I used to live in Ullapool in the West coast of Scotland for many years and moved away about 7 years ago. It’s a lovely village and the surrounding areas are full of long stretches of empty roads, mountains, deserted lochs and stunning beaches that are more often than not empty. It’s hardly surprising that when someone decided to name a new route in the North of Scotland, they choose for it to run along the West and North of the country. The NC500 is a 516 mile journey round the North of Scotland.
On the route, in Lochinver, is a little gem of a place which is the main base for Highland Stoneware. What is lovely about this is that it is more than just a shop. It is one of those places that you really feel they have put their heart and soul into. The drive up to Highland Stoneware is full of what I can only describe as unique quirky ceramic mosaic sculptures. Outside lies a living room and TV and the car park is complete with it’s own ceramic car and family.
So, why does this make a good place to visit if you are driving along the North Coast 500? It’s not just that each piece is handmade and individual painted by the craftspeople who work here. It’s that they do it right in front of you. The pottery is an open workshop so you are free to wander round and watch everyone at work. I was asked to go over to the pottery to shoot some images for their new website which you can see below. 
On the way to Lochinver, you pass by the beautiful and often atmospheric Ardvreck castle. It’s well worth a stop along the way . As ever in this part of the world, you can quite easily witness 4 seasons in one day. The sunset image was photographed on my drive home later that night. 
