This made it strategically important during WWII , when it was used as a base for the North Atlantic convoys. We have some of the finest mountain and coastal scenery in Britain, in a region with vast stretches of roadless countryside where deer and goats roam wild and where a wide variety of birdlife, including the rare and magnificent golden eagle, can be spotted. The seas teem with life. There are several beautiful safe sandy beaches in the area including Firemore Beach at Inverasdale and the white sands of Mellon Udrigle and Gruinard Bay a few miles north of Aultbea. All are frequently visited by seals.
Boat trips to spot the sealife are available in the area.
The local area is rich in archaeological remains, from mesolithic caves to Pictish stones to wartime relics . The headland beyond Cove was used as a look-out station in the Second World War. The remains of half a dozen look-out posts and gun emplacements are still there. The Gairloch area was traditionally MacLeod territory until 1494 when the Mackenzies secured the region for themselves. One of the most famous Mackenzies around here was Sir Osgood who founded Inverewe Garden at Poolewe.