Inverness • Culloden Battlefield • Clava Cairns • Cawdor Castle • Loch Ness • Urquhart Castle
Inverness, the Highlands’ de facto capital, is an almost-unavoidable stop on the Scottish tourist circuit. It’s a pleasant town and an ideal springboard for some of the country’s most famous sights. Hear the music of the Highlands in Inverness and the echo of muskets at Culloden, where government troops drove Bonnie Prince Charlie into exile and conquered his Jacobite supporters. Ponder the mysteries of Scotland’s murky prehistoric past at Clava Cairns, and enjoy a peek at Highland aristocratic life at Cawdor Castle. Just to the southwest of Inverness, explore the locks and lochs of the Caledonian Canal while playing hide-and-seek with the Loch Ness monster.
Though it has little in the way of sights, Inverness does have a workaday charm and is a handy spot to spend a night or two between other Highland destinations. With two nights, you can find a full day’s worth of sightseeing nearby.
With a car, the day trips around Inverness are easy. Without a car, you can get to Inverness by train (better from Edinburgh, Stirling, Glasgow, or Pitlochry) or by bus (better from Skye, Oban, and Glencoe), then side-trip to Loch Ness, Culloden, and other nearby sights by public bus or with a package tour.
Note that Loch Ness is between Inverness and Oban, Glencoe, and the Isle of Skye. If you’re heading to or from one of those places, it makes sense to see Loch Ness en route, rather than as a side trip from Inverness.
Inverness is situated on the River Ness at the base of a castle (now used as a courthouse, but with a public viewpoint). Inverness’ charm is its normalcy—it’s a nice, midsize Scottish city that gives you a palatable taste of the “urban” Highlands and a contrast to cutesy tourist towns. It has a disheveled, ruddy-cheeked grittiness and is well located for enjoying the surrounding countryside sights. Check out the bustling, pedestrianized downtown, or meander the picnic-friendly riverside paths and islands—best at sunset, when the light hits the castle and couples hold hands while strolling along the water and over its footbridges.
Inverness, with about 70,000 people, is one of the fastest-growing cities in Scotland. Marked by its castle, Inverness clusters along the River Ness. The TI is on High Street, an appealing pedestrian shopping zone a few blocks away from the river; nearby are the train and bus stations. Most of my recommended B&Bs huddle atop a gentle hill behind the castle (a 10-minute uphill walk from the city center).
At the TI, you can pick up the self-guided City Centre Trail walking-tour leaflet and the What’s On weekly events sheet (June-Sept Mon-Sat 9:00-19:00, shorter hours on Sun and off-season, 36 High Street, tel. 01463/252-401, www.visitscotland.com and www.visitinvernesslochness.com).
Charity Shops: Inverness is home to several pop-up charity shops. Occupying vacant rental spaces, these are staffed by volunteers who are happy to talk about their philanthropy. You can pick up a memorable knickknack, adjust your wardrobe for the weather, and learn about local causes.
Festivals and Events: The summer is busy with special events; book far ahead during these times: Etape Loch Ness bike race (early June), Highland Games (late July), Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival (music, early Aug), Black Isle farm show (early Aug), and Loch Ness Marathon (late Sept).
In summer (June-Sept), the TI can let you know whether a ceilidh (traditional dance and music) is scheduled at City Hall.
For a real Highland treat, catch a shinty match (a combination of field hockey, hurling, and American football—but without pads). Inverness Shinty Club plays at Bught Park, along Ness Walk. The TI or your B&B can tell you if there are any matches on, or check www.invernessshinty.com.
Bookstore: Located in a converted church built in 1649, Leakey’s Bookshop is the place to browse through teetering towers of old books and vintage maps (Mon-Sat 10:00-17:30, closed Sun, Church Street, tel. 01463/239-947, Charles Leakey).
Baggage Storage: The train station has lockers (Mon-Sat 6:40-20:30, Sun from 10:40), or you can leave your bag at the bus station’s ticket desk (small fee, daily until 17:30).
Laundry: Head to the west end of the Ness Bridge to find New City Launderette (self-service or same-day full-service, Mon-Fri 8:00-20:00, Sat until 18:00, Sun 10:00-16:00, last load one hour before closing, 17 Young Street, tel. 01463/242-507). Thirty Degrees Laundry on Church Street is another option (full-service only, drop off before 10:00 for same-day service, Mon-Sat 8:30-17:30, closed Sun, a few blocks beyond Victorian Market at 84 Church Street, tel. 01463/710-380).
Skip the City Sightseeing hop-on, hop-off bus tour (this format doesn’t work in Inverness).
Walk Inverness offers 1.5-hour walking tours departing from the TI several nights a week in summer at 18:00 and some Saturdays at 11:00. You’ll learn about the history of Inverness, its castle, Victorian Market, and Old High Church, with a few Outlander landmarks thrown in for good measure (£10, www.walkinverness.com/tours [URL inactive], Cath Findlay). They also organize private tours—see website for details.
Hardworking Alison leads small groups on two-hour bike tours. Her six-mile route is nearly all on traffic-free paths along canals and lochs outside of the city and comes with light guiding along the way. You’ll pedal through Ness Island, stop at the Botanical Gardens, ride along the Caledonian Canal with its system of locks (you may even catch a boat passing through the locks), and cycle through a nature preserve (£21, generally no kids under 14, 10-person max; daily in season at 10:00, 13:00, and 15:45; best to book a spot in advance online, goes even in light rain, meet at the Prime Restaurant, near the west end of Ness Bridge at 5 Ness Walk, call or text mobile 07443-866-619, www.invernessbiketours.co.uk). Arrive a bit early to size up your bike and helmet.
Inverness is a great home base for day trips. A variety of tour companies offer excursions—details and tickets are available at the TI. While the big sellers are the many Loch Ness tours (because the monster is on every bucket list), I far prefer an all-day trip to the Isle of Skye—which gives you a good look at Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle along the way. For Isle of Skye and Orkney Island tours in summer, it’s a good idea to book about a week in advance.
The famous lake is just a 20-minute drive from Inverness. Tours often include a short boat ride, a visit to Urquhart Castle, and a stop at the Loch Ness monster exhibits. The lake is not particularly scenic, the castle is just a shell, and the monster is mostly a promotional gimmick. Still, if you have no car, this can be the most efficient way to check this off your list. Jacobite Tours focuses on trips that include Loch Ness, from a one-hour basic boat ride to a seven-hour extravaganza. Their four-hour “Sensation” tour includes a guided bus tour with live narration, a half-hour Loch Ness cruise, and visits to Urquhart Castle and the Loch Ness exhibits (£35, for more options see www.jacobite.co.uk, tel. 01463/233-999).
Several companies do good day tours to the Isle of Skye. They travel 110 miles (a 2.5-hour drive) to the heart of Skye (Portree). With about six hours of driving, and one hour for lunch in Portree, that leaves two or three hours for a handful of quick and scenic photo stops. All travel along Loch Ness so you can see Urquhart Castle and try for a monster sighting. And all stop for a view of Eilean Donan Castle. The longer rides loop around the Trotternish Peninsula. Websites explain the exact itineraries.
