The County Today

During the Napier Commission inquiry in 1883, a panel member enquired - "Why is Ullapool such a deserted, poor-looking place?"  Now, Ullapool is one of the most attractive villages in Scotland, a lure to thousands of visitors each year and a desirable place to live.  In the east of the County, the Black Isle, connected directly with Inverness by a road bridge since 1982, is part of the city’s pressured housing market. The County has been experiencing small population gains in recent years, as a result of in-migration.

Today, the County is part of a modern Scotland with its own Parliament in Edinburgh. Perceived relative remoteness from metropolitan Britain should not obscure the County's well-established links beyond its shores. For decades many people of Ross & Cromarty have travelled across the globe to secure a living. Family ties across borders remain strong.

The internet and other modern technologies have been adopted wholeheartedly in many communities. In contrast to the past, current local issues relate less to matters of religion, military conquest, food scarcity, and more to employment opportunities, local housing need and affordability, sustainable development, community support, and renewable energy.