 | Inverness Things To Do | Tips 1 - 10 of 116 |  |
Popular Things To Do | Other Things To Do Tips | All Tips (116) Honestly, I don't think anything in the Inverness Town warrants "must see" status, in the bigger picture of Scotland. But if you are in Inverness for a few hours, you really should walk the Ness Walk.
A Delightful Walk Around Inverness - 1 hour
From the Town Hall (look up at the lovely architecture and ignore the gaudy MacDonalds opposite) and nearby Tourist Information Centre (particularly friendly staff in this one) walk downhill to the River, but don't cross.
Turn left and walk upstream, with the water on your right hand side. Pass the white suspension bridge and continue to a second, smaller bridge, which then takes you via lovely wooded islands across the river.
Once across the river, turn right and head downstream (river still to your right). Again ignore the white suspension bridge. Optional stop in Eden Court to check out events for evening, and or a cup of tea!
Continue alongside river past the main bridge (traffic) and carry along until you reach another footbridge, which you cross to get back to City Centre. Leave a Comment
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Urquhart Castle has a 500-year history. Once one of Scotland's largest castles now has only one of its towers left standing. In the visitors' center we saw a great film (drama re-enactment) of the history of the castle that made the visit well worth the while. After the film is done, the curtains lift and you have a fabulous view of the castle and Loch Ness before exiting the theater to visit the castle.
We understood from the movie that when the castle was in danger of being taken, that those in the castle abandoned it and literally "blew it up" by igniting the kegs of powder in the gate.
Urquhart Castle is a Historic Scotland property and has a 5-star rating. Open all year - summer hours 9:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.; winter 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Admission (UK pounds): Adult - 6, Child 1.20, Concession (senior, group, student) 4.50. Leave a Comment Address: On Loch Ness near Inverness & Drumnadrochit on A82Phone: 01456 450551Website: www.historic-scotland.gov.uk Other Contact: hs.urquhart@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
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Loch Ness is the second-largest lake in Scotland, but it is so deep that it is the largest in overall volume. The loch is 37 km (23 miles) long and sits in the Great Glen, a geologic fault that runs the width of the Scotland. The water is very murky due to peat from the soil. It's depth averages 183 m (600 ft).
There are lots of "Nessie" boat tours of the Loch, where travellers can search for the legendary Loch Ness Monster. I've been told these tours are very fun, if not just for the spectacular views from the water of the Highland scenery and Urquhart Castle. I also found, to my surprise, that most locals actually like to talk about the legends of the monster. They all swear to either having seen it personally or know somebody who's had a run-in with the poor beast.
Loch Ness got its name from the phrase "tha loch nis ann", which means "there is a loch there now". It refers to an old legend in which a woman forgot to put the cap back on a well and water flooded the valley below, forming the lake.
I loved all the red rocks surrounding the shores. I took one little red pebble with me as a souvenir and I swear it stays permanently cold to the touch. Leave a Comment Address: A82 HighwayDirections: South from Inverness along the A82 Highway. The Loch stretches form Fort Augustus to Lochend.
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I think everybody of Scottish decent should make a pilgrimage to Culloden in their lifetime. I am extremely ashamed as a "New World" Scot to say that I knew absolutely nothing of its history or significance before my visit. I stepped out onto the field and from out of nowhere tears welled in my eyes. It felt as though the ground itself was crying out in sadness. "Your people were massacred here.."
"The Battle of Culloden", on April 16, 1746, was the last stand of the Scottish Jacobites against the English. It was also the last land battle ever fought on British soil.
Bonnie Prince Charlie (Prince Charles Edward Stuart) led an army of 5400 exhausted, starving Highlanders against 9000 men led by the Duke of Cumberland. The British artillery outnumbered the Jacobites guns three to one. The resulting battle on the mud-soaked field was a bloodbath for the Scots.
Despite a brave charge by the Highlanders, which took down the Duke's front line, when the battle was over in less than an hour, 1250 Scots lay dead--the rest scattered or wounded. Bonnie Prince Charlie fled the battle and later fled the country. After the British victory, Cumberland ordered the execution of all wounded and prisoners. He rode into Inverness, his sword covered in blood, and in the coming days 3470 Jacobites and supporters were taken prisoner or executed.
Make sure to do a guided tour of the moor--it's the only way to get everything out of it. Our guide was friendly, funny, highly knowledgeable, dramatic, and dressed in period costume. Don't miss: the mass grave markers, the memorial cairn, and the restored Leanach Cottage. The Visitor Centre has an exhibits with weapons and artifacts from the period. Culloden was one of the highlights of my entire trip to the U.K., and although there's not too much to look at, there's something very spiritual about it.
