Inverness


 * For the city in Florida, see Inverness (Florida); for the small town in California, see Inverness (California).

Inverness (Scottish Gaelic: Inbhir Nis, "Mouth of the River Ness") is a city in The Great Glen and Strathspey area of the Scottish Highlands, at the point where the River Ness flows out into the Moray Firth.

Inverness is the only town of any size in the Highlands, and is the region's commercial and administrative centre. It's an agreeable Victorian town that has no stand-out tourist attractions of its own, but has good transport and choice of lodging and eating places. So it's a good base for exploring nearby Loch Ness, Black Isle, Culloden, Spey Valley and Cairngorm National Park.

Understand
Inverness is at the north end of the great fault line and valley through the Highlands, so it controls trade and transport routes. There was a Pictish and early Christian settlement by the 6th century, and it was the abode of that much-maligned 11th-century ruler Macbeth. Town and castle were wrecked by conflicts on many occasions, the last incursion being the Jacobites in 1746. The present castle is from 1835.

Inverness is nominally a city but feels like a provincial market town. The hinterland is thinly populated, lacks mineral resources and is a long way from major conurbations, so local industry has always been on a small scale. What you see now is mostly Victorian, with an encrustation of modern shop fronts. In 2020 Inverness had a population of 47,790.

VisitScotland iCentre is the tourist office, at 36 High Street, open daily 9AM-5PM.

They'll point you towards Loch Ness a few miles north, but the River Ness through town had the first recorded sighting of the monster, in the 5th century AD. St Columba was in the area to meet the local Pictish king when it raised its slimy head, but he made the Sign of the Cross, which shooed it away.

By road
Take your time, the roads north of Perth are in good repair but mostly undivided, with few safe overtaking stretches and plenty of speed cameras.

From the south travel up A9 via Perth and Aviemore. Starting from Edinburgh follow M90 over the Forth road bridge to Perth; from Glasgow follow M80 / A9 past Stirling. From the London area you could go either way: via M1 / A1 to Newcastle and Edinburgh, or M1 / M6 / M74 past Carlisle onto M73 then M80. Bleak Drumochter Pass approaching Aviemore is the only stretch that might be blocked by snow, but it's seldom.

From Aberdeen via the A96 is 110 miles (176 km). The A82 tracks through the Great Glen from the south-west, from Fort William and Loch Ness.

From Thurso and Wick in the far north follow A9.

By train
Inverness has trains from Edinburgh and Glasgow (direct every couple of hours or change at Perth, 4 hours), from Aberdeen (every two hours, 2 hr 15 min), from Kyle of Lochalsh for Skye (four per day, 2 hr 40 min) and from Wick and Thurso for Orkney (four per day, 4 hours). Travelling from England usually involves changing in Edinburgh, but there is one direct daytime train from London King's Cross via York and Newcastle, taking 8 hours.

The Caledonian Highland Sleeper runs Su-F from London Euston, departing around 9:30PM to arrive by 9AM. (Other portions for Aberdeen and Fort William divide at Edinburgh.) The southbound train leaves Inverness around 7PM to reach Euston towards 8AM. No trains on Saturday night. New rolling stock was introduced on all the sleeper routes in 2019. Compartments have two berths and are sold like hotel rooms: you pay extra for single occupancy, and you won't be sharing with a stranger. Tickets can be booked at any UK mainline railway station or online: in 2022 a single sleeper fare is around £200 for one or £250 for two people. You can also just use the sitting saloon, single £75. If you have an existing ticket or rail pass for a daytime train you need to buy a sleeper supplement. Pricing is dynamic: weekends cost more, if indeed there are berths available. Booking is open 12 months ahead and you need to print out your e-ticket to present on boarding.

is in city centre on Academy Street. It has a staffed ticket office and machines, toilets and a news shop; no cafe but plenty of pubs and eateries on the street outside. There is step-free access to all platforms. Lockers for luggage charge £5 for a small locker, which fits a backpack. Plusbus tickets are available.

By bus
Buses run every hour or so from Edinburgh and Glasgow via Perth and Aviemore. The main operators are Citylink, Parks of Hamilton and Megabus.

Travel from England usually involves changing in Edinburgh, but National Express and Megabus have a few through-services.

Stagecoach Bus 10 runs from Aberdeen via Huntly, Elgin, Forres and Nairn, taking four hours to Inverness. It runs every two hours M-Sa and every three hours on Sunday.

