Excursions from Inverness
Which Scotland Inverness tours are ideal for a 2 day short break? We asked ourselves that before our trip Inverness in Scotland, With its international airport and its location on the southern edge of the Scottish Highlands, Inverness is perfect for a weekend getaway. Depending on the departure airport, the arrival and return journey may take one day. If you want to spend a long weekend in Scotland and get a taste of the Scottish Highlands, then this tour is a good start. By the way, too Autumn and winter a good travel time for Scotland.
Inverness excursions and sightseeing
The city of Inverness is not very big. It lies on the River Ness and its confluence with the Moray Firth. Inverness is the capital of the Highlands. We take half a day to see the city. Its city center is not too big, so you can get to know it on a walk. Inverness Castle, the center with its shops, Pubs and restaurants and we look at the churches on either side of the River Ness. There is not enough time for the botanical garden. However, we did take a few Inverness excursions.
You can find a detailed description of our tour of Inverness under this link.
Inverness Excursions - Loch Ness and Urquardt Castle
Loch Ness is just a few miles from Inverness. We don't believe in Nessie. Nevertheless, we see the fjord-like lake on several of our Inverness excursions. Loch Ness has two sides. The quiet east bank with its narrow street that runs along above the lake. The livelier west bank can be reached via a better developed road. This is where the departure points of the boats that sail on the lake are located. There are also small towns and places of interest here, such as the ruins of Urquardt Castle, which can be reached by boat or bus.
We take a boat trip, that takes us from Clansman Harbor to the castle ruins of Urquardt Castle and back. Despite - or perhaps because of - the rainy weather, that prevails on this day, this ruin is very impressive. The clouds, that drift across the lake, give it a dramatic look. There are several tours, that are offered from Inverness to the castle ruins.
How we experienced them, we describe in this Inverness Post on Loch Ness, It also contains links for Inverness trips to Urquardt Castle.
Excursions from Inverness
There are several excursions to choose from from Inverness:
Discover more places in Scotland, that are worth visiting.
Hiking on the South Loch Ness Trail
One of the excursions for walkers from Inverness is the South Loch Ness Trail. We are not great hikers. Nevertheless, we do not want to fail to draw the attention of hikers among you to the new hiking trail that makes it possible to go around the lake. This is sure to be one of the Inverness excursions that will be remembered. Do you want the South Loch Ness Trail (Video) hike in its entire length, you should plan a longer stay of 4-5 days. There is a lot to see and experience over its 112 km length. We only walk a short section of the trail down to the Falls of Foyers.
You can stay cheap on a hike in the Highlands in so-called bothies.
Inverness excursions for the adventurous
If you need an extra thrill, there are a few options at Loch Ness. You can see the region from the air while paragliding. It is also possible to explore the Loch Ness area by quad or mountain bike. Or you can take a speedboat ride on the lake.
Excursions from Inverness Scotland to Black Isle
There are also trips to the Black Isle from Inverness: The Black Isle is a peninsula northeast of Inverness and offers stunning scenery and plenty of outdoor activities. You can stroll through the quaint villages, spot wildlife and visit the Black Isle Brewery to sample local beers.
Fishing - Inverness excursions for slow travelers
Fishing offers a more relaxed way to experience Loch Ness. With a little luck, you can catch salmon, trout, char, or pike out of the dark lake. Or do it like us and just enjoy the view of the lake from Dores Beach and watch the canoeists.
Tours for history lovers - castles around the city
Urquardt Castle is right on Loch Ness. Due to its changing owners in the wars of independence between England and Scotland in the Middle Ages, the castle is historically significant. During a visit, you will gain insights into the lives of people in the Middle Ages. Quite different, however, is the more distant Cawdor Castle. This castle is still inhabited today. However, its owners leave each summer for a few months and open their home for visitors. We were there to see the castle and its gardens.
As we Cawdor Castle near Inverness we describe in this post.