Cost was about £5 and included the field tour. Admission to the museum cost extra. Leave a Comment
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Urquhart Castle (pronounced "urkurt") sits majestically on the rocky banks of Loch Ness along the A82 Highway, 2 miles from the town of Drumnadrochit (near Inverness). The castle is one of the largest in Scotland and the third most visited. (It's probably the most photographed of all of them!)
The actual date of construction is unknown. Although written records date a castle on this site since the early 13th Century, there evidence of a fort being on this site as long ago as the Iron Age.
The castle later came under the command of the famous Robert the Bruce during the Scots' battles for independence in the 14th Century. Yep, that was alongside William Wallace "Braveheart".
The castle fell into disrepair during the 1600s and the people of Glen used some of the stones to build their houses. English supporters (three companies of Grant Highlanders) used the castle to successfully fend of an army of attackers in 1690 during the Jacobite uprising. The soldiers eventually abandoned the fortress but blew up parts of it before they left, preventing any future use as a stronghold by the Jacobites. The wind has been blamed for falling over some of the remaining walls and only one of the towers remains. But what a splendid tower it is!
What a breathtaking place to spend a day! There are interpretive displays and presentations in the Tourist Information Centre that document the extensive history of the castle. There's also a large gift shop, and a great cafeteria. Admission was £6 for an adult, less than half that for a child. Leave a Comment
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"Highland cows" or "hairy cows" or "hyan coos", are a must-see while in this part of northern Scotland! It's just such a strange and funny animal to look at. They sport a long, thick coat of reddish hair and one really has to wonder how they see through those bangs. They also have a set of rather deadly looking horns. These cows live in the rain, rugged terrain, and bitter cold of the Highlands and thrive where most cattle would die. Don't be fooled though by their raggedy-looking appearance, these cows are actually pedigreed and are the oldest registered European beef cow--history dates them back in the area to at least the 12th century. They're a very intelligent, inquisitive bunch, and will spend as much time staring at you as you do at them. Though they're usually very calm and quiet in disposition, they can get a bit grumpy if you're standing in their way--there's a funny scene in the movie Rob Roy where Liam Neeson gets a good shove out of the way by one. Leave a Comment Directions: Find them throughout the Highlands. I photographed these from the side of the road between Culloden and the Smithton, Inverness.Website: http://www.highlandcattlesociety.com
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Out of the Invernes but not to be missed are the Clava Cairns. This site, built around 200 BC is one of the most fantastic prehistoric burial sites in Scotland. I love standing stones, cairns and stone circles, so here I was in for a treat, as the three burial cairns are surrounded by standing stones.
The site is not far from Culloden following the A96 towards Nairn there is a well signposted turn off to Clava Cairns.
The site lies in beautiful woodland and there is a carpark next to it. Leave a Comment
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The battlefield of Culloden is not far from Inverness and is worth visiting. The visiters centre is really interesting and a walk through the battlefield with its informative signs is a must. It gives a very good impressive of what happened that day.
look at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/culloden/
as this internet site gives a fantastic overview of the history of the defeat of Bonnie Prince Charlie in the last battle on Brittish soil.
This picture is "The Battle of Culloden" by Mark Churms Leave a Comment Phone: 01463 790607Directions: six miles east of Inverness on the B9006 is well signposted
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Although pretty broken up, the Castle stood quite well despite its violent history. Clans and warlords repeatedly invaded and expelled each other until the last take-over where the relinquishing party filled the Castle with gun powder and blew up most of the Castle before they surrendered over the Castle. I learned this in an 8-minute presentation in the visitor's center. It was like watching Braveheart but much more tame, geared toward a family audience so no nudity. Dammit. Leave a Comment
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During the boat ride, I sat and admired the mountainous surroundings of Loch Ness. Lots of greenery, so peaceful, so tranquil. The other passengers were alarmed when I headed toward the front of the boat and stood open-winged, much like Leonardo in the Titanic and screamed, "I am king of the world!" Strange, they stared at me like tney've never seen the movie?! Leave a Comment
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19 Ness Bank, Inverness, United Kingdom - Swallow Columba
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47 Glenurquhart Road, Inverness, United Kingdom - Travelodge Inverness (A96 Inverness Road Inverness Sc IV2 7PA)
A96 Inverness Road Stonyfield, Inverness, United Kingdom - Culloden House Hotel (Culloden.)
Culloden, Inverness, United Kingdom - The Columba Hotel
7 Ness Walk, Inverness, United Kingdom - Swallow Mansfield Castle
Scotsburn Road, Inverness, United Kingdom - Columba
7 Ness Walk, Inverness, United Kingdom - Swallow Craigmonie
9 Annfield Rd (formerly Swallow Craigmonie), Inverness, United Kingdom - Drumossie Hotel
Old Perth Road, Inverness, United Kingdom - Glen Mhor
9-12 Ness Bank, Inverness, United Kingdom
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