Inverness

Inverness (Scottish Gaelic: Inbhir Nis, "Mouth of the River Ness") is a city in the Scottish Highlands, situated where the River Ness flows out into the Moray Firth. It's the only town of any size in the Highlands, and is the region's commercial and administrative centre. It's an agreeable Victorian town that has no stand-out tourist attractions of its own, but has good transport and choice of lodging and eating places. So it's a good base for exploring nearby Loch Ness, Black Isle, Culloden, Spey valley and Cairngorm National Park.

• Inverness Information Centre, 36 High Street, IV1 1JQ, +44 1463 252401. Daily, open all year.

Inverness Information Centre, 36 High Street, IV1 1JQ, +44 1463 252401. Daily, open all year.

• Inverness Castle. A great defensive position it's not: castles on this site have been serially destroyed, most recently in 1746 when its Jacobite occupiers wrecked the medieval bastion to prevent its use by government forces. The elegant pink sandstone edifice that now stands here was built in 1847. It houses the Sheriff Court, and the only parts accessible to visitors are the surrounding gardens (Tu-Sa 10:00-17:00), and the viewpoint from the North Tower (F-M 11:30-17:00). Free.
• Inverness Museum & Art Gallery, Castle Wynd IV2 3EB (base of Inverness Castle, +44 1463 237114. Apr-Oct Tu-Sa 10:00-17:00, Nov-Mar Tu-Th 12:00-16:00, F Sa 11:00-16:00. Refurbished in 2006, the museum has a collection of Pictish stones and wildlife dioramas, as well as historic weapons. The gallery has art exhibitions on two floors, no permanent collection. Donations welcome.
• The Victorian Market, in an arcade opposite the railway station, is open M-Sa 06:00-18:00.
• Old High Church, Church Street IV1 1EY. The oldest church in Inverness, this C of S parish church was mostly built in the 18th C, and there's probably been a church on this site since St Columba's time. The congregation is referred to as "Old High St Stephens" reflecting a merger in 2003 between this church and St Stephens, a 19th C church half a mile south. Though merged, both churches remain in use.
• Nearby off Chapel Street, stroll round the walled Chapel Yard Cemetery. Its denizens are mostly 19th C, but the original Chapel of St Mary, part of a monastery, was 14th C. Chapel and monastery are long gone as Cromwell carried off the masonry to build a bastion.
• Inverness Cathedral, Ardross St IV3 5NN (on west bank of river upstream of Ness Bridge. Scottish Episcopal (Anglican) cathedral, built in 1869 in a blend of red sandstone and granite. Look up to the two giant spires . . . which aren't there, because the money for building ran out.
• Inverness Botanic Gardens, Bught Lane IV3 5SS (1 mile S of centre off A82, +44 1463 713553. Daily 10:00-17:00. Glasshouse and gardens, with a range of exotic plants, plus a cafe. No dogs except guide dogs. Free.
• Culloden, five miles east, is best known for the 1746 battlefield where "Bonny Prince Charlie's" Jacobite army was finally shattered. It's also notable for its Bronze Age "Clava Cairns", and Cawdor Castle associated with Shakespeare's Macbeth.

Inverness Castle. A great defensive position it's not: castles on this site have been serially destroyed, most recently in 1746 when its Jacobite occupiers wrecked the medieval bastion to prevent its use by government forces. The elegant pink sandstone edifice that now stands here was built in 1847. It houses the Sheriff Court, and the only parts accessible to visitors are the surrounding gardens (Tu-Sa 10:00-17:00), and the viewpoint from the North Tower (F-M 11:30-17:00). Free.

Inverness Museum & Art Gallery, Castle Wynd IV2 3EB (base of Inverness Castle, +44 1463 237114. Apr-Oct Tu-Sa 10:00-17:00, Nov-Mar Tu-Th 12:00-16:00, F Sa 11:00-16:00. Refurbished in 2006, the museum has a collection of Pictish stones and wildlife dioramas, as well as historic weapons. The gallery has art exhibitions on two floors, no permanent collection. Donations welcome.

The Victorian Market, in an arcade opposite the railway station, is open M-Sa 06:00-18:00.

Old High Church, Church Street IV1 1EY. The oldest church in Inverness, this C of S parish church was mostly built in the 18th C, and there's probably been a church on this site since St Columba's time. The congregation is referred to as "Old High St Stephens" reflecting a merger in 2003 between this church and St Stephens, a 19th C church half a mile south. Though merged, both churches remain in use.

Nearby off Chapel Street, stroll round the walled Chapel Yard Cemetery. Its denizens are mostly 19th C, but the original Chapel of St Mary, part of a monastery, was 14th C. Chapel and monastery are long gone as Cromwell carried off the masonry to build a bastion.