Citylink / Stagecoach Bus 919 runs from Fort William along the A82 via Spean Bridge, Laggan, Fort Augustus, Urquhart Castle and Drumnadrochit. There are four M-Sa and two on Sunday.

Stagecoach Bus 917 runs twice daily from Portree on Skye along the A82 and A87 via Broadford, Kyle of Lochalsh, Dornie, Invermoriston, Castle Urquhart and Drumnadrochit. Change at Portree for ferries from the Western Isles via Uig.

Citylink Bus 961 runs from Ullapool, ferry port for Stornoway on Lewis, twice M-Sa and once on Sunday.

There are buses at least hourly to the Black Isle: from Inverness to Invergordon and Tain (with a few continuing to Brora and Helmsdale), to Fortrose and Cromarty, and to Dingwall and Strathpeffer.

Stagecoach Highlands X99 runs twice M-Sa from Thurso and Wick via Tain to Inverness, 4 hours.

is in Farraline Park, a couple of blocks northwest of the railway station. The bus station has a ticket office with luggage storage, cafe and toilets.

By boat
Inverness port has freight but no passenger vessels. Cruise ships often dock at Invergordon, 20 miles north. Most visitors will be on package coach trips of the area, but you could also ride into town independently on the train in less than an hour. But with only four trains per day you need to be sure of your connections.

Caledonian Canal links the Beauly Firth through Loch Ness to Fort William and the sea at Loch Linnhe. The latter is usually well-sheltered, so small craft can easily continue to Glencoe, Oban and Mull.

By bus
Inverness is fairly small and you're unlikely to use the bus. Bus 3 runs to Culloden, and Bus 11 to the airport and the seaside town of Nairn. Bus 16 runs along the east bank of Loch Ness from Inverness to Dores, Inverfarigaig and Foyers, four times M-F and twice on Saturday.

By taxi
Operators include Inverness Taxis (+44 1463 222222), A2B (+44 1463 807060), Capital (+44 1463 808080) and Inverness Premier Taxis (+44 1463 800223).

They can usually offer minibuses suitable for groups, and pick up from the airport or Invergordon cruiser terminal for day tours. They'll be fully booked when there's a major golf tournament in town.

By bike
You don't need one in town, but bike is a good way to reach Loch Ness, and the sights around Culloden. Inverness Bike Hire are based at 12A Church Street. Open daily 9AM-11PM.

In town

 * Victorian Market, in an arcade opposite the railway station, is open M-Sa 6AM-6PM.
 * Victorian Market, in an arcade opposite the railway station, is open M-Sa 6AM-6PM.
 * Victorian Market, in an arcade opposite the railway station, is open M-Sa 6AM-6PM.
 * Chapel Yard Cemetery is just off Chapel Street. Its denizens are mostly 19th-century, but the original Chapel of St Mary, part of a monastery, was 14th-century. Chapel and monastery are long gone as Cromwell carried off the masonry to build a bastion.
 * St Mary's 200 yards downstream from St Andrews is the main Roman Catholic church, built in 1837, with fine stained glass windows and altar. It's not a cathedral as the RC diocese is based in Aberdeen.
 * Balnain House just downstream from Greig St Bridge is a fine mansion of 1726 but only occasionally open.
 * Knocknagael Boar Stone is Pictish, carved around 600 AD, showing a wild boar amidst spirals and bristles. It's been moved from the farm where it was found to the south side of the Highland Council offices on Glenurquhart Rd.
 * Knocknagael Boar Stone is Pictish, carved around 600 AD, showing a wild boar amidst spirals and bristles. It's been moved from the farm where it was found to the south side of the Highland Council offices on Glenurquhart Rd.

Further out

 * is a forested hill of 564 ft (172 m) topped by a vitrified fort, It was built around 4th century AD and occupied to the 7th, and is probably the place where St Columba met King Bridei mac Maelchon. But at some point the fort burned so furiously that its stone was fused into glass. It's an active forestry site so you may have to work around logging.
 * are where Loch Ness drains into the Caledonian Canal towards town. This north tip of Loch Ness is called Loch Dochfour but it's the same body of water.
 * is more accurately a neolithic burial cairn and stone circle, rather overgrown. You may be able to access it via Druid Farm and Shop just east. A similar cairn and circle was found at Raigmore when the A9 was re-routed towards Kessock Bridge; it was moved to a nearby site which is now difficult to access amidst hospital and industrial buildings.
 * Culloden, five miles east, is best known for the 1746 battlefield where Bonny Prince Charlie's Jacobite army was finally shattered. It also has the Bronze Age "Clava Cairns", and Cawdor Castle associated with Shakespeare's Macbeth.

