Skip to content

Christmas tree made from fishing creels lights up Scottish village

News imageJane Barlow/PA Media Ullapool's Gordon Wink places the "star" on to top of the village's creel tree. The star is the outline of crab decorated with white lights.Jane Barlow/PA Media
Volunteer Gordon Wink places a crab-shaped decoration on top of the creel tree

Every year the people of Ullapool mark the countdown to Christmas by building a spectacular tree from hundreds of fishing creels.

These loaf-shaped pots, made using a frame covered in netting, are normally used for catching shellfish such as crabs and langoustines.

But the residents of this fishing village in the Highlands turn them into an eyecatching winter display, illuminated by colourful lights.

The 30ft (9m) tall display is organised by community group Ullapool Fire and Light Fund.

News imageJane Barlow/PA Media A close up of the creels, loaf-shaped pots with metal frames covered in green netting.Jane Barlow/PA Media
The tree is constructed using creels, which are pots for catching shellfish
News imagePA Media A man climbs up the creel tree. It is night-time and the tree is lit up with multi-coloured lights.PA Media
Coloured lights are used to illuminate the tree

Gordon Wink, one of the volunteers involved in the project, told BBC Radio Scotland's Lunchtime Live programme how the village has been creating the focal point for the last 10 years.

The idea first came about after local man Robert Hicks asked if anything could be done to "brighten up the dark nights" in winter.

Robert was the organiser of the Loopallu music festival, which was held in the village for 15 years until 2019.

It was suggested that the village celebrate its fishing heritage with a tree made from creels.

"At the start we had to beg and borrow stuff," said Gordon.

But lottery funding later allowed the volunteers to buy their own creels - all 340 of them.

News imageJane Barlow/PA Media Gordon Wink places the "star" on to top of the village's creel tree. The star is the outline of crab decorated with white lights. In the sea nearby is CalMac's ferry MV Loch Seaforth. It is dark and the lights on the tree and the ferry are on.Jane Barlow/PA Media
The Ullapool to Stornoway ferry has a role when the tree is switched on
News imageJane Barlow/PA Media Two men stand at the top of the creel tree. It is night-time and the tree is lit up with multi-coloured lights.Jane Barlow/PA Media
The tree has been a winter feature in Ullapool for 10 years

"It takes two full days to build with help from volunteers and the harbour provides us with lots of the equipment," said Gordon.

The tree is constructed on a disc-shaped base, with a timber frame up through the centre and weights to keep everything in place - especially in windy weather.

"We had a storm last week which caused a wee bit of damage," said Gordon.

The creels are stacked around the frame and then the whole structure is decorated with multi-coloured Christmas tree lights.

The finishing touch is the "star" - an outline of a crab with white lights.

The tree's location near the harbour allows for another neat touch when it comes to officially switching on the lights.

CalMac's Ullapool to Stornoway ferry blows its horn three times and the lights are then turned on.

"When the lights are first turned on you think: 'Oh, that's quite smart'," said Gordon.

"Hundreds of people come down for it - one lady travels 500 miles from the south of England every year to see it."

Oban in Argyll also builds a creel tree as part of the town's winter festival.