Inverness Travel Forum

Hello,

Inverness will be our first foray into Scotland. We'll be staying there (probably camping, since we're on a shoestring) for a week starting Sunday, May 8th. Any recommendations as to what we should see and do (Keeping in mind our budget). We don't mind hiking a few miles to get to places, or using cheap buses and trains. All we know about the area is Loch Ness, Inverness Castle, and Urquhart. Any places nearby we should visit? Are there any scenic or historic highland areas we could bus to and camp?

Also, does anyone know if free internet is available in the library there? We've been using the wonderful library in Cardiff on this leg of our journey, and it has spoiled us into not wanting to pay! We use it, obviously, to plan the next portion of our trip.

We've been in Britain two months now, but this is going to be our first time in Scotland. Looking forward to it!


Regards,
Ken and Tracy

You might consider bus/hitching to Ullapool for a few days. There's nearby glens, or even the inverpolly reserve where you could have a go at wild camping. If your gonna venture away from the road, you'll need an OS map, compass etc, as the fog can come in pretty quick up here.
There's a good bothy (shhhh!) with an easy walk in at NH066810. Just please clean up after yourselves as it's well loved by plenty of hill walkers.
:)

Oh, and yes, last i remember there was free internet at the library which is located at the bus station.

yes library has internet for free!
library is also next to bus station where you get most buses out of Inverness.
there's a ticket called Black Isle Explorer (£5) valid for one day hop-on hop-off on the Black Isle - Avoch, Fortrose (Cloutie Well), Rosemarkie (the Fairy Glen)and Cromarty - all these places are by the sea and you could dolphin watch from any of them.
You could also take the bus to Cawdor (goes by Culloden battlefield, visit the castle there and then walk along the river Nairn to Nairn (maybe about 6km - but beautiful on a sunny day)
Urquhart Castle is near Drumnadrochit and a lot of the tourist tat plastic monster exhibitions, but Drum as the locals call it is very nice - lots of woodland walks around there, or you could walk part of the Great Glen Way from Drum to Invermoriston (super views over Loch Ness)
bus to Contin (campsite her but watch out for the midgies) - then it's only a short walk to Rogie Falls or a bit longer to Garve. same bus also stops at Strathpeffer (old Victorian Spa village with old fashioned pharmacy, Maya (chocolate shop), and Museum of Childhood - also walk from here to the modern stone maze at top of hill and start of forest.
Forres in Morayshire is also a nice town where you can get the bus or hitch to Findhorn (famed for Findhorn Community and Foundation) - fantastic beach here - more dolphin spotting (two campsites) hope info helps Good Holiday!

Hi,

When I was out there I remember staying overnight in my car in a wee spot across from Urquhart castle, and waking up to see sunrise in July (at 2.30 am, argh!). Not sure if you can still stay (near) there overnight, but I really would recommend this east (?) side of the lough from the busy westside! Also some stretches of this road had stunning viewpoints and access points to nice hiking trails.
have a nice trip!
p.