Inverness
Inverness sits on the banks of the River Ness where it flows from Loch Ness to the sea, the very name means mouth of the Ness. It has long been the capital of the Highlands and is in fact the only city in the Highlands, granted its status by the Queen as part of the Millennium celebrations.
The city has some notable attractions of its own but most of its visitors use it as a base to explore the surrounding area, it is only a few miles from Loch Ness, Culloden Battlefield and Clava Cairns. It is also an easy city to reach with good links to the South and is regarded as the gateway to the far North as well with many people stopping of to enjoy the city before heading up into the open country of Caithness and Sutherland.
Although the city retains much of its original street plan there is very little of the original architecture, partly due to its violent history but largely due to its modern success as the commercial and administrative center for the highlands. The population is one of the fastest growing in the UK and much of the most obvious architecture in the town centre dates from relatively recently.
Office blocks and shopping centers may have overtaken some of the more charming, older buildings but they have also fuelled an economic boom and given Inverness a bustling and vibrant atmosphere.
Even the castle which dominates the river bank dates from the 19th Century and is now the local court. Although their has been a stone castle on the site since the 11th century and Craig Phadraig (a hill not far from the modern centre) was believed to be the main fort of the Pictish Kings in the 5th Century.
There is a wealth of accommodation in the city and a very lively nightlife, with many of the bars hosting live bands and a couple of excellent ceilidh houses (for Scottish music and dancing).
What we do in Inverness:
- Spend the night (Inverness student Hostel)
- Go out to a ceilidh
- Do a little shopping
Tours that may visit Inverness:
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