Inverness, Capital of the Highlands
Inverness
is located 160 miles north of Edinburgh (the capital of Scotland)
and 105 miles west of Aberdeen. Set on the shores of the Moray
Firth and famous for its colony of Bottle
Nosed Dolphins, this area enjoys some outstanding and
breath-taking scenery.
The city straddles the banks
of the River Ness which offers the many tourists who visit
this area, some very enjoyable walks over Edwardian footbridges
and through the wooded Ness Islands.
On the western side of Inverness
is The Caledonian Canal which joins Loch Ness, Oich and Lochy,
connecting to the north sea via the Moray Firth and the Atlantic
at Corpach, near Fort William.
Loch
Ness stretches some 23 miles and boasts the greatest body
of freshwater in Europe, it's also the reputed home of the
Loch
Ness monster. Visit the Monster
Exhibition at Drumnadrochit or enjoy a Cruise
along The Caledonian Canal or the mysterious and beautiful
Loch Ness.
Inverness Castle webcam,
still one of the dominant features of the town, has been the
target of countless attacks over the centuries, although today
it houses the Sheriff Courthouse. The castle itself is not
open to the public but there is a small exhibition in the
drum tower which is open during the summer. The towns museum
& art gallery holds some interesting relics as well
as many photos of old Inverness.
There are numerous shops selling
local crafts, gifts, Tartans,
and knitwear. A wide selection of restaurants that serve both
local and international cuisine Restaurants
(downloadable guide in pdf format), also nightclubs and bars
that cater for all tastes. Eden
Court Theatre and ICA
a what's on guide for the city covering every aspect of entertainment.
Highland
Feast takes place every weekend in September sample salmon,
venison, game and seafood along with whisky which you can
see being made in a selection of nearby distilleries. It doesn't
stop there as they also have a good range of traditional Highland
cheeses, locally brewed beers and even a local wine or two.
The Floral
Hall, gardens and coffee shop offers a tranquil break
amidst beautiful floral displays. It was opened in 1993 by
Prince Edward and has been inspiring local gardeners and visitors
from all over the world ever since. The city annual Tattoo
with musical performances from various Pipes & Drums and
Military Bands, nightly displays of Highland and Country Dancing,
freefall and fireworks displays and more.
Sports enthusiasts are well catered
for with no less than 3 golf courses within Inverness, namely,
Inverness
GC , Torvean
GC and Fairways
(with driving range). Many more can be found in the surrounding
area.
There is a new purpose-built
Aquadome
and Sports Centre with competition pool, leisure waters
with flume rides, bubbling geysers and wave lagoon, outdoor
thistle shaped pool, health suite, sports hall, running track
and cafe bar. A boating park, miniature railway and children's
play area, ice rink and tennis/squash courts.
Also worth a visit is Rollerbowl
with 24 ten pin bowling lanes in state of the art luxurious
surroundings, pool tables, video games bar and restaurant.
There is also superb Fishing
for salmon and wild brown trout, found in rivers and lochs
throughout the area.
Highland
Games are held in Scotland from the end of May to the
middle of September every year, attracting crowds from several
hundred to over ten thousand at some of the larger Games.
Traditional events held are
Heavyweight events, Highland Dancing, Solo Piping, Pipe Bands,
Tug of War, Wrestling and Light Field events. In addition
most Highland Games have keenly contested Athletic and Cycling
events, many which operate a handicap system. There are usually
events held for Adults and Juniors.
EXPLORE THE BEST OF SCOTLAND'S
HERITAGE
Culloden
Moor, scene of the last major battle fought on mainland
Britain. The final Jacobite uprising ended here on 16 April,
1746, when the army of Prince Charles Edward Stuart was crushed
by the Government forces, led by the Duke of Cumberland. See
an audio-visual and historical interpretation of the scene.
Following the bloody battle the victorious Duke of Cumberland
requested that a new fort be built at Inverness, on the site
of the old. For various reasons the fort was built, not at
Inverness but on a flat promontory projecting into the Moray
Firth, some nine miles to the east of the town at Ardersier,
visit Fort
George
Also worth a visit is Hugh
Miller's Cottage who became a stonemason, eminent geologist,
editor and writer and not forgetting Urquhart
Castle, one of the largest in Scotland or Cawdor
Castle which was built in the 14th century by the Calder
family.
Black Isle Wildlife & Country
Park (5 mins drive from Inverness). 'Make friends with the
animals', children under 5 go Free. Feed the ducks, geese
and swans in the many ponds. Make contact with the friendly
goats and stroke the cuddly rabbits. See the pot-bellied pigs,
rare sheep and cattle. A tearoom and gift shop are available
or you can enjoy a picnic in the play area set aside for children.
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