Wow Scotland’s ambitious 12-hour itinerary goes in a big bus. They depart at 8:30 from the Inverness bus station and include short but smart and adequate stops all along the way (£79, nearly daily June-Aug, fewer departures in April-May and Sept, none Oct-March, tel. 01808/511-773, www.wowscotlandtours.com). I’d pay the extra for the £99 front row.
Highland Experience Tours runs another, shorter Isle of Skye itinerary in 24-seat buses (daily April-Oct, less off-season, 10 hours) but doesn’t make it as far north as the Trotternish Peninsula (£55, tel. 0131-285-3314, www.highlandexperience.com). They offer a variety of other daylong tours, including to the far north with John O’Groats, or a trip to Royal Deeside and the Speyside Whisky Trail.
Happy Tours Scotland organizes daily minibus tours on a 10-hour joy ride (getting all the way to Quiraing) with top-notch guides (£80, 8 people per minibus, daily at 8:20, leaves from 7 Ness Walk at Columba Hotel, mobile 07828-154-683, book at www.happy-tours.biz, Cameron). They also offer Loch Ness and Outlander itineraries, a Speyside whisky tour, and private minibus tours.
Rabbie’s Small Group Tours does 12-hour trips to Skye in its 16-seater buses for £22 nearly daily from Inverness (www.rabbies.com). Their busy list of other tours cover Culloden and Clava Cairns, Cairngorms National Park, and Speyside.
Iona Highland Tours takes eight people on several different Isle of Skye itineraries, including one that allows hiking time at the Fairy Pools (£70, 9 hours, tel. 01463/250-457, www.ionahighlandtours.com [URL inactive]).
By Train Then Tour: To avoid a long bus ride or skip the sights along the way to Skye, take the train from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh, where a Skye-based tour company will pick you up and take you around. Try Skye Tours (tel. 01471/822-716, www.skye-tours.co.uk [URL inactive]) or Tour Skye (tel. 01478/613-514, www.tourskye.com). The train leaves Inverness before 9:00 and arrives around 11:30; the return train is around 17:15 (covered by BritRail Pass).
For a very ambitious itinerary, John O’Groats Ferries offers an all-day tour that departs Inverness at 7:15, drives you up to John O’Groats to catch the 40-minute passenger ferry, then a second bus takes you on a whistle-stop tour of Orkney’s main attractions (with an hour in the town of Kirkwall) before returning you to Inverness by 21:00. While it’s a long day, it’s an efficient use of your time if you’re determined to see Orkney (£76, daily June-Aug only, tel. 01955/611-353, www.jogferry.co.uk).
Although humble Inverness is best as a jumping-off point for exploring the countryside, spare an hour or two for the town’s fun history and quirky charm with this short self-guided walk (route shown on map earlier in this chapter).
• Start at the clock tower.
Clock Tower: Notice the Gaelic language on directional and street signs all around you. While nobody speaks Gaelic as a first language (and only about 60,000 Scottish people speak it fluently), this old Celtic language symbolizes the strength of Scottish Highland culture.
The clock tower looming 130 feet above you is all that remains of a tollbooth building erected in 1791. This is the highest spire in town, and for generations was a collection point for local taxes. Here, four streets—Church, Castle, Bridge, and High—come together, integrating God, defense, and trade—everything necessary for a fine city.
About 800 years ago, a castle was built on the bluff overhead and the town of Inverness coalesced right about here. For centuries, this backwater town’s economy was based on cottage industries. Artisans who made things also sold them. In 1854, the train arrived, injecting energy and money from Edinburgh and Glasgow, and the Victorian boom hit. With the Industrial Age came wholesalers, distributors, mass production, and affluence. Much of the city was built during this era, in Neo-Gothic style—over-the-top and fanciful, like the City Hall (from 1882, kitty-corner to the clock tower). With the Victorian Age also came tourism.
Look for the Bible quotes chiseled into the facade of the building across the street from the City Hall. A civic leader, tired of his council members being drunkards, edited these Bible verses for maximum impact, especially the bottom two.
Hiding just up the hill (behind the eyesore concrete home of the Inverness Museum and Art Gallery) is Inverness Castle, where there is a small exhibition (with plans for a bigger museum) and a chance to climb to the top of the tower (£5). It’s worth hiking up to the castle at some point during your visit to enjoy some of the best views of Inverness and its river. The castle has served as a courthouse in modern times, but it doesn’t see a lot of action. In the last few decades, there have been only two murders to prosecute. As locals like to say, “no guns, no problems.” While hunters can own a gun, gun ownership in Scotland is complicated and tightly regulated.
• Walk a few steps away from the river (toward McDonald’s)...
Mercat Cross and Old Town Center: Standing in front of the City Hall (known here as the “Town House”) is a well-worn mercat cross, which designated the market in centuries past. This is where the townspeople gathered to hear important proclamations, share news, watch hangings, gossip, and so on. The scant remains of a prehistoric stone at the base of the cross are what’s left of Inverness’ “Stone of Destiny.” According to tradition, whenever someone moved away from Inverness, they’d take a tiny bit of home with them in the form of a chip of this stone—so it’s been chipped and pecked almost to oblivion.
The yellow Caledonian building faces McDonald’s at the base of High Street. (Caledonia was the ancient Roman name for Scotland.) It was built in 1847, complete with Corinthian columns and a Greek-style pediment, as the leading bank in town, back when banks were designed to hold the money of the rich and powerful...and intimidate working blokes. Notice how nicely pedestrianized High Street welcomes people and seagulls...but not cars.
• Next we’ll head up Church Street, which begins between the clock tower and The Caledonian.
Church Street: The street art you’ll trip over at the start of Church Street is called Earthquake—a reminder of the quake that hit Inverness in 1816. As the slabs explain, the town’s motto is “Open Heartedness, Insight, and Perseverance.”
Stroll down Church Street. Look up above the modern storefronts to see centuries-old facades, more interesting than the town’s regrettable post-WWII architecture. Union Street (the second corner on the right)—stately, symmetrical, and Neoclassical—was the fanciest street in the Highlands when it was built in the 19th century. Its buildings had indoor toilets. That was big news.
Midway down the next block of Church Street (on the right), an alley marked by an ugly white canopy leads to the Victorian Market. Venturing down the alley, you’ll pass The Malt Room (a small and friendly whisky bar eager to teach you to appreciate Scotland’s national tipple; see “Nightlife in Inverness”) and The Old Market Bar (a dive bar worth a peek). Stepping into the Victorian Market, you’ll find a gallery of shops under an iron-and-glass domed roof dating from 1876. The first section seems abandoned, but delve deeper to find some more active areas, where local shops mix with tacky “tartan tat” souvenir stands. If you’re seriously into bagpipes, look for Cabar Fèidh, where American expat Brian sells CDs and sheet music, and repairs and maintains the precious instruments of local musicians.
Go back out of the market the way you came in and continue down Church Street. At the next corner you come to Hootananny, famous locally for its live music (pop in to see what’s on tonight). Just past that is Abertarff House, the oldest house in Inverness. It was the talk of the town in 1593 for its “turnpike” (spiral staircase) connecting the floors.
Continue about a block farther along Church Street. The lane on the left leads to the “Bouncy Bridge” (where we’ll finish this walk). Opposite that lane (on the right) is Dunbar’s Hospital, with four-foot-thick walls. In 1668, Alexander Dunbar was a wealthy landowner who built this as a poor folks’ home. Try reading the auld script in his coat of arms above the door.
