Recommendations around Inverness

[Invernessie]

I have a short break away (4 nights) booked next month to stay just north of Inverness. I was wondering if anyone would have any recommendations for what to do, where to eat etc. We will have a car so we’re happy to travel around 1.5 hours for a day trip.

• 2 adults (early 20s. We aren’t parents)
• One vegetarian and one meat eater - keen to try nice restaurants

We were thinking of maybe doing a walk (we’ve bought the OS walking routes book for ideas), a boat trip to see if we can see whales/dolphins and we’ve booked 1 restaurant already. I’d really appreciate any other suggestions you have. My partner likes history, I love nature and animals (and towns with independent gift shops). We love the coast too (we’re from coastal Northumberland for reference).

Thank you so much

Fort George which is just along the coast is worth a visit, especially if your partner likes history.

For food try Cafe 1, haven’t been for a while but have had excellent food their before.

You've got the Culloden battlefield a bit outside of Inverness. I remember going when I was much younger and found it fascinating (if you can go for a guided tour though, do that as its much better hearing the extra bits of history from the guide as I don't remember there being many signs).

The Mustard Seed is a lovely restaurant as well.

I shd have tried to remember everything for one post!! I’ve not visited but it’s on my to do list - Plodda Falls for a walk.

Thanks for the replies already! I’ll have a look at them now. I have checked trip advisor and other sites but sometimes mumsnet just has the answers (I’ve name changed and I’m a regular poster).

Depends how far north you are really. Golspie is stunning, Dunrobin castle well worth a visit. You can walk up Ben bhraggie to see the mannie or another good walk is the Fyrish monument at alness.
If you can get to the west coast, you've got Knockan crag to walk or the Bone caves at Inchmadamph.
If you're in that area, I cannot recommend Lochinver Larder enough. Fab pies!
Plenty wee pubs in the area you can get some great local food and fish.

Forgot Chanonry Point to see dolphins. Hope that helps!
Enjoy your stay!

@BackAffYaSpookyBint
Thank you! The nearest village to where we’re staying is muir of Ord if that helps? So I think we’ll be around 15-20 miles north west of Inverness.

We were thinking 1.5 hours for a day trip but would go further if we had something planned for the day

Dornoch is worth a visit.
Very pretty with some great shops, including a good independent book shop.
The Courtroom and Luigis for food.
Beautiful beaches in Dornoch and Embo.
Plenty of interesting Scottish history in the area including Culloden, Highland Clearances, Duke of Sutherland and also tales of witchcraft in Dornoch.
Variety of whisky distilleries to visit.
Something for all the family !

Rocpool restaurant in inverness is amazing. Also second the Culloden battlefield - fascinating history. Recommend a tour guide to get the most out of the experience. www.rocpoolrestaurant.com

Cromarty - Eco Ventures boat trip and eat at Sutor Creek. Cromarty is lovely to visit.

Glen Afric - walk to Plodda Falls. There is a lovely shortish walk round Coire Loch. Dog Falls.

Urquart Castle at Loch Ness

Eilean Donan Castle on the West Coast.

Culloden

Fort George

Watch the dolphins at Chanonry Point

Black Isle Brewery visit.

A trip north to the gorgeous Anta shop at Fearn.

This book has some great ideas.

Ah the Muir. Great wee pub! Definitely recommend ullapool then. Stunning wee place and the Seafood Shack is incredible for locally caught fish!
North of that is knockan crag, bone of caves and Lochinver.
Bit beyond that is Achmelvich beach. The most beautiful beach and white sand! Just mind the jellyfish!
I'm fairly local and love visiting these places with kids-geology, history and beautiful landscape!
Someone mentioned Rogie Falls- great views!
Very busy with tourists up here just now, campervans everywhere. Enjoy your trip 🙂

www.walkhighlands.co.uk/ is my go to website for walking routes

Bad Girls Bakery in Muir of Ord gets rave reviews.
Nairn has an independent bookshop and amazing beaches, if you're along that way.

If you want a flavour of the area in fiction, Margaret Kirk has set 3 detective novels in the Inverness area, and they all have a great sense of place.

You could see if Aigas field centre (near Beauly) has any evening visits which are bookable. We have stayed there and the visits to hides to watch pine martens, badgers and beavers, are incredible.

Also drive to the Osprey centre at Loch Garten and there is a red kite centre near Dingwall.

Also the Highland Wildlife Park near Aviemore would be worth a trip.

@emmathedilemma
Thank you! I’ve looked at that site but I was worried about signal so bought a book. Nothing in the book has stood out to me yet though

@Fozzleyplum
The visit to the hides sound great! I’ll definitely have a look at those although I expect they’ll be fully booked now. It’s definitely an idea for the future though, thank you!

We have an Edinburgh zoo membership so I think we can visit the highland wildlife park with that

Skye would be less than 2 hours from there. Or stop just before reaching the Island and go to Eilean Donan Castle.

Cromarty is nice on the Black Isle. It's very old and has Cromarty court house, Hugh Miller's birth place and is right on the coast. If you walk up the South Souter (or drive) you can get a stunning view over the Cromarty firth. There is old world war 2 bunkers if you walk it but it's steep.

Highland Folk museam in Kingussie is interesting but needs pre booked due to COVID. Shin Falls in Lairg have salmon jumping up the waterfalls at this time of year.
Loch Ness is lovely to drive down and stop at Urquhart castle. There is a Nessie exhibition centre in Drumnadrochit. Boat trip down Loch Ness. A walk down Ness islands and Caledonian canal.

Beauly Prior is nice as is beauly itself though small. Culloden battlefield and exhibition centre is worth a visit. Clava cairns near Culloden and Culloden viaduct are nice to. Abertarff house is Inverness oldest house built in 1953.

Plodda falls, Rogie Falls, Falls of Foyers are all nice.

If you decide to head north Dunrobin castle is nice. There are some beautiful beaches in the Highlands. Nairn and Rosemarkie beaches are closer to Inverness but tend to be busy. The beaches around Dornoch, Embo are much quieter. Inverness museam and art gallery. Inverness castle has s viewing tower in it now and overlooks the river. Leakey's bookshop was built in 1649 and was used as a hospital in the Jacobite rising.

If you head west Eilen Donan castle is lovely but the road can be busy with tourists so leave early.

Take Avon skin so soft spray or midge repellent as the midges can be out in force in certain weathers or in the evening. Also you probably need to pre book most things due to COVID and our tourist numbers being pretty high.

I haven't been out to dinner for a while but did love the Turkish place Aspendos but don't know what vegetarian options are like.

Hope this helps.