Things to do in The Great Glen
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Urquhart Castle
Commanding a brilliant location 1.5 miles east of Drumnadrochit, with outstanding views (on a clear day), Urquhart Castle is a popular Nessie-watching hotspot. A huge visitor centre (most of which is beneath ground level) includes a video theatre (with a dramatic ‘unveiling’ of the castle at the end of the film) and displays of medieval items discovered in the castle.
The castle was repeatedly sacked and rebuilt (and sacked and rebuilt) over the centuries; in 1692 it was blown up to prevent the Jacobites from using it. The five-storey tower house at the northern point is the most impressive remaining fragment and offers wonderful views across the water. The site inclu…
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Café 1
Café 1 is a friendly and appealing little bistro with candlelit tables amid elegant blonde-wood and wrought-iron decor. There is an international menu based on quality Scottish produce, from succulent Aberdeen Angus steaks to crisp sea bass with chilli, lime and soy sauce. Lunch and early-bird menu (two courses for £9.50) is served noon to 6.45pm weekdays, and noon to 3pm Saturday.
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Davy the Ghost Tours
Davy the Ghost Tours offers 1¼-hour tours led by an ‘18th-century ghost’ in period costume. Expect tales of the city’s horrific past, including ghosts, witches, murders and hangings. Tours depart at 7pm from the blackboard outside the tourist office.
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Ness Islands
The main attraction in Inverness is a leisurely stroll along the river to the Ness Islands. Planted with mature Scots pine, fir, beech and sycamore, and linked to the river banks and each other by elegant Victorian footbridges, the islands make an appealing picnic spot. They're a 20-minute walk south of the castle - head upstream on either side of the river (the start of the Great Glen Way), and return on the opposite bank.
On the way you'll pass the red-sandstone towers of St Andrew's Cathedral, dating from 1869, and the modern Eden Court Theatre, which hosts regular art exhibits, both on the west bank.
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Moray Firth Cruises
Offers 1½-hour wildlife cruises (adult/child £14/10) to look for dolphins, seals and bird life. Sightings aren’t guaranteed, but the commentaries are excellent, and on a fine day it’s good just being out on the water. Follow the signs to Shore St Quay from the far end of Chapel St or catch the free shuttle bus that leaves from the tourist office 15 minutes before sailings (which depart every 1½ hours). In July and August there are also departures at 6pm.
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Caledonian Canal
At Fort Augustus, boats using the Caledonian Canal are raised and lowered 13m by a ‘ladder’ of five consecutive locks. It’s fun to watch, and the neatly landscaped canal banks are a great place to soak up the sun or compare accents with fellow tourists. The Caledonian Canal Heritage Centre, beside the lowest lock, showcases the history of the canal.
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Contrast Brasserie
Book early for what we think is the best restaurant in Inverness – a dining room that drips designer style, smiling professional staff, a jug of water brought to your table without asking, and truly delicious food. Try mussels with Thai red curry, wild mushroom risotto, or pork belly with glazed walnuts and watercress; 10 out of 10. And at £10 for a two-course lunch, the value is incredible.
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Mustard Seed
This bright and bustling bistro brings a dash of big-city style to Inverness. The menu changes weekly, but focuses on Scottish and French cuisine with a modern twist. Grab a table on the upstairs balcony if you can – it’s the best outdoor lunch spot in Inverness, with a great view across the river. And a two-course lunch for £6 – yes, that’s right – is hard to beat.
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Jacobite Cruises
Cruise boats depart at 10.35am and 1.35pm from Tomnahurich Bridge for a 3½-hour trip along Loch Ness, including visits to Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness 2000 Monster Exhibition (adult/child £26/20 including admission fees). You can buy tickets at the tourist office and catch a free minibus to the boat. Other cruises, from one to 6½ hours, are available.
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Pork, Cheese & Pie Shop
This deli sells a wide range of quality Scottish produce, but the main event as far as we’re concerned is the great selection of delicious gourmet pies (to take away) – choose from lamb and rosemary, game and blackberry or Cumberland sausage and tomato (and many others), and munch contentedly on a park bench beside the river.
