A ROSS-SHIRE village has made it on to a list of the 15 best places to visit in the UK this year.

Ullapool, with a population of around 1500 people, rubs shoulders with London, Newcastle and Belfast on a list compiled by Time Out, the media group that covers events, entertainment and culture in cities around the world.

With Time Out's suite of publications and websites a go-to for travellers around the world, the listing is quite the coup for the Wester Ross fishing port which is already a visitor magnet.

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And the listing – only one of two from Scotland included – puts the area on the radar of a potential audience of millions now considering holiday getaways in the depth of a long, cold winter.

So what's the big appeal?

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Time Out says: "For all the bucket list places around the world, it can be easy to forget that we actually have some pretty amazing places to explore right here on our doorstep. Sure, the British weather can have a mind of its own and train travel can leave a lot to be desired, but if you’re willing to put up with all of that, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what there is to discover."

Time Out's description of the village and its charms states: "A tiny village and port around 45 miles from Inverness in the Scottish Highlands, Ullapool is well situated for walkers and cyclists to get their dose of the great outdoors: explore the nearby Corrieshalloch Falls, scramble up Stac Pollaidh mountain or to hop on a ferry to the Outer Hebrides.

"But there’s more to this place than just hiking boots and anoraks. Ullapool is also going under something of a cultural renaissance, with Scotland’s most remote club night bringing of-the-moment electronic DJs to the area and The Seafood Shack and new 3AA Rosette restaurant The Dipping Lugger attracting foodies from far and near. The town was recently chosen as one of Time Out’s most underrated travel destinations in Europe, so get down soon."

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Perfect day?

Describing its suggestion for the perfect day it says: "Wrap up warm and drive over to the foot of Stac Pollaidh mountain, with its spectacular peak of Torridonian sandstone. Reward yourself with a packed lunch on the top after a two-hour climb, before heading home and warming up in The Ferry Boat Inn where you can enjoy a slap-up dinner with some of the freshest seafood you’ll ever eat."

As well as being a tourist season hive of activity thanks in part to its NC500 connections, stunning seaside setting and easy access to outdoor pursuits, the village has also managed to carve out a winter reputation amongst visitors thanks to its quirky festive creel tree and lighting display.

What else is on the list?

Bristol; Hull; Isles of Scilly; London; Belfast; St Andrews; Lewes; Newcastle; Falmouth; Manchester; Ramsgate; Norwich; Alnmouth and Wrexham.

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