sbruner

Any suggestions for a half day in Inverness on our own?

fee24

Culloden, Fort George, River Ness Island Walks, Drumnadrochit, Falls or Foyers (best when there's been loads of rain!!!), be in the main shopping centre at 12 noon for the fantastic Noah's Ark clock....Inverness is a beautiful town and just being in the centre and exploring the castle and river walks would be a lovely was to spend half a day. Further afield there are many wonderful towns and attractions.

sbruner

many thanks. What is Drumnadrochit--do not see in my guide book?

janis

Drumnadrochit is just a small village on the west side of Loch Ness. It is where the Nessie exhibition is (total tourist trap) and is about a mile from Urquhart Castle.

Actually - I'ness itself is not much. the river through town is nice, but the town is mainly the retail/business center of the region.

Most of the places fee24 mentions are not in Inverness but from a few to 25 miles out of town. Will you have a car? If, so the "musts" would include Culloden and Clava Cairns and then Ft George or Urquhart depending on how much time you have.

If you won't have a car - then I'd just stay in I'ness and walk along the river/islands.

GeoffHamer

You can do a boat trip to Loch Ness (www.jacobite.co.uk) or into the Moray Firth to see dolphins (www.inverness-dolphin-cruises.co.uk).

Daisy54

I've visited Inverness twice, first time my priority was seeing Culloden battlefield, second visit it was Loch Ness. If you don't have a car, both of those placeas can be reached by bus (both public & tourist.) There's a good tourist info center in the center of town that can help you.

If you're a fan of the novels of Diana Galbaldon (the Outlander series), Culloden is a must-see, plus some of my ancestors are buried in the mass graves there. Very moving.)

Depsite the tourist tack of the Loch Ness Visitors Center, the loch itself is beautiful and unspoiled and well worth touring by boat, also the ruins of Urquhart Castel perched on the shore are dramatic and evocative. Don't bother with Inverness Castle, it's a modern office building built to look like a castle and not open to the public, but there is a statue in front of it of Flora McDonald, who helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape after his defeat at Culloden.

sbruner

Thanks for guidance. I have been reading the Outlander series while at the same time listening to another Outlander novel in the car. Sometimes it gets a little confusing since one of them is always ahead of the other. It has been helpful in picking out some high lights of Scottish history. had a chance to attend our local Highland games here in the jacksonville, Florida area and that was a great day. Most impressive. Any shops in Inverness or places for lunch that are good suggestions if one is just on foot. I do hope we get to Colloden on our day trips. Drumnadrochit was in my tour book--I just overlooked it. Thanks for your help.

ppgan

I've been on a jcaobite cruise and i found quite nice. They'll take you ona bus from the city to the River Ness. From there, you'll take a cruise down to Loch Ness and there's one that goes all the way to urquhart castle and allows you to stop at the Loch Ness Exhibition.

For lunch, there's a cheap (£5) Chinese buffet down the road opposite the trains station. Sorry I forgot the name, but's it's birght blue and orange so it's hard to miss!