Excursions from Inverness for 2 Days

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.

Discover more places in Scotland, that are worth visiting.

 

 

Hiking on the South Loch Ness Trail

One of the excursions from Inverness for hikers is the South Loch Ness Trail. We're not big hikers, but we still want to draw the attention of hiking enthusiasts to the new trail that allows you to circumnavigate the loch. This is sure to be one of the most memorable excursions in Inverness. However, if you want to hike the entire South Loch Ness Trail, you should plan a longer stay of 4-5 days. There's plenty to see and do along its 112 km. We'll 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.

 

 

 

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 Glen Afric valley west of Inverness offers stunning scenery of mountains, lakes and forests. It is a popular destination for hiking and cycling, and there are many trails for various levels of difficulty. You can also visit Beauly Abbey, which is nearby and dates back to the 13th century.

 

 

Visit a whiskey distillery

Whisky is something like the national drink of Scotland. Whisky distilleries open their doors to visitors in many places. This is also the case in the area around Inverness. Reason enough to include such a visit in the list of our Inverness excursions. Take your time and get to know the popular drink of the Scots on a tour followed by a tasting. 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.

 

 

 

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Travel Arrangements:

Parking at the airport

Here you can reserve your parking space at the airport.

How to reach it

Compare and book flights here* (Advertisement). There are various airlines that fly to Inverness fly. For example, we are with KLM from Munich of Amsterdam traveled to Scotland.

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.

If you book through one of these offers, we receive a commission, which we use to run this blog.

 

 

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Source for the article Inverness excursions: own research on site. However, our opinion remains our own.

We would definitely like to thank Visit Great Britain and Visit Inverness Loch Ness for their kind invitation to this Scotland trip. The Tourist Information Inverness helped us in our search for 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
Video: © Copyright Petar Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline