Lael Forest Garden is a quiet woodland stop south of Ullapool, planted with trees and shrubs from cool, wet parts of the world that can handle Wester Ross weather. It is a good reminder that this coast is not only mountains and sea lochs; the sheltered glens have their own botanical surprises.
The garden is easy to fold into a drive toward Corrieshalloch Gorge or the wider west-coast road network. Paths are informal and the appeal is slow looking, so it suits travellers who enjoy plants, forest texture, and low-key stops between bigger landscapes.