A few steps farther up Church Street, walk through the iron gate on the left and into the churchyard (we’re focusing on the shorter church on the right—ignore the bigger one on the left). Looking at the WWI and WWII memorials on the church’s wall, it’s clear which war hit Scotland harder. While no one famous is buried here, many tombstones go back to the 1700s. Dodging rabbits, head for the bluff overlooking the river and turn around to see...
Old High Church: There are a lot of churches in Inverness (46 Protestant, 2 Catholic, 2 Gaelic-language, and one offering a Mass in Polish), but these days, most are used for other purposes. This one, dating from the 11th century, is the most historic (but is generally closed). It was built on what was likely the site of a pagan holy ground. Early Christians called upon St. Michael to take the fire out of pagan spirits, so it only made sense that the first Christians would build their church here and dedicate the spot as St. Michael’s Mount.
In the sixth century, the Irish evangelist monk St. Columba brought Christianity to northern England, the Scottish islands (at Iona), and the Scottish Highlands (in Inverness). He stood here amongst the pagans and preached to King Brude and the Picts.
Study the bell tower from the 1600s. The small door to nowhere (one floor up) indicates that back before the castle offered protection, this tower was the place of last refuge for townsfolk under attack. They’d gather inside and pull up the ladder. Every night at 20:00, the bell in the tower rings 100 times. It has rung like this since 1730 to remind townsfolk that it’s dangerous to be out after dinner.
This church became a prison for Jacobites after the Battle of Culloden; many of the prisoners were executed in the churchyard. (Look for marks where bullets hit the tower wall).
• From here, you can circle back to the lane leading to the “Bouncy Bridge” and then hike out onto the pedestrian bridge. Or you can just survey the countryside from this bluff.
The River Ness: Emptying out of Loch Ness and flowing seven miles to the sea (a mile from here), this is one of the shortest rivers in the country. While it’s shallow (you can almost walk across it), there are plenty of fish in it. A 64-pound salmon was once pulled out of the river right here. In the 19th century, Inverness was smaller, with open fields across the river. Then, with the Victorian boom, the suspension footbridge (a.k.a. “Bouncy Bridge”) was built in 1881 to connect new construction across the river with the town.
• Your tour is over. Inverness is yours to explore.
This free, likable town museum is worth poking around on a rainy day to get a taste of Inverness and the Highlands. The ground-floor exhibits on geology and archaeology peel back the layers of Highland history: Bronze and Iron ages, Picts (including some carved stones), Scots, Vikings, and Normans. Upstairs you’ll find the “social history” exhibit (everything from Scottish nationalism to hunting and fishing) and temporary art exhibits.
Cost and Hours: Free, April-Oct Tue-Sat 10:00-17:00, shorter hours off-season, closed Sun-Mon year-round, cheap café, in the ugly modern building on the way up to the castle, tel. 01349/781-730, more info under the visitor attractions tab at www.highlifehighland.com.
Aside from nice views from the front lawn, a small exhibition, and a tower climb with a commanding city vista (£5), most of this Inverness landmark is not open to the public. A wooden fortress that stood on this spot was replaced by a stone structure in the 15th century. In 1715, that castle was named Fort George to assert English control over the area. In 1745, it was destroyed by Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Jacobite army and remained a ruin until the 1830s, when the present castle was built. Now town leaders are discussing plans to build a new museum here, linking the two castle towers with a large exhibit space, but no timetable has been set. The statue outside (from 1899) depicts Flora MacDonald, who helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape from the English (see here).
As with most European cities, where there’s a river, there’s a walk. Inverness, with both the River Ness and the Caledonian Canal, does not disappoint. Consider an early-morning stroll along the Ness Bank to capture the castle at sunrise, or a post-dinner jaunt to Bught Park for a local shinty match. The path is lit at night. The forested islands in the middle of the River Ness—about a 10-minute walk south of the center—are a popular escape from the otherwise busy city.
Here’s a good plan for your Inverness riverside constitutional: From the Ness Bridge, head along the riverbank under the castle (along the path called “Ladies Walk”). As you work your way up the river, you’ll see the architecturally bold Eden Court Theatre (across the river), pass a white pedestrian bridge, see a WWI memorial, and peek into the gardens of several fine old Victorian sandstone riverfront homes. Nearing the tree-covered islands, watch for fly-fishers in hip waders on the pebbly banks. Reaching the first, skinny little island, take the bridge with the wavy, wrought-iron railing and head down the path along the middle of the island. Notice that this is part of the Great Glen Way, a footpath that stretches from here all the way to Fort William (79 miles). Enjoy this little nature break, with gurgling rapids—and, possibly, a few midges. Reaching the bigger bridge, cross it and enjoy strolling through tall forests. Continue upriver. After two more green-railinged bridges, traverse yet another island, and find one last white-iron bridge that takes you across to the opposite bank. You’ll pop out at the corner of Bught Park, the site of shinty practices and games—are any going on today?
From here, you can simply head back into town on this bank. If you’d like to explore more, near Bught Park you’ll find minigolf, a skate park, the Highland Archive building, the free Botanic Gardens (daily 10:00-17:00, until 16:00 Nov-March), and the huge Active Inverness leisure center, loaded with amusements including a swimming pool with adventure slides, a climbing wall, a sauna and steam area, and a gym (www.invernessleisure.co.uk).
Continuing west from these leisure areas, you’ll soon hit the Caledonian Canal; to the south, this parallels the River Ness, and to the north it empties into Beauly Firth, then Moray Firth and the North Sea. From the Tomnahurich Bridge, paths on either bank allow you to walk along the Great Glen Way until you’re ready to turn around. It takes about an hour to circle around from the center of Inverness all the way to Clachnaharry, where the river meets Beauly Firth.
While you can find traditional folk-music sessions in pubs and hotel bars anywhere in town, two places are well established as the music pubs. Neither charges a cover for the music, unless a bigger-name band is playing.
The Gellions has live folk and Scottish music nightly (from 21:30 or sometimes earlier). Very local and a bit rough, it has local ales on tap and brags it’s the oldest bar in town (14 Bridge Street, tel. 01463/233-648, www.gellions.co.uk).
Hootananny is an energetic place with several floors of live rock, blues, or folk music, and drinking fun nightly. It’s rock (upstairs) and reel (ground floor). Music in the main bar (ground floor) usually begins about 21:30 (traditional music sessions Sun-Wed, trad bands on weekends; also a daytime session on Sat afternoon at 14:30). On Friday and Saturday nights only, upstairs is the Mad Hatter’s nightclub, complete with a cocktail bar (67 Church Street, tel. 01463/233-651, www.hootanannyinverness.co.uk).
MacGregor’s Bar is run by Bruce MacGregor, a founding member of the Scottish group Blazin’ Fiddles, and his wife Jo. Their passion for local music (with several music evenings each week) is matched by good food, good local beers on tap, and a fun local crowd. From spring through fall, they also offer a twice-weekly whisky tasting (£35, Mon and Thu at 19:00) along with traditional Scottish music and stories (a few blocks past the pedestrian bridge at 113 Academy Street, tel. 01463/719-629, www.macgregorsbars.com).
