Inverness and the Loch Ness monster in Scotland

Explore Inverness in northern Scotland from sea monsters to cozy pubs

Known as the capital of the Scottish Highlands, Inverness is the historic city of Inverness, the starting point for exploring the lakes, valleys and fjords of northern Scotland. The name comes from the Gaelic “Inbhir Nis”, which means “Ness’ mouth” – Inverness is where the river Ness flows into the ocean from Loch Ness. This famous lake, 20 minutes drive to the south of the city, is the legendary home of the Loch Ness monster, also known as Nessie.

While renting a car may be beneficial, many attractions can be reached from Inverness with a tourist bus or public bus. Energetic visitors may prefer to rent a bike and enjoy scenic bike routes including the South Loch Ness Trail and the Great Glen Way. The area also has other excellent sports facilities, including golf, canoeing and kayaking. The Scottish Highlands is also a bustling, natural pantry, making it a place to taste Scottish delicacies such as, for example. whiskey and haggis.

In Eagle Brae a small hideaway in the Scottish Highlands, you will find seven luxurious and eco-friendly log cabins in the midst of the impressive landscape. All cabins were hand built in 2013 by craftsmen who used giant thuja here. The rustic-chic interiors include Scottish motifs, hand-carved mezzanine balconies and wood-burning stoves.

Opposite Inverness Castle, on the banks of the River Ness, is the 3-star Best Western Inverness Palace Hotel, which dates back to the 1890s. The hotel’s 89 rooms are smart and contemporary, and amenities include a wellness area with spa and indoor pool.

In the village of Drumnadrochit, close to Loch Ness and Urquart Castle, is the Loch Ness Inn, a traditional Scottish inn built in 1838. In addition to a bar and restaurant, there are 12 bedrooms with home-like details such as tweed bedspreads and local paintings.

Old-abandoned-boat-on-the-rippling-loch-ness-lake-in-Scotland

Loch Ness: a scary big and deep lake, but also immensely beautiful

The second largest and second deepest Scottish lake, Loch Ness, contains more fresh water than all the lakes in England and Wales combined – but this vast stretch of water is best known for other things. It is said that under the dark surface lies the world-famous Loch Ness monster, lovingly referred to as Nessie, on the nap. With observations dating back to the 6th century AD and a reported appearance on the Apple Maps satellite image in 2014, this cloud is the synonym of Scottish legends and peoples – not to mention the basis of many scams.

Take a boat out on the lake – maybe you get the chance to write history by seeing the mysterious sea creature with the nickname “Nessie”. Departing from Dochgarroch Lock south of Inverness, Jacobite runs four boats, including their flagship Jacobite Queen, a magnificent vessel built in 1949. Departing from Fort Augustus, Cruise Loch Ness offers casual, scenic cruises and thrilling high-speed RIB cruises.

DAY ONE

11:30 Learn more about Nessie

Many combine a boat trip on Loch Ness with a visit to Urquhart Castle, with the impressive ruins of a 13th-century castle on the lake’s shore. For those who would rather find out more about Nessie, the nearby village of Drumnadrochit has two Nessie-related attractions. Loch Ness Center & amp; Exhibition, opened by explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, examines the many myths and legends associated with the Loch Ness monster. This award-winning attraction includes multimedia displays, historical research equipment, authentic underwater movies, and detailed information on scam numbers, as well as reliable eyewitness accounts of more than 1,000 observations. There is also the family-oriented Nessieland.

Urquhart Castle in Drumnadrochit, Inverness in the United Kingdom

13:00 Enjoy delights from the Scottish Highlands with local origin
Drumnadrochit is also home to the Loch Ness Inn, a hospitable, Victorian room with rooms. Highlights on the menu, which focus on locally sourced food, include fish caught in Mallaig on the west coast of Scotland, fresh shrimps from Applecross Bay, and beef and lamb from Black Isle. There is also real ales from the local brewery, Loch Ness Brewery, as well as a wonderful selection of Scottish whiskey and gin. Overlooking the fort, Fiddler’s, another restaurant with rooms in the Scottish Highlands, is clearly recommended.

2:30 pm Try a little dram during a tour of a Scottish distillery
No trip to Scotland is complete without a visit to a working whiskey distillery where you can learn how each unique malt whisky tastes and is produced.

To the west of Inverness and Loch Ness is Glen Ord Distillery. It was founded in 1838, making it one of the oldest in Scotland. Glen Ord grinds its own barley and uses generational methods of long fermentation and slow distillation to produce Glen Ord’s sweet, fruity and slightly spiced Singleton. The 90-minute tour of the distillery includes tasting with comments and some tastings taken directly from the barrel. The visitor center also houses an informative exhibition and a well-stocked shop.

16:30 Enjoy the view from a new castle attraction
High above Inverness and the River Ness, Inverness Castle is rocking. The impressive red brick castle dates back to 1836, although there has been a castle in this high strategic location since the 11th century. A new viewing platform opened in 2017, transforming the northern tower, a former prison block, into a place where visitors can learn about the castle’s history and enjoy far-reaching views.

19:30 Jump into a ceilidh – and don’t forget a little haggis
Immerse yourself in Gaelic culture by a ceilidh, a traditional Scottish social gathering with folk and dance. The award-winning pub and venue for live music, Hootananny “, holds the longest existing ceilidh in Scotland. Located in the heart of Inverness, it also offers Scottish and international bands playing rock, soul, blues and funk. Pubb’s popular restaurant offers Scottish delights, with large portions such as. Aberdeen Angus beef steaks, North Sea haddock and French fries as well as haggis, turnips and potatoes. The traditional Scottish pub, Gellions with a popular Saturday ceilidh is also worth a visit.