Culloden, where the Jacobite revolt ended in 1745
For a glimpse into one of the most tragic events in Scotland's history, visit the battlefield of Culloden. Here was the last battle between Catholic Jacobites and Protestant Englishmen. In the visitor center you can understand the events from the point of view of the two adversaries. It tells the story of Bonnie Prince Charlie, his glorious advance against the English and finally his defeat on the Battlefield of Culloden. It is very interesting that in the visitor center you can follow the course of this historical dispute from the perspective of both sides.
More trips to Scotland around Culloden
The Discover nature in Glen Affric*: This valley to the west of Inverness offers stunning scenery of mountains, lochs and forests. It is a popular destination for hiking and cycling, and there are many trails for different levels of difficulty. You can also visit Beauly Abbey, which is nearby and dates back to the 13th century.
Visit a whiskey distillery
Whiskey is something like the national drink of Scotland. Whiskey distilleries open their doors to visitors in many places. So also in the area of Inverness. Reason enough to include such a visit in the list of Inverness excursions. Take your time and get to know the popular drink of the Scots on a tour followed by a tasting. That goes for example in the Glen Ord Distillery, We were in the Tomatin Distillery not far from Cawdor Castle.
Tomatin's history dates back to the 15th century when cattle traders and drovers sourced their whiskey from the distillery at the Old Laird's House, which stood on the site of the present day distillery. The Tomatin Distillery has twice gone bankrupt (1906 and 1985). Both times, however, it was reopened. The last time was in 1986, when the Japanese investors Takara Shuzo Co. and Okara & Co expanded the production capacity to 23 stills. Twelve of these are in use today. Blended whiskeys are mainly produced. Single malts, for example, only make up a small part of the production at the Tomatin distillery.
Organized tours to whiskey distilleries from Inverness
That has to be in the suitcase
The weather in Inverness and Scotland is unpredictable. You can be lucky and have a few days with nice weather. But it can also be rainy and changeable. Therefore, it is better to prepare for your Inverness excursions with:
- rain jacket, because it rains in Scotland every now and then
- one Umbrella that can withstand stormy winds * and
- walking bootsthat don't even feel wet.
- Don't forget one backpackwhere you can transport your equipment.
- Check our hiking checklistwhether you have packed everything for your hike.
Travel Arrangements:
Arrival Date
Arrival by plane, bus or train*. There are different airlines following Inverness fly. For example, we are with KLM from Munich leads over Amsterdam traveled to Scotland.
Excursions and sightseeing:
There are also numerous excursions and tours in and around Inverness * that you can book through Get Your Guide.
Accommodations:
Hotels in and around Inverness * you can also book here. We have the first two nights in Kingsmills Hotel in Inverness * spent the night. Under Bed and Breakfast Inverness Scotland * you can also book bed and breakfasts in and around Inverness.
Are you traveling with a motorhome?
- Do you want to rent a motorhome? Then you will find information and a selection in these booking options. Rent a motorhome or a camper near you here. Or would you prefer to stay overnight in a in a roof tent on the car? Also the overnight stay in a camping tents is possible.
- Check our packing list for campers to see whether you have packed everything for your motorhome tour.
- Find out everything you need to know about motorhome travel in Scotland. At some campsites, after a day trip, you can easily cook with a with a Dutch Oven or preparing your meal on the Grill or maybe on a campfire after a day trip . Dutch oven accessories can be found here.
- Motorhome accessories you can also find here.
Do you also know:
Source for the article Inverness excursions: own research on site. However, our opinion remains our own.
We thank Visit Great Britain and Visit Inverness Loch Ness for the kind invitation to this Scotland trip. The Tourist Information Inverness helped us find interesting places for our Inverness Excursions in and around the city are actively supported. However, our opinion remains our own.
Text Scotland Inverness Excursions: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Photos: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Last update on 18.03.2023/XNUMX/XNUMX / Affiliate links / Images from the Amazon Product Advertising API
Hi monika,
that is a beautiful goal! According to my taste to explore castles and mansions!
Best regards,
Alexandra
Hello Alexandra,
then you will surely like Inverness and surroundings. There's even one Castle hotel near Loch Ness, However, this is only completely rented to groups. You can not book single rooms at all. This is something completely exclusive.
Best regards,
Monika