SoBar is a sprawling pub with dart boards (free), pool tables (£7.50 per hour), a museum’s worth of sports memorabilia, and the biggest TV screens in town (popular on big game nights). It’s a fine place to hang out and meet locals if you’d rather not have live music (just across from the castle at 55 Castle Street, tel. 01463/572-542).
For a whisky education, or just a fine cocktail, drop in to the intimate Malt Room, with 250 different whiskies ranging from £4 to £115. The whisky-plus-chocolate flight makes for a fun nightcap (just off Church Street in the alley leading to the Victorian Market, 34 Church Street, tel. 01463/221-888, Matt).
At the Black Isle Brewery, you can sample their local organic beers and ciders. Choose from 26 beers on tap (including some non-Black Isle brews), all listed on the TV screens over the bar (wood-fired pizzas, 68 Church Street, tel. 01463/229-920).
MacGregor’s Bar (listed earlier) also offers whisky tastings and beer flights.
These B&Bs are popular; book ahead for June through August (and during the peak times listed in “Helpful Hints,” earlier), and be aware that some require a two-night minimum during busy times. The places I list are a 10-15-minute walk from the train station and town center. To get to the B&Bs, either catch a taxi (£5) or walk: From the train and bus stations, go left on Academy Street. At the first stoplight (the second if you’re coming from the bus station), veer right onto Inglis Street in the pedestrian zone. Go up the Market Brae steps. At the top, turn right onto Ardconnel Street.
Find these two above Castle Street (with several recommended restaurants).
$$ Ardconnel House is a classic, traditional place offering a nice, large guest lounge, along with six spacious and comfortable rooms (family room, two-night minimum preferred in summer, no children under 10, 21 Ardconnel Street, tel. 01463/418-242, www.ardconnel-inverness.co.uk, ardconnel@gmail.com, Graeme and Audrey).
$$ Crown Hotel Guest House isn’t quite as cute and homey as some, and it has a few dated elements, but its seven rooms (five en suite, two with separate but private bathrooms) are pleasant and a solid value (family room, 19 Ardconnel Street, tel. 01463/231-135, www.crownhotel-inverness.co.uk, crownhotelguesthouse@gmail.com, Munawar and Asia).
These places are just a couple of minutes farther out from Castle Street and the places on Ardconnel.
$$ Eildon Guesthouse offers five tranquil rooms with spacious baths. The cute-as-a-button 1890s brick home is centrally located yet exudes countryside warmth and serenity from the moment you open the gate (family rooms, 2-night minimum in summer, no kids under 10, in-room fridges, parking, 29 Old Edinburgh Road, tel. 01463/231-969, www.eildonguesthouse.co.uk, eildonguesthouse@yahoo.co.uk, Jacqueline).
$$ Dionard Guest House, wrapped in a fine hedged-in garden, has cheerful common spaces, six lovely rooms, some fun stag art, and lively hosts Gail and Anne—best friends turned business partners (family suite, in-room fridges, they’ll do guest laundry for free, parking, 39 Old Edinburgh Road, tel. 01463/233-557, www.dionardguesthouse.co.uk, enquiries@dionardguesthouse.co.uk).
$$ Atholdene Guest House, run by amiable Gillian and Andrew, welcomes many return visitors—maybe they come back for the homemade scones? Most of its nine rooms are on the smaller side but comfortable, and classical music in the morning makes for a civilized breakfast (2-night minimum in summer, guests must be 18 or older, parking, 20 Southside Road, tel. 01463/233-565, www.atholdene.com, info@atholdene.com).
$$ Lynver Guest House will make you feel spoiled, with two large, boutique-y rooms (all with sitting areas), a backyard stone patio that catches the sun, and veggie and fish options at breakfast (2-night minimum preferred in summer, no kids under 10, in-room fridges, 30 Southside Road, tel. 01463/242-906, www.lynver.co.uk, info@lynver.co.uk, Michelle and Brian).
$$ Rossmount Guest House feels like home, with its curl-up-on-the-couch lounge space, unfussy rooms (five in all), and friendly hosts (2-night minimum in summer, Argyle Street, tel. 01463/229-749, www.rossmount.co.uk, mail@rossmount.co.uk, Ruth and Robert).
$$$ Strathness House has a prime spot on the river a block from Ness Bridge. Formerly a hotel, it’s a bigger place, with 12 rooms and a large ground-floor lounge, but comes with the same intimate touches of a guesthouse. They cater to all diets at breakfast, including vegan, gluten-free, halal, and kosher (family room for 3, no kids under 5, street or off-site parking, 4 Ardross Terrace, tel. 01463/232-765, www.strathnesshouse.co.uk, info@strathnesshouse.com, Joan and Javed).
$$ Castle View Guest House sits right along the River Ness at the Ness Bridge—and, true to its name, it owns smashing views of the castle. Its five big and comfy rooms (some with views) are colorfully furnished, and the delightful place is lovingly run by Eleanor (2A Ness Walk, tel. 01463/241-443, www.castleviewguesthouseinverness.com, enquiries@castleviewguesthouseinverness.com).
Inverness has a number of big chain hotels. These tend to charge a lot when Inverness is busy but are worth a look if the B&Bs are full or if it’s outside the main tourist season. Options include the Inverness Palace Hotel & Spa (a Best Western fancy splurge right on the river with a pool and gym), Premier Inn (River Ness location), and Mercure. Or try these more local options.
$$$$ Heathmount Hotel’s understated facade hides a chic retreat for comfort-seeking travelers. Its eight elegant rooms come with unique decoration, parking, and fancy extras (family room, no elevator, restaurant, Kingsmill Road, tel. 01463/235-877, www.heathmounthotel.com, info@heathounthotel.com).
$$$ Glen Mhor Hotel, with 122 rooms, sprawls across several buildings right along the river. The location can’t be beat, even if the staff and rooms lack a personal touch (restaurant, Ness Bank, tel. 01463/234-308, www.glen-mhor.com, enquiries@glen-mhor.com).
For funky and cheap dorm beds near the center and the recommended Castle Street restaurants, consider these friendly side-by-side hostels, geared toward younger travelers. They’re about a 12-minute walk from the train station.
¢ Bazpackers Hostel, a stone’s throw from the castle, has a quieter, more private feel for a hostel with dorm beds arranged in pods (private rooms with shared bath available, reception open 7:30-23:00, pay laundry service, 4 Culduthel Road, tel. 01463/717-663, www.bazpackershostel.co.uk, info@bazpackershostel.co.uk). They also rent a small apartment nearby (sleeps up to 4).
¢ Inverness Student Hotel has brightly colored rooms and a laid-back lounge with a bay window overlooking the River Ness. The knowledgeable, friendly staff welcomes any traveler over 18. Dorms are a bit grungy, but each bunk has its own playful name (breakfast extra, free tea and coffee, pay laundry service, kitchen, 8 Culduthel Road, tel. 01463/236-556, www.invernessstudenthotel.com, inverness@scotlandstophostels.com).
In high season, Inverness’ top restaurants (including many of those recommended below) can fill up quickly—reservations are wise.
