Inverness city in the United Kingdom, in northern Scotland. The administrative center of the Highland unit, and in the past the county of Inverness-shire. In 2001, the city had 44,180 inhabitants. Inverness is a port located at the mouth of the River Ness into the Moray Firth. Tourist center of the Highlands region.
- Inverness Castle is beautifully situated on the River Ness. The current structure was built in the 1830s, but there have been strongholds on the site since the mid-11th century. It was described by Shakespeare, among others, and according to legend, Macbeth killed Duncan there. Most likely, the first castle was located about a kilometre from the current one. The stronghold is currently under renovation and is scheduled to open in 2025. Details can be found on the castle’s website.
- Inverness Cathedral. Also picturesquely situated on the river is the local St. Andrew’s Cathedral, which is slightly younger than the castle and was built in the second half of the 19th century. Entry costs £2 and is worth going inside.
- Inverness City Centre. When walking around Inverness, it is worth visiting the city centre, which is small but interesting. You will certainly notice the clock tower called Big Ben located near the castle.
- Churches in Inverness. Apart from the cathedral, there are many churches in Inverness. The most important of them are situated on the River Ness. The Old High Church, a church surrounded by a small cemetery from the 19th century, is situated on the right bank of the river. Right next to it is the building of the Free Church of Scotland. Opposite them on the other side of the River Ness is St Mary’s.
- Uilebheist Whisky Distillery. On the right side of the River Ness, roughly opposite the cathedral, is the Uilebheist Whisky Distillery. The cheapest tour with tasting costs £33 and in my opinion it is worth it to learn about the whole process of making this drink. Tickets can be booked online through the distillery’s website.
- Leakey’s Bookshop. When visiting the city centre, it is worth going into the Leakey’s Bookshop located there, whose interior looks amazing and smells beautifully of book paper. The impressions from the visit are amazing.
- Victorian Market. Victorian Market is a shopping hall in the centre of Inverness. A big plus is the food stalls inside, where you can eat decent food.
- Cruise on Moray Fifth Bay. If you have more time to spare, it is worth taking a cruise on Moray Fifth Bay. Currently, you can only book tickets for a motorboat cruise at a price of £59, however, during the June trip, cruises on a regular ship were available for around £20. More details can be found on the carrier’s website.
- Culloden. Culloden is a small town located near Inverness. On April 16, 1746, a battle took place there between the Jacobites, who were supported by French troops, and the English. The Jacobites, or in simple terms the Scots, lost the battle, and as a result, wearing kilts, weapons, using the Gaelic language and the clan system were banned. The entire battle lasted only 25 minutes and 1,200 Jacobites died in it. Currently, there is a museum at the site of the former battle, and admission costs £16. The full price list is on the website.
- Loch Ness. The biggest attractions of Inverness, or rather the area, include the famous Loch Ness, the lake known for the presence of the Nessie monster. The lake is 37 kilometres long. From Inverness, you can get there by line 919.
- Aviemore and Loch Morlich. If you have more time, it is worth spending a day and going on a trip to Aviemore. You can get there by Megabus or by train from Inverness. The town itself is small, and the big attraction is a small stone circle that is about 4000 years old. You can also take the local bus number 30 to Loch Morlich, which is picturesquely located and famous for its warm water.
- The Great Glen Way. The Great Glen Way is a 125 km walk from Inverness to Fort William, opened in 2002. During my 2024 walk I covered just under half the distance, starting in Inverness and walking all the way to Fort Augustus, but I will describe the whole thing in a separate article. The walk is one of the more interesting attractions.
