be taken up by the views when you first arrive at Ardmair, as sea, hills and islands are all round. Once you’ve managed to tear your peepers away from these scenic treats and enter the site, you’ll notice the efficient reception block that boasts a well-stocked shop selling everything from local maps and waterproofs through to kites and butteries – a strange east-coast ‘delicacy’. If you are not lucky enough to have been force-fed them as a child and brainwashed into thinking you still have to eat them as an adult, imagine 100 croissants with a layer of lard laced between each, then squashed in an industrial vice, and you will have something approaching the artery-clogging reality of butteries. Eat one and you won’t need to eat again for weeks (trust us, we’re speaking from experience).

The campsite offers a choice of areas to pitch on. There is the main grassy field, which has a gentle slope, but does not have any caravans. Most tenters head there, though watch where you pitch as there is some stony ground around. Arguably the best position is in the small clearing just below the site’s highest point, though the midges tend to be in residence here when there is no breeze.

One of the most unusual aspects of Ardmair is that you can bring your own boat along on a trailer – or even arrive by boat if you like. Moorings are free, so you can sail up here and use it as a base or just launch your boat off the slipway and potter around the wide bay. Kayaks are also welcome with some top-notch paddling to be had around this rugged indented coastline, with its challenging Atlantic swells and unpredictable currents. And a good supply of wind provides all the pulling power needed for kite-surfers.

Land-based attractions include Ullapool Golf Club just down the road; not exactly championship quality but a fun course nonetheless. This being the Highlands there are numerous opportunities for walks, whether you are looking for a gentle stroll or a challenging adventure. Then, of course, there are the cruises out to the Summer Isles from Ullapool.

Ullapool itself is a major pull, a working port where real fishermen still drink real beer in real pubs. In this unpretentious little town, you can order a coffee in the tearoom and take it outside on to their ‘terrace’ – which happens to be the harbour wall, with impressive views of Loch Broom and the brooding hills. The harbour wall also forms the beer garden of the best pub in town, the Ferry Boat Inn – well worth a visit.

Back at Ardmair, there can be a bit of traffic noise during the day and you’ll certainly be aware of the caravans and chalets around, but by night as you savour a moonlit stroll along the pebble beach, any reservations about Ardmair soon disappear. Many visitors will die happy having experienced that viewscape. But beware: eat too many butteries and that might happen rather a lot sooner than you expect.