The first three eateries line Castle Street, facing the back of the castle.
$$$ Café 1 serves up high-quality modern Scottish and international cuisine with trendy, chic bistro flair. Fresh meat from their farm adds to an appealing menu (lunch and early-bird dinner specials until 18:30, open Mon-Fri 12:00-14:30 & 17:00-21:30, Sat from 12:30 and 17:30, closed Sun, 75 Castle Street, tel. 01463/226-200, www.cafe1.net).
$$ Number 27 has a straightforward, crowd-pleasing menu that offers something for everyone—burgers, pastas, and more. The food is surprisingly elegant for this price range (daily 12:00-21:00, generous portions, local ales on tap, 27 Castle Street, tel. 01463/241-999).
$$ La Tortilla has Spanish tapas, including spicy king prawns (the house specialty), plus a vegan menu. It’s an appealing, colorfully tiled, and vivacious dining option that feels like Spain. With the tapas format, three family-style dishes make about one meal (daily 12:00-22:00, 99 Castle Street, tel. 01463/709-809).
$$$$ The Mustard Seed serves Scottish food with a modern twist in an old church with a river view. It’s a lively place with nice outdoor tables over the river when sunny (early specials before 19:00, daily 12:00-15:00 & 17:30-22:00, reservations smart, on the corner of Bank and Fraser Streets, 16 Fraser Street, tel. 01463/220-220, www.mustardseedrestaurant.co.uk).
$$ Hootananny is a spacious pub with a hardwood-and-candlelight vibe and a fun menu with Scottish pub grub (food served Mon-Sat 12:00-15:00 & 17:00-20:30, dinner-only on Sun). The kitchen closes early to make way for the live music scene that takes over each night after 21:30 (see “Nightlife in Inverness,” earlier).
$$ Aspendos serves up freshly prepared, delicious Turkish dishes in a spacious, dressy, and exuberantly decorated dining room (daily 12:00-22:00, 26 Queensgate, tel. 01463/711-950).
Picnic: There’s a Co-op market with plenty of cheap picnic grub at 59 Church Street (daily until 22:00).
$$$$ Rocpool Restaurant is a hit with locals, good for a splurge, and perhaps the best place in town. Owner/chef Steven Devlin serves creative modern European food to a smart clientele in a sleek, contemporary dining room (early-bird weekday special until 18:45, open Mon-Sat 12:00-14:30 & 17:45-22:00, closed Sun, reservations essential; across Ness Bridge at 1 Ness Walk, tel. 01463/717-274, www.rocpoolrestaurant.com).
$$$$ River House, a classy, sophisticated, but unstuffy place, is the brainchild of Cornishman Alfie—who prides himself on melding the seafood know-how of both Cornwall and Scotland with Venetian-style cicchetti small plates (Mon-Sat 15:00-21:30, closed Mon off-season and Sun year-round, reservations smart, 1 Greig Street, tel. 01463/222-033, www.riverhouseinverness.co.uk).
$$$ The Kitchen Brasserie is a modern building overlooking the river, popular for their homemade comfort food—pizza, pasta, and burgers (early-bird special until 19:00, daily 12:00-15:00 & 17:00-22:00, 15 Huntly Street, tel. 01463/259-119, www.kitchenrestaurant.co.uk).
Fish-and-Chips: Consider the $ West End chippy for a nicely presented sit-down meal or to go (daily 12:00-14:00 & 16:30-22:00, closed Sun at lunch, a block over Ness Bridge on Young Street, tel. 01463/232-884).
From Inverness by Train to: Pitlochry (nearly hourly, 1.5 hours), Stirling (7/day direct, 3 hours, more with transfer in Perth), Kyle of Lochalsh near Isle of Skye (4/day, 2.5 hours), Edinburgh (nearly hourly, 3.5 hours, some with change in Perth), Glasgow (4/day direct, 3 hours, more with change in Perth), Thurso (for ferries to Orkney; 4/day, 4 hours). The Caledonian Sleeper provides overnight service to London (www.sleeper.scot). Train info: tel. 0345-748-4950, NationalRail.co.uk.
By Bus: Inverness has a handy direct bus to Portree on the Isle of Skye (bus #917, 2/day, 3 hours), but for other destinations in western Scotland, you’ll first head for Fort William (buses #919 or #920, 6/day, 2 hours, fewer on Sun). For connections onward to Oban (figure 4 hours total) or Glencoe (3 hours total), see “Fort William Connections” on here. Inverness is also connected by direct bus to Edinburgh (express bus #G90, 2/day, 4 hours or #M90, 2/day, 4 hours, more with transfer) and Glasgow (express bus #G10, 5/day, 3 hours; 6/day direct on Megabus, 3.5 hours). Bus info: Citylink.co.uk [URL inactive].
Tickets are sold in advance online, by phone at tel. 0871-266-3333, or in person at the Inverness bus station (daily 7:45-18:15, baggage storage, 2 blocks from train station on Margaret Street, tel. 01463/233-371).
Inverness to Edinburgh (160 miles, 3.25 hours minimum): Leaving Inverness, follow signs to the A-9 (south, toward Perth). If you haven’t seen Culloden Battlefield yet, it’s an easy detour: Just as you leave Inverness, head four miles east off the A-9 on the B-9006. Back on the A-9, it’s a wonderfully speedy, scenic drive (A-9, M-90, A-90) all the way to Edinburgh. If you have time, consider stopping en route in Pitlochry (just off the A-9; see the Eastern Scotland chapter).
Inverness to Portree, Isle of Skye (110 miles, 2.5 hours): The drive from Inverness to Skye is pretty but much less so than the valley of Glencoe or the Isle of Skye itself. You’ll drive along boring Loch Ness and then follow signs to Portree and Skye on A-87 along Loch Cluanie (a loch tamed by a dam built to generate hydroelectric power). This valley was once a “drovers’ route” for the cattle drive from the islands to the market—home of the original Scottish cowboys.
Inverness to Fort William (65 miles, 1.5 hours): This city, southwest of Inverness via the A-82, is a good gateway to Oban and Glencoe. See here.
Inverness puts you in the heart of the Highlands, within easy striking distance of several famous and worthwhile sights: Commune with the Scottish soul at historic Culloden Battlefield, where British history reached a turning point. Wonder at three mysterious Neolithic cairns, which remind visitors that Scotland’s story goes back thousands of years. And enjoy a homey country castle at Cawdor. Loch Ness—with its elusive monster—is another popular and easy day trip.
In addition to the sights in this section, note that the Speyside Whisky Trail, the Leault Working Sheepdogs farm show, and the Highland Folk Museum are also within side-tripping distance of Inverness (see the Eastern Scotland chapter).
Jacobite troops under Bonnie Prince Charlie were defeated at Culloden by supporters of the Hanover dynasty (King George II’s family) in 1746. Sort of the “Scottish Alamo,” this last major land battle fought on British soil spelled the end of Jacobite resistance and the beginning of the clan chiefs’ fall from power. Wandering the desolate, solemn battlefield at Culloden (kuh-LAW-dehn), you sense that something terrible occurred here. Locals still bring white roses and speak of “The ’45” (as Bonnie Prince Charlie’s entire campaign is called) as if it just happened. Engaging even if you’re not interested in military history, the battlefield at Culloden and its high-tech visitors center together are worth ▲▲▲.