Do

 * River Ness and Caledonian Canal stretch for eight miles between Loch Dochfour (the pool at the north end of Loch Ness) and Beauly Firth, the reach of sea just below Inverness. It's a pleasant picturesque stroll, or bike-ride if you're trying to reach the loch. Going upstream from town centre, follow either river bank up to the wooded Ness Islands. Above here, be on the west bank (passing the Botanic Gardens) to come onto the canal towpath, which is the best route upstream.
 * Vue Cinema is on the big retail park east of town.
 * Vue Cinema is on the big retail park east of town.
 * Football: were relegated in 2024 and now play soccer in Scottish League One, the third tier. Their home ground Caledonian Stadium (capacity 7500) is off the last A9 exit before Kessock Bridge. In Feb 2000 Caley's shock 3-1 away cup victory over Celtic inspired a legendary headline in The Sun: "Super Caley Go Ballistic, Celtic Are Atrocious".
 * Rugby : Highland RFC play rugby union in National League One, the amateur game's second tier in Scotland. They play at Canal Park, two miles upriver.
 * Dolphin-spotting: boat trips run Apr-Oct from Inverness Marina. The main operator is Dolphin Spirit. They run trips in conventional motor boats, and Rib-rides that are wet and bouncy but cover more of the area. To see dolphins from shore, best cross to the Black Isle and stand at Chanonry Point as the tide starts to come in.
 * Boat-trips on Loch Ness: Jacobite Cruises are based in Inverness and sail the north end of the loch. Others sail from Drumnadrochit and Fort Augustus.
 * Look up your ancestors: Highland Archive Centre is in Bught Park near the Botanic Garden, open M Tu Th 10AM-12:30PM, 2-4:30PM.
 * Golf: nearby courses are Inverness GC near Raigmore Hospital, Kings south along the river, and Loch Ness or Fairways south edge of town. Torvean has closed and is being turned over to housing.
 * Great Glen Way is a long-distance hiking trail to Fort William, 73 miles (116 km).
 * Inverness Music Festival is held over a week at the end of February. The next is probably 22 Feb - 3 March 2024, tbc.
 * Inverness Highland Games are held in July on Bught Park. The next are probably on Sa 13 July 2024, tbc.
 * Loch Ness Marathon follows the minor roads along the east side of the loch from Fort Augustus to Invernessin early October.

Buy
The town's main shopping area runs from the Eastgate Centre, a mall next to the station, through a pedestrian precinct down to the River Ness bridge. There's no limit to the number of tartan and Scottish souvenir shops you can find along the strip, plus the usual department stores and services.

The Inverness Centre is a retail park off A96 two miles east of town. It has a Vue cinema, a Pizza Express and Nando's, a Holiday Inn, and Tesco; fill up on fuel here if you're going further into the Highlands.

Eat

 * Indian cuisine includes Cinnamon near Eastgate Centre, Sam's on Church St, Rajah on Post Office Lane just off Church St, Ness Majal on Academy St by the railway station, Mangrove further down that street, and Shapla by Ness Bridge.
 * Heathmount Hotel half a mile east of the centre has good dining, see Sleep.
 * Fig & Thistle is a bistro south side of Eastgate Centre, open W-Sa noon-3PM, 5:30-11PM.
 * Number 27 is a small friendly restaurant at 27 Castle St serving trad Scots fare, open daily to 11PM.
 * Number 27 is a small friendly restaurant at 27 Castle St serving trad Scots fare, open daily to 11PM.
 * Number 27 is a small friendly restaurant at 27 Castle St serving trad Scots fare, open daily to 11PM.
 * Number 27 is a small friendly restaurant at 27 Castle St serving trad Scots fare, open daily to 11PM.
 * Number 27 is a small friendly restaurant at 27 Castle St serving trad Scots fare, open daily to 11PM.

Drink

 * Uilebheist is a distillery and brewery on the east riverbank a quarter mile south of the castle, in the former Glen Mhor Hotel. Tours are available but the whisky only goes on sale from March 2026.
 * See Dingwall for the Singleton Distillery at Muir of Ord 15 miles west.
 * Bairds Malt produce malt for the brewing industry but aren't themselves brewers. Dolphin Spirit is a disappointment if you were expecting craft gin, they go out on boats to see some overgrown fish.
 * Uilebheist is a distillery and brewery on the east riverbank a quarter mile south of the castle, in the former Glen Mhor Hotel. Tours are available but the whisky only goes on sale from March 2026.
 * See Dingwall for the Singleton Distillery at Muir of Ord 15 miles west.
 * Bairds Malt produce malt for the brewing industry but aren't themselves brewers. Dolphin Spirit is a disappointment if you were expecting craft gin, they go out on boats to see some overgrown fish.
 * Bairds Malt produce malt for the brewing industry but aren't themselves brewers. Dolphin Spirit is a disappointment if you were expecting craft gin, they go out on boats to see some overgrown fish.