Inverness Cathedral, Ardross St IV3 5NN (on west bank of river upstream of Ness Bridge. Scottish Episcopal (Anglican) cathedral, built in 1869 in a blend of red sandstone and granite. Look up to the two giant spires . . . which aren't there, because the money for building ran out.

Inverness Botanic Gardens, Bught Lane IV3 5SS (1 mile S of centre off A82, +44 1463 713553. Daily 10:00-17:00. Glasshouse and gardens, with a range of exotic plants, plus a cafe. No dogs except guide dogs. Free.

[[Culloden]], five miles east, is best known for the 1746 battlefield where "Bonny Prince Charlie's" Jacobite army was finally shattered. It's also notable for its Bronze Age "Clava Cairns", and Cawdor Castle associated with Shakespeare's Macbeth.

• The River Ness and Caledonian Canal stretch for eight miles between Loch Dochfour (the pool at the north end of Loch Ness) and Beauly Firth, the reach of sea just below Inverness. It's a pleasant picturesque stroll, or bike-ride if you're trying to reach the loch. Going upstream from town centre, follow either river bank up to the wooded Ness Islands. Above here, be on the west bank (passing the Botanic Gardens) to come onto the canal towpath, which is the best route upstream.
• Inverness has a busy music & theatre scene. Inverness also has regular ceilidh nights and new indie nights in various venues across the city.
• Eden Court Theatre, Bishops Road, IV3 5SA, +44 1463 234 234 (box office). A theatre, arts and cinema venue.
• Dolphin-spotting: boat trips run Apr-Oct from Inverness Marina. The main operator is Dolphin Spirit. They run trips in conventional motor boats, and Rib-rides that are wet and bouncy but cover more of the area. To see dolphins from shore, best cross to the Black Isle and stand at Chanonry Point as the tide starts to come in.
• Boat-trips on Loch Ness sail from Fort Augustus and Drumnadrochit, and Jacobite Cruises based in Inverness sail around the north end of the loch.
• Glen Ord Distillery, Muir of Ord, Ross-shire, IV6 7UJ (15 miles west of city, take A9 north then A832 from Tore, +44 1463 872004. Daily Mar-Sept 10:00-17:00, Oct-Feb 10:00-16:00. A Diageo-owned distillery, producing "The Singleton of Glen Ord" which all goes to the Asian market. Produced elsewhere are "The Singleton of Dufftown" for the UK & Europe, and "The Singleton of Glendullan" for North America. Standard tour £8.
• Black Isle Brewery, Munlochy IV8 8NZ (take A9 north to Black Isle, +44 1463 811 871. Independent brewery that produces a range of organic beers. Tours all year M-Sa 10:00-16:00, plus Apr-Sept Su 11:00-16:00.

  (Inverness has its own brewery, Bairds Malt, but it's not open to the public.)

• Inverness Music Festival is held over a week at the end of Feb. The next event is probably 27 Feb - 4 March 2020, but tbc.
• Inverness Highland Games are held in late July on Bught Park. The next event is Fri 17 - Sat 18 July 2020.

The River Ness and Caledonian Canal stretch for eight miles between Loch Dochfour (the pool at the north end of Loch Ness) and Beauly Firth, the reach of sea just below Inverness. It's a pleasant picturesque stroll, or bike-ride if you're trying to reach the loch. Going upstream from town centre, follow either river bank up to the wooded Ness Islands. Above here, be on the west bank (passing the Botanic Gardens) to come onto the canal towpath, which is the best route upstream.

Eden Court Theatre, Bishops Road, IV3 5SA, +44 1463 234 234 (box office). A theatre, arts and cinema venue.

Dolphin-spotting: boat trips run Apr-Oct from Inverness Marina. The main operator is Dolphin Spirit. They run trips in conventional motor boats, and Rib-rides that are wet and bouncy but cover more of the area. To see dolphins from shore, best cross to the Black Isle and stand at Chanonry Point as the tide starts to come in.

Boat-trips on [[Loch Ness]] sail from Fort Augustus and Drumnadrochit, and Jacobite Cruises based in Inverness sail around the north end of the loch.

Glen Ord Distillery, Muir of Ord, Ross-shire, IV6 7UJ (15 miles west of city, take A9 north then A832 from Tore, +44 1463 872004. Daily Mar-Sept 10:00-17:00, Oct-Feb 10:00-16:00. A Diageo-owned distillery, producing "The Singleton of Glen Ord" which all goes to the Asian market. Produced elsewhere are "The Singleton of Dufftown" for the UK & Europe, and "The Singleton of Glendullan" for North America. Standard tour £8.

