Dog Friendly Ullapool: Restaurants, Walks, Boat Trips and Places to Stay

Ullapool is a neat, whitewashed town laid out along the shore of Loch Broom, and after the long empty miles of Sutherland it feels like a city. It has shops, fuel, a working harbour with the ferry to Stornoway, and more places to eat with a dog beside you than anywhere on the west side of the North Coast 500.

It is also small enough to cover on foot, which makes it easy with a dog: park once, and everything below is on foot apart from the walks out of town. We checked each place in September 2026.

Dog friendly restaurants and pubs in Ullapool

• The Ceilidh Place, West Argyle Street. Ullapool's arts hub: a bookshop, live music and a relaxed all-day bar. Dogs are welcome in the bar, café and restaurant. Good for a wet afternoon or a long supper.
• The Seaforth, Quay Street. A harbourside bar and restaurant known for its fish and chips, with dogs welcome inside beside the table. It has its own chippy too, if you would rather eat on the quay.
• The Ferry Boat Inn, Shore Street. A traditional waterfront bar with real ales and live music, looking out over Loch Broom. Well behaved dogs are welcome in the bar. Ask before you sit down in the dining area.
• The Seafood Shack, West Argyle Street. Locally landed seafood cooked to take away, with picnic tables outside. Everyone eats outdoors, and dogs are welcome at the tables. It is seasonal and usually shut in winter.

Dog friendly cafés

• The Bothy café, Broomfield Holiday Park. A casual café on the shorefront that calls itself pet friendly, with decking and sea views. Visitors report dogs made welcome. Check opening days out of season.
• The Ceilidh Place café opens from 8am, which makes it the early option.

Dog walks in and around Ullapool

• Ullapool Hill. The walk that starts from the back of the town. It climbs through open heather to the summit cairn of Meall Mor, with views down Loch Broom, and there is room for a dog to range. Allow about two and a half hours for the full circuit.
• Ardmair beach. A stony bay four miles north of the town with views to Isle Martin. It is an easy leg stretch straight off the main road. The road runs close behind the beach, so keep your dog under close control.
• Knockan Crag. About 12 miles north. A short, steep trail of around an hour with wide views to Suilven and Stac Pollaidh.
• Stac Pollaidh. The big one, in Coigach to the north. A well built path circles the hill and climbs to the ridge. Keep dogs on a short lead or at heel on the moor from April to July, and treat the ridge as the top: the far western summit is a scramble for climbers.
• Corrieshalloch Gorge. About 12 miles south. A short walk to a suspension bridge over a very deep gorge. Dogs must be on a lead. The bridge sways a little, which can unsettle nervous dogs.

A boat trip that takes dogs

Shearwater Cruises runs trips of about two hours among the Summer Isles, looking for seals, porpoises and sea eagles. Well behaved dogs are welcome on board. Bring a towel, and think about a dog life jacket, as the open decks can be wet. Sailings depend on the weather, so book ahead at the harbour office.

Dog friendly accommodation in Ullapool

• The Ceilidh Place. Dogs are welcome in the hotel rooms and in the bunkhouse, as well as downstairs.
• Ardmair Point Holiday Park. Four miles north on its own pebble bay. Dogs stay free on the campsite, on a lead, and the chalets take dogs for £3 a night.

We do not list a cottage in Ullapool itself. The nearest are in Assynt to the north and at Poolewe and Gairloch to the south, each between one and two hours away along the route.

See where to stay on the NC500 with a dog for those, and for hotels further round.

Camping? Dog friendly campsites on the NC500 covers the sites either side of the town.

Practical advice

• Fill up. Ullapool is the largest settlement on the west coast, with the most reliable fuel hours. Stations north of here are small and far apart.
• Vet. There is a branch surgery in the town that works by appointment on certain days. Save the number before you need it.
• Midges. The west coast is where they are worst, from late spring to September, especially on still evenings. Plan walks for breezy spots.
• Book supper. In summer the dog friendly tables fill early.

For the best months, see the best time to do the NC500 with a dog.

For sand, the nearest proper beach is Achnahaird. See dog friendly beaches on the NC500.

Final thoughts

Ullapool suits a night or two in the middle of a west coast trip. It is where you eat out, restock and have a day that does not revolve around the car. Walk the hill in the morning, eat on the harbour at lunchtime, and if the weather is kind, take the dog out to the Summer Isles in the afternoon.