Cost and Hours: £11, £5 guidebook; daily 9:00-18:00, June-Aug until 19:00, Nov-Feb 10:00-16:00; café, tel. 01463/796-090, http://www.nts.org/uk/culloden.
Tours: The included audioguide leads you through both the exhibition and the battlefield. There are several free tours daily along with costumed events (see schedule posted at entry).
Getting There: It’s a 15-minute drive east of Inverness. Follow signs to Aberdeen, then Culloden Moor—the B-9006 takes you right there (well-signed on the right-hand side). Parking is £2 (pay with coins outside or with your admission inside). Public buses leave from Inverness’ Queensgate Street and drop you off in front of the entrance (£5 round-trip, bus #5, roughly hourly, 40 minutes, ask at TI for route/schedule updates). A taxi costs around £15 one-way.
Length of This Tour: Allow 2 hours.
The Battle of Culloden (April 16, 1746) marks the steep decline of the Scottish Highland clans and the start of years of cruel repression of Highland culture by the British. It was the culmination of a year’s worth of battles, and at the center of it all was the charismatic, enigmatic Bonnie Prince Charlie (1720-1788).
Though usually depicted as a battle of the Scottish versus the English, in truth Culloden was a civil war between two opposing dynasties: Stuart (Charlie) and Hanover (George). However, as the history has faded into lore, the battle has come to be remembered as a Scottish-versus-English standoff—or, in the parlance of the Scots, the Highlanders versus the Strangers.
Charles Edward Stuart, from his first breath, was raised with a single purpose—to restore his family to the British throne. His grandfather was King James II (VII of Scotland), deposed in 1688 by the English Parliament for his tyranny and pro-Catholic bias. The Stuarts remained in exile in France and Italy, until 1745, when young Charlie crossed the Channel from France to retake the throne in the name of his father. He landed on the west coast of Scotland and rallied support for the Jacobite cause. Though Charles was not Scottish-born, he was the rightful heir directly down the line from Mary, Queen of Scots—and why so many Scots joined the rebellion out of resentment at being ruled by a “foreign” king (King George II, who was born in Germany, couldn’t even speak English).
Bagpipes droned, and “Bonnie” (handsome) Charlie led an army of 2,000 tartan-wearing, Gaelic-speaking Highlanders across Scotland, seizing Edinburgh. They picked up other supporters of the Stuarts from the Lowlands and from England. Now 6,000 strong, they marched south toward London—quickly advancing as far as Derby, just 125 miles from the capital—and King George II made plans to flee the country. But anticipated support for the Jacobites failed to materialize in the numbers they were hoping for (both in England and from France). The Jacobites had so far been victorious in their battles against the Hanoverian government forces, but the odds now turned against them. Charles retreated to the Scottish Highlands, where many of his men knew the terrain and might gain an advantage when outnumbered. The English government troops followed closely on his heels.
Against the advice of his best military strategist, Charles’ army faced the Hanoverian forces at Culloden Moor on flat, barren terrain that was unsuited to the Highlanders’ guerrilla tactics. The Jacobites—many of them brandishing only broadswords, targes (wooden shields covered in leather and studs), and dirks (long daggers)—were mowed down by King George’s cannons and horsemen. In less than an hour, the government forces routed the Jacobite army, but that was just the start. They spent the next weeks methodically hunting down ringleaders and sympathizers (and many others in the Highlands who had nothing to do with the battle), ruthlessly killing, imprisoning, and banishing thousands.
Charles fled with a £30,000 price on his head (an equivalent of millions of today’s pounds). He escaped to the Isle of Skye, hidden by a woman named Flora MacDonald (her grave is on the Isle of Skye, and her statue is outside Inverness Castle). Flora dressed Charles in women’s clothes and passed him off as her maid. Later, Flora was arrested and thrown in the Tower of London before being released and treated like a celebrity.
Charles escaped to France. He spent the rest of his life wandering Europe trying to drum up support to retake the throne. He drifted through short-lived romantic affairs and alcohol, and died in obscurity, without an heir, in Rome.
The Battle of Culloden was the end of 60 years of Jacobite rebellions, the last major battle fought on British soil, and the final stand of the Highlanders. From then on, clan chiefs were deposed; kilts, tartans, and bagpipes were outlawed; and farmers were cleared off their ancestral land, replaced by more-profitable sheep. Scottish culture would never fully recover from the events of the campaign called “The ’45.”
Self-Guided TourYour tour takes you through two sections: the exhibit and the actual battlefield.
As you pass the ticket desk, note the family tree: Bonnie Prince Charlie (“Charles Edward Stuart”) and George II were distant cousins. Then the exhibit’s shadowy-figure touchscreens connect you with historical figures who give you details from both the Hanoverian and Jacobite perspectives. A map shows the other power struggles happening in and around Europe, putting this fight for political control of Britain in a wider context. This battle was no small regional skirmish, but rather a key part of a larger struggle between Britain and its neighbors, primarily France, for control over trade and colonial power. In the display case are medals from the early 1700s, made by both sides as propaganda.
From here, your path through this building is cleverly designed to echo the course of the Jacobite army. Your short march (with lots of historic artifacts) gets under way as Charlie sails from France to Scotland, then finagles the support of Highland clan chiefs. As he heads south with his army to take London, you, too, are walking south. Along the way, maps show the movement of troops, and wall panels cover the buildup to the attack, as seen from both sides. Note the clever division of information: To the left and in red is the story of the “government” (a.k.a. Hanoverians/Whigs/English, led by the Duke of Cumberland); to the right, in blue, is the Jacobites’ perspective (Prince Charlie and his Highlander/French supporters).
But you, like Charlie, don’t make it to London—in the dark room at the end, you can hear Jacobite commanders arguing over whether to retreat back to Scotland. Pessimistic about their chances of receiving more French support, they decide to U-turn, and so do you. Heading back up north, you’ll get some insight into some of the strategizing that went on behind the scenes.
By the time you reach the end of the hall, it’s the night before the battle. Round another bend into a dark passage, and listen to the voices of the anxious troops. While the English slept soundly in their tents (recovering from celebrating the Duke’s 25th birthday), the scrappy and exhausted Jacobite Highlanders struggled through the night to reach the battlefield (abandoning their plan of a surprise night attack at Nairn and instead retreating back toward Inverness).
At last the two sides meet. As you wait outside the theater for the next showing, study the chart depicting how the forces were arranged on the battlefield. Once inside the theater, you’ll soon be surrounded by the views and sounds of a windswept moor. An impressive four-minute 360° movie projects the re-enacted battle with you right in the center of the action. The movie drives home just how outmatched the Jacobites were.
The last room has period weapons, including ammunition and artifacts found on the battlefield, as well as historical depictions of the battle. You’ll also find a section describing the detective work required to piece together the story from historical evidence. Be sure to tour the aftermath corridor, which talks about the nearly genocidal years following the battle and the cultural wake of this event to this day. Be sure to examine the huge map, with narration explaining the combat you’ve just experienced while giving you a bird’s-eye view of the field through which you’re about to roam.
Leaving the visitors center, survey the battlefield (which you’ll tour with the help of your audioguide). In the foreground is a cottage used as a makeshift hospital during the conflict. Red flags show the front line of the government army (8,000 troops). This is where most of the hand-to-hand fighting took place. The blue flags in the distance are where the Jacobite army (5,500 troops) lined up.