Black Isle Brewery, Munlochy IV8 8NZ (take A9 north to Black Isle, +44 1463 811 871. Independent brewery that produces a range of organic beers. Tours all year M-Sa 10:00-16:00, plus Apr-Sept Su 11:00-16:00.

(Inverness has its own brewery, Bairds Malt, but it's not open to the public.)

Inverness Music Festival is held over a week at the end of Feb. The next event is probably 27 Feb - 4 March 2020, but tbc.

Inverness Highland Games are held in late July on Bught Park. The next event is Fri 17 - Sat 18 July 2020.

The town's main shopping area runs from the Eastgate Centre, a mall next to the station, through a pedestrian precinct down to the River Ness bridge. There's no limit to the number of tartan and Scottish souvenir shops you can find along the strip, plus the usual department stores and services.

The Inverness Centre is a retail park off A96 two miles east of town. It has a Vue cinema, a Pizza Express and Nando's, a Holiday Inn, and Tesco - fill up on fuel here if you're going further into the Highlands.

• The Bakery, 72 Tomnahurich Street, +44 1463 418918. M-Sa 06:00-15:00. A local bakery offering a wide range of loaves, pies, sweet pastries and more.
• Numerous curry houses, including Cinnamon near the Eastgate Centre and Rajah in Post Office Lane.
• Heathmount Hotel, Kingsmills Road IV2 3JU, +44 1463 235877. M-F 12:00-14:30, 17:00-21:30, Sa Su 12:30-21:30. A boutique hotel with informal restaurant and a lively bar at Crown just minutes walk from city centre. Mains £15.
• Mustard Seed, 16 Fraser Street IV1 1DW, +44 1463 220220. Daily 12:30-15:00, 17:30-22:00. An independently owned restaurant in a former church. Mains £16.
• Rocpool, 1 Ness Walk IV3 5NE, +44 1463 717274. M-Sa 12:00-14:30, 18:00-22:00. Modern Scottish food in contemporary setting. Mains £20-25.
• Glenmoriston Town House, 20 Ness Bank IV2 4SF, +44 1463 223777. Daily 12:00-14:30, 17:00-21:30. Hotel and restaurant. Mains £20.
• Cafe 1, 75 Castle Street IV2 3EA (opposite castle, +44 1463 226200. M-Sa 17:00-21:30. Good place for an early evening meal. Mains £14-20.
• Castle Restaurant, 41 Castle St. M-Sa 10:00-20:30, Su 11:00-16:30. Cheap, cheerful and popular. Also very convenient for the High Street.
• La Tortilla, 99 Castle Street IV2 3EA (opposite castle, +44 1463 709809. Su-Th 12:00-23:00, F Sa 12:00-00:00. Tapas bar with rustic decor. Tapas from £4.50, paella £12.

The Bakery, 72 Tomnahurich Street, +44 1463 418918. M-Sa 06:00-15:00. A local bakery offering a wide range of loaves, pies, sweet pastries and more.

Numerous curry houses, including Cinnamon near the Eastgate Centre and Rajah in Post Office Lane.

Heathmount Hotel, Kingsmills Road IV2 3JU, +44 1463 235877. M-F 12:00-14:30, 17:00-21:30, Sa Su 12:30-21:30. A boutique hotel with informal restaurant and a lively bar at Crown just minutes walk from city centre. Mains £15.

Mustard Seed, 16 Fraser Street IV1 1DW, +44 1463 220220. Daily 12:30-15:00, 17:30-22:00. An independently owned restaurant in a former church. Mains £16.

Rocpool, 1 Ness Walk IV3 5NE, +44 1463 717274. M-Sa 12:00-14:30, 18:00-22:00. Modern Scottish food in contemporary setting. Mains £20-25.

Glenmoriston Town House, 20 Ness Bank IV2 4SF, +44 1463 223777. Daily 12:00-14:30, 17:00-21:30. Hotel and restaurant. Mains £20.

Cafe 1, 75 Castle Street IV2 3EA (opposite castle, +44 1463 226200. M-Sa 17:00-21:30. Good place for an early evening meal. Mains £14-20.

Castle Restaurant, 41 Castle St. M-Sa 10:00-20:30, Su 11:00-16:30. Cheap, cheerful and popular. Also very convenient for the High Street.

La Tortilla, 99 Castle Street IV2 3EA (opposite castle, +44 1463 709809. Su-Th 12:00-23:00, F Sa 12:00-00:00. Tapas bar with rustic decor. Tapas from £4.50, paella £12.

There's plenty of live music and good lively atmospheres around so have fun exploring. All enclosed eating places and bars are non-smoking, a few places have outside seating.

