Inverness

City in Scotland

Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands. It is the northernmost city in the United Kingdom and lies within the Great Glen at its north-eastern extremity where the River Ness enters the Moray Firth.

Inverness is also the gateway to the northern Highlands.Encompassing a broad swath of Scotland stretching from Inverness all the way north to Thurso, Scotland’s spectacular Northern Highlands is separated from the rest of the country by the “Great Glen”, Glen More. This ancient fault line was used to create the remarkable Caledonian Canal extending from the west coast to the east, from Loch Linnhe to the Moray Firth. While much of this mountainous region is uninhabited – and therefore excellent for hiking and biking adventures – it does boast many lovely small towns and villages. One of the pretties is the tiny coastal town of Dornoch, noted for its cathedral and castle ruins. At the top end is John o’Groats overlooking the Pentland Firth with what’s probably the most photographed signpost anywhere.

Loch Ness

Not far from Inverness is Loch Ness. Think of Lock Ness and you’ll probably picture the mythical monster that, according to legend, has made this amazing loch home for countless centuries. Nowhere does a better job of fuelling the legend than the Loch Ness Exhibition at Drumnadrochit Hotel with its exhibits of the famous “beastie” and the surrounding area.

Then, of course, there’s the much-photographed Urquhart Castle standing on a strip of land jutting into the loch. The center of many ancient myths, the 12th Century castle fell victim to a fire some 500 years later. Despite its condition (perhaps even because of it), the castle and Loch Ness remain some of the most visited of Scotland’s numerous attractions, and are easily accessible from Inverness.

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