Inverness walking tour & city guide

The city and the river

Inverness Castle, a red sandstone building from the 1830s, stands on a hill above the river and is the landmark of the city. The Old Town has the Victorian Market, a covered arcade of small shops, and Leakey's, one of Scotland's largest second-hand bookshops in a former church. St Andrew's Cathedral stands on the west bank of the river.

Loch Ness and Culloden

Loch Ness begins just south of the city and stretches for 37 kilometers, deep, dark and famous for Nessie. Urquhart Castle, a ruined castle on its shore, is one of the most photographed places in Scotland. East of the city, Culloden Battlefield marks the last pitched battle on British soil in 1746, when the Jacobite rising was crushed.

A classic riverside walk

Start at Inverness Castle on its hill, then walk down to the river and follow the east bank south along Ness Bank, past the cathedral on the opposite side. Continue to the Ness Islands, small wooded islands linked by Victorian footbridges.

Cross to the west bank and return north along the river past the cathedral and Eden Court theater to the city center. The loop is about 4 kilometers.

Visiting tips

Summer brings long days, while autumn is beautiful and quieter. Inverness is about three and a half hours from Edinburgh by train or car. Boat trips on Loch Ness, dolphin watching in the Moray Firth and the Isle of Skye are popular excursions.