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Orkney Islands Day Trip from Inverness
14 hours (Departs Inverness, United Kingdom)
by Viator
This day trip from Inverness visits some of the main attractions of the Orkney Islands including Skara Brae, The Churchill Barriers, Scapa Flow, The Ring of Bro…Not LP reviewed
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Inverness Castle
The hill above the city centre is topped by the picturesque Baronial turrets of Inverness Castle, a pink-sandstone confection dating from 1847 that replaced a medieval castle blown up by the Jacobites in 1746; it serves today as the Sheriff's Court. It’s not open to the public, but there are good views from the surrounding gardens.
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Glencoe Mountain Resort
A few miles east of Glencoe proper, on the south side of the A82, is the car park and base station for the Glencoe Mountain Resort, where commercial skiing in Scotland first began back in 1956. The Lodge Café-Bar has comfy sofas where you can soak up the view through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
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Crafts & Things
Just off the main road between Glencoe and Ballachulish, the coffee shop in this craft shop is a good spot for a lunch of homemade lentil soup with crusty rolls, ciabatta sandwiches, or just coffee and carrot cake. There are tables outdoors, and a box of toys to keep the little ones occupied.
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Great Glen Way
The 73-mile Great Glen Way long-distance footpath stretches from Inverness to Fort William, where walkers can connect with the West Highland Way. It is described in detail in The Great Glen Way, a guide by Jacquetta Megarry and Sandra Bardwell.
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Rocpool
Lots of polished wood, navy-blue leather and crisp white linen lend a nautical air to this relaxing bistro, which offers a Mediterranean-influenced menu that makes the most of quality Scottish produce, especially seafood. The two-course lunch (noon to 2.30pm Monday to Saturday) is £12.
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Clansman Centre
An exhibition on 17th-century Highland life, with live demonstrations of how to put on a plaid (the forerunner of the kilt) and how the claymore (Highland sword) was made and used. There is also a workshop where you can purchase handcrafted reproduction swords, dirks and shields.
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Lock Inn
A superb little pub right on the canal bank, the Lock Inn has a vast range of malt whiskies and a tempting menu of bar meals (served noon to 8pm) that includes Orkney salmon, Highland venison and daily seafood specials; the house speciality is beer-battered haddock and chips.
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Eden Court Theatre
The Highlands’ main cultural venue, with theatre, art-house cinema and conference centre, Eden Court stages a busy program of drama, dance, comedy, music, film and children’s events, and has a good bar and restaurant. Pick up a program from the foyer or check the website.
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Dores Inn
A beautifully restored country pub furnished with old church seating, local landscape paintings and fresh flowers. The menu specialises in quality Scottish produce, from haggis, neeps and tatties, and haddock and chips, to steaks, scallops and seafood platters.
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Bar Pivo
This Czech-themed pub – half of the industrial-chic bar area is made up to look like a Prague metro station – offers no fewer than three Czech beers on draught, plus another six in bottles, as well as Scottish-made Belhaven real ales. Gay friendly.
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Hootananny
Hootananny is the city’s best live-music venue, with traditional folk- and/or rock-music sessions nightly, including big-name bands from all over Scotland (and, indeed, the world). The bar is well stocked with a range of beers from the local Black Isle Brewery.
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Scottish Showtime
From June to early September the Inverness Suite at the Ramada Jarvis Hotel stages ‘Scottish Showtime’, an evening of traditional Scottish music, song and dance aimed squarely at the tourist market. Tickets available from the tourist office.
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Phoenix
This is the best of the traditional pubs in the city centre, with a mahogany horseshoe bar, a comfortable, family friendly lounge, and good food at both lunchtime and in the evening. Real ales on tap include the rich and fruity Orkney Dark Island.
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Glencoe Mountain Resort Chairlift
The chairlift continues to operate in summer – there's a grand view over the Moor of Rannoch from the top station – and provides access to a downhill mountain-biking track. In winter a lift pass costs £30 a day and equipment hire is £25 a day/
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