We stayed in Inverness for a couple of nights as part of our rail tour of Scotland. It is a very pleasant city with the River Ness flowing through the centre and several bridges linking both sides. There are a number of historic buildings, old churches and the Victorian Market. The most obvious things to entice the tourist are the tartan shops and Loch Ness Monster souvenirs.
We visited the small National Trust Abertarff House on Church Street. Entry is free to this 16th century house. Volunteer staff were on hand to tell the story of the house and Inverness itself with stories about the Covenanting times and Jacobite risings. The other free museum is Inverness Museum and Art Gallery in Castle Wynd with its fascinating collection of artefacts celebrating Highland Life. Another free attraction is the Botanic Gardens, which is a 30-minute walk from the city centre.
We walked up to Inverness Castle ,which you can see on high from the river, but unfortunately we did not realise that the building was still closed for renovation – but due to open sometime in 2025. We did however see inside the cathedral and other churches. My favourite was St Mary’s Catholic church. Situated on the west bank of the river, the inside is so beautiful with the attractive Stations of the Cross, the Pugin designed altar and the amazing stained-glass windows.
We also visited Eden Court Highlands arts and conference centre near the banks of the river. It is a cinema and theatre venue, but we went particularly to see the three galleries and, while we were there, had a welcome coffee and cake looking out on to the pleasant gardens,.
One reason for us travelling to Inverness was to visit the Uile Bheist (translated “Monster”) distillery, which is located a short pleasant walk along the riverside from the centre. Naturally we had the guided tour of the distillery and brewery, which ended with tasters of the whisky and the beer. Afterwards we stayed on to enjoy a few more pints whilst chatting to other customers from all over the world. It was a most enjoyable experience.
If you are touring Scotland, Inverness is well worth a visit.
