article: "Is it always sunny here?" asked The Van T's from the stage during a pause between songs. The reply from the audience inside the big top to the Glasgow band's question was wry laughter. Outside the sun was blazing, as it had done the previous day, but at the back of the tent were muddy puddles. The marshy patch was a reminder of the heavy rain and gale-force winds that battered the north-west Highlands only a few days earlier. But this year's Loopallu, a two-day festival in the picturesque town that every year is officially opened by Ullapool and District Pipe Band, was blessed with some cracking weather. Colourful wellies, today's must-have festival footwear, looked as out of place in the sunshine as the t-shirts and sunburns did on Friday's last day of September and Saturday's first of October. Back in the big top, young guitar band The Van T's powered through the rest of their set. On the very same stage the night before, Feeder, who were probably writing chart hits before The Van T's were even born, closed Friday's first day of Loopallu. Earlier that day had seen performances by acts such as Lional, Manran and Fatherson. Feeder packed out the big top late on Friday night. Even the much avoided soggy corner of the tent had music fans jumping up and down on it as they belted out Buck Rogers. It was a chilly night for those under canvas in the festival campsite, with the clear sky dropping temperatures to close to zero. Going to the toilet in the middle night also came with an unusual, and slightly hazardous distraction. With Ullapool's low light pollution, the stars glittered brightly in the clear sky and it was hard not to look straight up to gawp. However, this meant not paying attention to the maze of trip wire-like tent guy ropes. Saturday dawned with a yet another cloud-less blue sky. It was mirrored in the milk pond still waters of nearby Loch Broom. Little groups of festival-goers gathered on the loch's pebbled shore to drink coffee or tea and to skim stones across the loch's waters. Everyone paused to watch the arrival of the Stornoway to Ullapool ferry the MV Loch Seaforth. From the other end of the beach came two locals. The men harvested mussels from among long strips of kelp washed up on the shore. The shellfish they gathered in a bucket were in shells the size of their fists. Gradually, the nearby festival site started coming to life. The Van T's were among the first acts up and they were later followed by the Little Mammoths. During their set, the Little Mammoths paid tribute to Gord Downie, the lead singer of Canadian band The Tragically Hip. The band recently finished a farewell tour of Canada after rock musician and writer Downie was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Back outside in the sunshine, folk did a double take as a pirate walked among them. The man in the frock coat and tricorn hat was Mark Radcliffe, the BBC Six
summary: The Loopallu music festival was held at the weekend in Ullapool, bringing together well-known acts, newcomers and several thousand music fans.