As you explore the battlefield, notice how uneven and boggy the ground is in parts, and imagine trying to run across this hummocky terrain with all your gear, toward almost-certain death.
The old stone memorial cairn, erected in 1881, commemorates the roughly 1,500 Jacobites buried in this field. It’s known as the Graves of the Clans. As you wander the battlefield, following the audioguide, you’ll pass by other mass graves, marked by small headstones, and ponder how entire clans fought, died, and were buried here. Outlander fans often leave flowers at the Fraser clan headstone.
Near the visitor center, the restored stone-and-turf Leanach Cottage predates Culloden and may have been used as a field hospital during the battle. A small exhibit inside explains plans to preserve Culloden for future generations.
Heading back to the parking lot, notice the wall of protruding bricks. Each represents a soldier who died. The handful of Hanoverian casualties are on the left (about 50); the rest of the long wall’s raised bricks represent the multitude of dead Jacobites.
Scotland is littered with reminders of prehistoric peoples—especially in Orkney and along the coast of the Moray Firth—but the Clava Cairns, worth ▲ for a quick visit, are among the best-preserved, most interesting, and easiest to reach. You’ll find them nestled in the countryside just beyond Culloden Battlefield.
Cost and Hours: Free, always open; just after passing Culloden Battlefield on the B-9006 coming from Inverness, signs on the right point to Clava Cairns. Follow this twisty road a couple miles, over the “weak bridge” and to the free parking lot by the stones. Skip the cairns if you don’t have a car.
Visiting the Cairns: These “Balnauran of Clava” are Neolithic burial chambers dating from 3,000 to 4,000 years ago. Although they appear to be just some giant piles of rocks in a sparsely forested clearing, a closer look will help you appreciate the prehistoric logic behind them. (The site is explained by a few information plaques.) There are three structures: a central “ring cairn” with an open space in the center but no access to it, flanked by two “passage cairns,” which were once buried under turf-covered mounds. The entrance shaft in each passage cairn lines up with the setting sun at the winter solstice. Each cairn is surrounded by a stone circle, and the entire ensemble is framed by evocative trees—injecting this site with even more mystery.
Enjoy the site’s many enigmas: Were the stone circles part of a celestial calendar system? Or did they symbolize guardians? Why were the clamshell-sized hollows carved into the stones facing the chambers? Was the soul of the deceased transported into the next life by the ray of sunlight on that brief moment that it filled the inner chamber? How many Outlander fans have taken selfies in front of the split standing stone (which inspired a similar stone in the novel)? No one knows.
Atmospheric, intimate, and worth ▲, this castle is still the residence of the Dowager (read: widow) Countess of Cawdor, a local aristocratic branch of the Campbell family. While many associate the castle with Shakespeare’s Macbeth (because “Cawdor” is mentioned more than a dozen times in the play), there is no actual connection with Shakespeare. Macbeth is set 300 years before the castle was even built. The castle is worth a visit simply because it’s historic and beautiful in its own right—and because the woman who owns it flies a Buddhist flag from its tower. She is from Eastern Europe and was the Earl’s second wife.
Cost and Hours: £12.50, includes audioguide, May-Sept daily 10:00-17:30, closed Oct-April, tel. 01667/404-401, www.cawdorcastle.com. The good £5.50 guidebook provides more detail on the family and the rooms. Storage is available for larger bags, which cannot be brought into the castle.
Getting There: It’s on the B-9090, just off the A-96, about 15 miles east of Inverness (6 miles beyond Culloden and Clava Cairns). Public transportation to the castle is scant, but check at the TI for current options.
Visiting the Castle: You’ll follow a one-way circuit around the castle with each room well-described with posted explanations written by the countess’ late husband, the sixth Earl of Cawdor. His witty notes bring the castle to life and make you wish you’d known the old chap. Cawdor feels very lived-in because it is. While the Dowager Countess moves out during the tourist season, for the rest of the year this is her home. You can imagine her stretching out in front of the fireplace with a good book. Notice her geraniums in every room.
The drawing room (for “with-drawing” after dinner) is lined with a family tree of portraits looking down. In the Tapestry Bedroom you’ll see the actual marriage bed of Sir Hugh Campbell from 1662 and 17th-century tapestries warming the walls. In the Yellow Room, a flat-screen TV hides inside an 18th-century cabinet (ask a docent to show you). In the Tartan Passage, lined with modern paintings, find today’s dowager—Lady Angelika—in a beautiful 1970 pastel portrait, staring at her late husband’s predecessors. Notice how their eyes follow you creepily down the hall—but hers do not.
A spiral stone staircase near the end of the tour leads down to the castle’s proud symbol: a holly tree dating from 1372. According to the beloved legend, a donkey leaned against this tree to mark the spot where the castle was to be built...and it was, around the tree.
The gardens, included with the castle ticket, are worth exploring, with some 18th-century linden trees and several surprising species (including sequoia and redwood). The hedge maze, crowned by a minotaur and surrounded by a laburnum arbor (dripping with yellow blossoms in spring), is not open to the public.
The nine-hole golf course on the castle grounds provides a quick and affordable way to have a Scottish golfing experience. The course is bigger than pitch-and-putt and fun even for non-golfers (£18.50/person with clubs). You’re welcome to try the putting green for £4.
Nearby: The close but remote-feeling village of Cawdor—with a few houses, a village shop, and a tavern—is also worth a look if you’ve got time to kill.
I’ll admit it: I had my zoom lens out and my eyes on the water. The local tourist industry thrives on the legend of the Loch Ness monster. It’s a thrilling thought, and there have been several seemingly reliable “sightings” (by monks, police officers, and sonar imaging). But even if you ignore the monster stories, the loch is impressive: 23 miles long, less than a mile wide, 754 feet deep, and containing more water than all of the freshwater bodies of England and Wales combined. It’s essentially the vast chasm of a fault line, filled with water.
Getting There: The Loch Ness sights are a 20-minute drive southwest of Inverness. To drive the full length of Loch Ness takes about 45 minutes. Fort William-bound buses #919 and #920 make stops at Urquhart Castle and Drumnadrochit (8/day, 40 minutes).
In July 1933, a couple swore they saw a giant sea monster shimmy across the road in front of their car by Loch Ness. Within days, ancient legends about giant monsters in the lake (dating as far back as the sixth century) were revived—and suddenly everyone was spotting “Nessie” poke its head above the waters of Loch Ness. Further sightings and photographic “evidence” have bolstered the claim that there’s something mysterious living in this unthinkably deep and murky lake. (Most sightings take place in the deepest part of the loch, near Urquhart Castle.) Most witnesses describe a water-bound dinosaur resembling the real, but extinct, plesiosaur. Others cling to the slightly more plausible theory of a gigantic eel. And skeptics figure the sightings can be explained by a combination of reflections, boat wakes, and mass hysteria. The most famous photo of the beast (dubbed the “Surgeon’s Photo”) was later discredited—the “monster’s” head was actually attached to a toy submarine. But that hasn’t stopped various cryptozoologists from seeking photographic, sonar, and other proof.