• Hootananny, 67 Church Street IV1 1ES, +44 1463 233 651. M-Th 12:00-01:00, F Sa 12:00-03:00, Su 16:00-00:00. Live Celtic-style music most nights. Good Thai food (in a Scottish-themed pub) and relatively cheap.
• Black Isle Bar & Rooms, 68 Church Street IV1 1EN, +44 1463 229920. Daily 11:00-01:00. A bar with accommodation run by the Black Isle Brewery. They have around 10-15 beers on tap from their own organic brewery and some other breweries, and serve good pizza from a wood-fired oven.
• Dores Inn, Dores, IV2 6TR (8 miles south of Inverness on B862, +44 1463 751203. M-Sa 11:00-22:45, Su 12:00-22:45. On a warm summer's evening, this inn on the northeast shore of Loch Ness is a particularly pleasant place to linger over a beer. They do good, traditional pub food, too. For customers they offer a free shuttle bus within a 10 mile radius from the pub which has to be booked at least 24h in advance.

Hootananny, 67 Church Street IV1 1ES, +44 1463 233 651. M-Th 12:00-01:00, F Sa 12:00-03:00, Su 16:00-00:00. Live Celtic-style music most nights. Good Thai food (in a Scottish-themed pub) and relatively cheap.

Black Isle Bar & Rooms, 68 Church Street IV1 1EN, +44 1463 229920. Daily 11:00-01:00. A bar with accommodation run by the Black Isle Brewery. They have around 10-15 beers on tap from their own organic brewery and some other breweries, and serve good pizza from a wood-fired oven.

Dores Inn, Dores, IV2 6TR (8 miles south of Inverness on B862, +44 1463 751203. M-Sa 11:00-22:45, Su 12:00-22:45. On a warm summer's evening, this inn on the northeast shore of Loch Ness is a particularly pleasant place to linger over a beer. They do good, traditional pub food, too. For customers they offer a free shuttle bus within a 10 mile radius from the pub which has to be booked at least 24h in advance.

• Inverness Library, Farraline Park IV1 1NH (behind bus station, +44 1463 236463. M-Tu & F 09:00-18:30, Wed 10:00-18:30, Th 09:00-20:00, Sa 09:00-17:00. Offers Internet access.

Inverness Library, Farraline Park IV1 1NH (behind bus station, +44 1463 236463. M-Tu & F 09:00-18:30, Wed 10:00-18:30, Th 09:00-20:00, Sa 09:00-17:00. Offers Internet access.

• Culloden — Site of the evocative Culloden Battlefied, scene of Bonny Prince Charlie's final defeat in 1746, and the Clava Cairns, a Bronze Age burial site.
• Loch Ness — not as close as many people think. Jacobite have buses travelling to Loch Ness from Inverness to link up with their cruise boats. Cruises may be joined at Tomnahurich, at the southern edge of the city. For the first 3/4 miles, these sail down the famous and scenic Caledonian Canal and then down Loch Ness itself. Alternatively you may board at Drumnadrochit for the return sail, having visited nearby Urquhart Castle and the Loch Ness Visitor Centre which carries the story of Nessie. For information with a more scientific slant see The Loch Ness Information Site.

There are two mountain resorts within easy reach of Inverness. Both started life as ski facilities but now cater for a wide range of year-round activities and have mountain-top restaurants and shops.

• Cairngorms National Park — Cairngorm Mountain is approx. 30 miles away near Aviemore and has Scotland's only funicular railway.
• Fort William — If you have a car you can also easily reach the Nevis Range in Fort William, some 63 miles away along the winding A82. At Nevis Range the mountain (which is called Aonach Mor and is 'next door' to Ben Nevis) is ascended by a cable-car gondola system.

[[Culloden]] — Site of the evocative Culloden Battlefied, scene of Bonny Prince Charlie's final defeat in 1746, and the Clava Cairns, a Bronze Age burial site.

[[Loch Ness]] — not as close as many people think. Jacobite have buses travelling to Loch Ness from Inverness to link up with their cruise boats. Cruises may be joined at Tomnahurich, at the southern edge of the city. For the first 3/4 miles, these sail down the famous and scenic Caledonian Canal and then down Loch Ness itself. Alternatively you may board at Drumnadrochit for the return sail, having visited nearby Urquhart Castle and the Loch Ness Visitor Centre which carries the story of Nessie. For information with a more scientific slant see The Loch Ness Information Site.

[[Cairngorms National Park]] — Cairngorm Mountain is approx. 30 miles away near [[Aviemore]] and has Scotland's only funicular railway.

[[Fort William]] — If you have a car you can also easily reach the Nevis Range in Fort William, some 63 miles away along the winding A82. At Nevis Range the mountain (which is called Aonach Mor and is 'next door' to Ben Nevis) is ascended by a cable-car gondola system.