On the shores of Loch Broom on the west coast of Scotland, Ullapool is a popular gateway to the Northern Highlands. Once an important center of herring fishing, the village of some 1,500 residents was the creation of the British Fisheries Society, constructed in 1788 to designs by the architect and town planner Thomas Telford—hence the uniform look of its rows of white houses. Ullapool still offers plenty of opportunity to breathe in the salty air and admire the fishing boats bobbing in the harbor. At the end of your sightseeing, you can stop for a meal of fish & chips at a waterfront café. Ceilidh Place is an inviting spot to warm up with afternoon tea. Nature lovers may want to head 19 kilometers (12 miles) south of town to Corrieshalloch Gorge, where the River Droma plunges through a series of waterfalls; a Victorian suspension bridge provides a vantage point for terrific photos of one of the Highlands’ most famous sights. The small Ullapool Museum is worth a visit too, especially if you have Highland roots, as the genealogy service and its volunteers are particularly thorough. (If you intend to research your genealogy, you are asked to advise the museum in advance.)