And that suits the thriving local tourist industry just fine. The Nessie commercialization is so tacky that there are two different monster exhibits within 100 yards of each other, both in the town of Drumnadrochit. Of the two competing sites, Nessieland is pretty cheesy while the Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition (described next) is surprisingly thoughtful. Each has a tour-bus parking lot and more square footage devoted to their kitschy shops than to the exhibits. While Nessieland is a tourist trap, the Loch Ness Centre may appease that small part of you that knows the real reason you wanted to see Loch Ness.
This attraction is better and more methodical than you might expect, and is worth visiting if you want to understand the geological and historical environment that bred the monster story. It’s spearheaded by Adrian Shine, a naturalist fond of saying “I like mud,” who has spent many years researching lake ecology and scientific phenomena. The exhibit has two parts: First you go through a series of rooms with videos and special effects, and then you enter a section on the history of the Great Glen and Loch Ness. The videos detail the various searches that have been conducted; refreshingly, they retain an air of healthy skepticism instead of breathless monster-chasing. You’ll also see some artifacts related to the search, such as a hippo-foot ashtray used to fake monster footprints and the Viperfish—a harpoon-equipped submarine used in a 1969 Nessie expedition. And you’ll learn how in 1952 record-seeker John Cobb died going 200 mph in his speedboat on the loch.
Cost and Hours: £8.45, RS%—ask, daily Easter-Oct 9:30-17:45, July-Aug until 18:45, Nov-Easter 10:00-16:15, last entry 45 minutes before closing, in the big stone mansion right on the main road to Inverness, tel. 01456/450-573, www.lochness.com.
The ruins at Urquhart (UR-kurt), just up the loch from the Nessie exhibits, are gloriously situated with a view of virtually the entire lake but create a traffic jam of tourism on busy days.
The visitors center has a tiny exhibit with interesting castle artifacts and an eight-minute film taking you on a sweep through a thousand years of tumultuous history—from St. Columba’s visit to the castle’s final destruction in 1689. The castle itself, while dramatically situated and fun to climb through, is an empty shell. After its owners (who supported the crown) blew it up to keep the Jacobites from taking it, the largest medieval castle in Scotland (and the most important in the Highlands) wasn’t considered worth rebuilding or defending, and was abandoned. Well-placed, descriptive signs help you piece together this once-mighty fortress. As you walk toward the ruins, take a close look at the trebuchet (a working replica of one of the most destructive weapons of English King Edward I), and ponder how this giant catapult helped Edward grab almost every castle in the country away from the native Scots.
Cost and Hours: £12, guidebook-£5, daily April-May and Sept 9:30-18:00, June-Aug until 20:00, Oct until 17:00, shorter hours off-season, last entry 45 minutes before closing, café, tel. 01456/450-551, www.historicenvironment.scot. The parking lot can fill up in summer—either wait in the queue for a space, or park in the overflow lot. It’s a 20-minute walk away, back toward Inverness.
Cruises on Loch Ness are as popular as they are pointless. The lake is far from Scotland’s prettiest—and the time-consuming boat trips show you little more than what you’ll see from the road. As it seems that Loch Ness cruises are a mandatory part of every “Highlands Highlights” day tour, there are several options, leaving from the top, bottom, and middle of the loch. The basic one-hour loop costs around £15 and includes views of Urquhart Castle and lots of legends and romantic history (Jacobite is the dominant outfit of the many cruise companies, www.jacobite.co.uk). I’d rather spend my time and money at Fort Augustus or Urquhart Castle.
Two hundred million years ago, two tectonic plates collided, creating the landmass we know as Scotland and leaving a crevice of thin lakes slashing diagonally across the country. This Great Glen Fault, from Inverness to Oban, is easily visible on any map.
Scottish engineer Thomas Telford connected the lakes 200 years ago with a series of canals so ships could avoid the long trip around the north of the country. The Caledonian Canal runs 62 miles from Scotland’s east to west coasts; 22 miles of it is man-made. Telford’s great feat of engineering took 19 years to complete, opening in 1822 at a cost of one million pounds. But bad timing made the canal a disaster commercially. Napoleon’s defeat in 1815 meant that ships could sail the open seas more freely. And by the time the canal opened, commercial ships were too big for its 15-foot depth. Just a couple of decades after the Caledonian Canal opened, trains made the canal almost useless...except for Romantic Age tourism. From the time of Queen Victoria (who cruised the canal in 1873), the canal has been a popular tourist attraction. To this day the canal is a hit with vacationers, recreational boaters, and lock-keepers who compete for the best-kept lock.
The scenic drive from Inverness along the canal is entertaining, with Drumnadrochit (Nessie centers), Urquhart Castle, Fort Augustus (five locks), and Fort William (under Ben Nevis, with the eight-lock “Neptune’s Staircase”). As you cross Scotland, you’ll follow Telford’s work—22 miles of canals and locks between three lochs, raising ships from sea level to 51 feet (Ness), 93 feet (Lochy), and 106 feet (Oich).
While Neptune’s Staircase, a series of eight locks near Fort William, has been cleverly named to sound intriguing (see here), the best lock stop is midway, at Fort Augustus, where the canal hits the south end of Loch Ness. In Fort Augustus, the Caledonian Canal Centre, overlooking the canal just off the main road, gives a good rundown on Telford’s work (see “Fort Augustus” at the end of this chapter). Stroll past several shops and eateries to the top for a fine view.
Seven miles north, in the town of Invermoriston, is another Telford structure: a stone bridge, dating from 1805, that spans the Morriston Falls as part of the original road. Look for a small parking lot just before the junction at A-82 and A-887, on your right as you drive from Fort Augustus. Cross the A-82 and walk three minutes back the way you came. The bridge, which took eight years to build and is still in use, is on your right.
Perhaps the most idyllic stop along the Caledonian Canal is the little lochside town of Fort Augustus. It was founded in the 1700s—before there was a canal here—as part of a series of garrisons and military roads built by the English to quell the Highland clansmen, even as the Jacobites kept trying to take the throne in London. Before then, there were no developed roads in the Highlands—and without roads, it’s hard to keep indigenous people down.
From 1725 to 1733, the English built 250 miles of hard roads and 40 bridges to open up the region; Fort Augustus was a central Highlands garrison at the southern tip of Loch Ness, designed to awe clansmen. It was named for William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland—notorious for his role in destroying the clan way of life in the Highlands. (When there’s no media and no photographs to get in the way, ethnic cleansing has little effect on one’s reputation.)
Fort Augustus makes for a delightful stop if you’re driving through the area. Parking is easy. There are plenty of B&Bs, charming eateries, and an inviting park along the town’s five locks. You can still see the capstans, surviving from the days when the locks were cranked open by hand.
The fine little Caledonian Canal Centre tells the story of the canal’s construction (free, daily, tel. 01320/725-581). Also, consider the pleasant little canalside stroll out to the head of the loch.
Eating in Fort Augustus: You can eat reasonably at a string of $ eateries lining the same side of the canal. Consider The Nourish Ness Community Café, a good choice serving filled rolls and homemade soups; The Lock Inn, cozy and pub-like with great canalside tables, ideal if it’s sunny; The Bothy, another pub with decent food; and the Canalside Chip Shop offering fish-and-chips to go (no seating, but plenty of nice spots on the canal). A small grocery store is at the gas station, next to the TI, which is a few steps from the canal just after crossing the River Oich (also housing the post office, a WC, and an ATM).