DAY TWO

10:00 Step out on Britain’s last battlefield
East of Inverness lies Culloden Moor, the site of the last melee that ever took place on British soil. Bonnie Prince Charlie, son of the deposed King James II, is known as “The Young Pretender” to the British throne. Because he was Roman Catholic, he was disqualified from inheriting the throne according to the British Act of Settlement of 1701. In 1745, his followers attempted unsuccessfully to overthrow Protestant King Georg II, culminating in the bloody battle of the Culloden. As part of the National Trust of Scotland, the Culloden Battlefield still appears much like it would have done on the fateful day. A new visitor center and an interactive exhibition tells the story of why this battle lasted only one hour, yet affected not only the Scottish Highlands, but also the whole of Britain.

11:30 Visit a mighty castle
After Bonnie Prince Charlie’s defeat at the Culloden, King Georg II built the ultimate deterrent against future turmoil: the mighty artillery fortifications at Fort Georg. As one of Europe’s most outstanding fortresses, it has served Britain’s army for nearly 250 years, and still houses one of the British Army’s infantry battles. Its fortress ramparts, historic barracks, garrison church and dog cemetery, where the regiment’s mascots were buried, maintained by Historic Scotland and offer a fascinating insight into the 18th century’s life in the military. The fort is also home to the Highlanders Museum. Scotland’s largest military museum dedicated to a particular regiment outside Edinburgh.

Or a less militaristic attraction is Cawdor Castle, a late 14th-century castle with literary connections to William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth . The castle is steeped in history and its magnificent landscaped garden is open to the public throughout the summer.

13:30 Fill yourself with a wonderful lunch from the Scottish Highlands
Back in Inverness, you can enjoy a gourmet breakfast at the Rocpool Restaurant. It is part of a fashionable boutique hotel and its menu focuses on fine local touches such as. large scallops collected by divers along the west coast, fresh crabs from the Isle of Skye, butternut squash risotto with melted brie from the Scottish Highlands and Speyside wild fried with prosciutto and haggis.

16:00 Watch dolphins frolic in the Moray Firth
Moray Firth, an inlet in the North Sea stretching north from Inverness, is considered one of the best places in the UK if you want to see dolphins. With races from Inverness Marina up to four times a day, Dolphin Spirit offers. 90 minute sailing trips, where you can see the earplugs and other life in the sea, including whales, seals and otters.

19:30 Sample Black Isle ale and organic pizza
Black Isle Brewery takes its name from Black Isle, a peninsula stretching beyond Moray Firth north of Inverness, and is the UK’s leading organic brewery. Sample their organic craft hall as well as more than 100 other beers in the Black Isle Bar, a rustic-trendy bar with rooms in central Inverness.

West for Inverness and Loch Ness is Glen Ord Distillery. It was founded in 1838, making it one of the oldest in Scotland. Glen Ord grinds its own barley and uses generational methods of long fermentation and slow distillation to produce Glen Ord’s sweet, fruity and slightly spiced Singleton. The 90-minute tour of the distillery includes tasting with comments and some tastings taken directly from the barrel. The visitor center also houses an informative exhibition and a well-stocked shop.

DAY TO:
10:00 Step out on Britain’s last battlefield
East of Inverness lies Culloden Moor, the site of the last melee that ever took place on British soil. Bonnie Prince Charlie, son of the deposed King James II, is known as “The Young Pretender” to the British throne. Because he was Roman Catholic, he was disqualified from inheriting the throne according to the British Act of Settlement of 1701. In 1745, his followers attempted unsuccessfully to overthrow Protestant King Georg II, culminating in the bloody battle of the Culloden. As part of the National Trust of Scotland, the Culloden Battlefield still appears much like it would have done on a fateful day. A new visitor center and an interactive exhibition tell the story of why this battle lasted only one hour, yet affected not only the Scottish Highlands but also the whole of Britain.

11:30 Visit a mighty castle
After Bonnie Prince Charlie’s defeat at the Culloden, King Georg II built the ultimate deterrent against future turmoil: the mighty artillery fortifications at Fort Georg. As one of Europe’s most outstanding fortresses, it has served Britain’s army for nearly 250 years and still houses one of the British Army’s infantry battles. Its fortress ramparts, historic barracks, garrison church, and dog cemetery, where the regiment’s mascots were buried, maintained by Historic Scotland and offer a fascinating insight into the 18th century’s life in the military. The fort is also home to the Highlanders Museum. Scotland’s largest military museum dedicated to a particular regiment outside Edinburgh.

Or a less militaristic attraction is Cawdor Castle, a late 14th-century castle with literary connections to William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. The castle is steeped in history and its magnificent landscaped garden is open to the public throughout the summer.

19:30 Sample Black Isle Ale and Organic Pizza Black
Black Isle Brewery takes its name from Black Isle, a peninsula stretching beyond Moray Firth north of Inverness, and it’s Britain’s leading organic brewery. Sample their organic craft hall as well as more than 100 other beers in the Black Isle Bar, a rustic-trendy bar with rooms in central Inverness. You can also get a menu of pizzas baked in a wood-fired oven with organic ingredients grown on the Brewery farm.

HOW TO FIND INVERNESS

Inverness is in the Highlands, 3 hours 30 minutes north of Edinburgh and Glasgow by train. Inverness Airport has flights from UK cities, including London, Birmingham, Belfast and Manchester, as well as European cities, including Amsterdam and Geneva.