Sleep
The town is a commercial and local government hub so it has lots of mid-range chain hotels for business travellers, mostly round the outskirts. Glenurquhart Road, which is the A82 south towards Loch Ness, is lined with small B&Bs and guesthouses. The Inverness Guest House Association has a selection of 24 properties, all of which have been graded 3, 4 or 5 stars by Visit Scotland or the AA.

Budget

 * Inverness Student Hotel is just south of Bazpackers.
 * Bunchrew Caravan Park is open Mar-Sept, double tent £13, caravan £25. It's 3 miles west of town on A862, next to upmarket Bunchrew House Hotel.
 * Inverness Student Hotel is just south of Bazpackers.
 * Bunchrew Caravan Park is open Mar-Sept, double tent £13, caravan £25. It's 3 miles west of town on A862, next to upmarket Bunchrew House Hotel.
 * Bunchrew Caravan Park is open Mar-Sept, double tent £13, caravan £25. It's 3 miles west of town on A862, next to upmarket Bunchrew House Hotel.

Mid-range

 * Moyness House is a restful small B&B in Bruce Gardens off A82, open Feb-Dec.
 * Mid-price chains: Premier Inn is on Huntly St on the west bank of the river and another just west of the canal bridge on A82. Best Western is on Ardross Terrace just south of Ness Bridge, Travelodge is by Fairways Golf Course on the south edge of town, Jury's Inn is at the junction of A9 and A96 on the northeast edge of town, and Holiday Inn Express is by the retail park on A96 two miles east of town.
 * Moyness House is a restful small B&B in Bruce Gardens off A82, open Feb-Dec.
 * Mid-price chains: Premier Inn is on Huntly St on the west bank of the river and another just west of the canal bridge on A82. Best Western is on Ardross Terrace just south of Ness Bridge, Travelodge is by Fairways Golf Course on the south edge of town, Jury's Inn is at the junction of A9 and A96 on the northeast edge of town, and Holiday Inn Express is by the retail park on A96 two miles east of town.
 * Mid-price chains: Premier Inn is on Huntly St on the west bank of the river and another just west of the canal bridge on A82. Best Western is on Ardross Terrace just south of Ness Bridge, Travelodge is by Fairways Golf Course on the south edge of town, Jury's Inn is at the junction of A9 and A96 on the northeast edge of town, and Holiday Inn Express is by the retail park on A96 two miles east of town.
 * Mid-price chains: Premier Inn is on Huntly St on the west bank of the river and another just west of the canal bridge on A82. Best Western is on Ardross Terrace just south of Ness Bridge, Travelodge is by Fairways Golf Course on the south edge of town, Jury's Inn is at the junction of A9 and A96 on the northeast edge of town, and Holiday Inn Express is by the retail park on A96 two miles east of town.
 * Mid-price chains: Premier Inn is on Huntly St on the west bank of the river and another just west of the canal bridge on A82. Best Western is on Ardross Terrace just south of Ness Bridge, Travelodge is by Fairways Golf Course on the south edge of town, Jury's Inn is at the junction of A9 and A96 on the northeast edge of town, and Holiday Inn Express is by the retail park on A96 two miles east of town.
 * Mid-price chains: Premier Inn is on Huntly St on the west bank of the river and another just west of the canal bridge on A82. Best Western is on Ardross Terrace just south of Ness Bridge, Travelodge is by Fairways Golf Course on the south edge of town, Jury's Inn is at the junction of A9 and A96 on the northeast edge of town, and Holiday Inn Express is by the retail park on A96 two miles east of town.

Connect
As of July 2022, the town has 5G from EE and Three, and 4G from O2 and Vodafone. There's good mobile coverage on the approach roads.



Go next

 * Culloden is best known for the battlefield where Bonny Prince Charlie's forces were shattered in 1746. It also has the Clava Cairns, a Bronze Age burial site.
 * Nairn is the closest beach resort. Nearby is the extensive, well-preserved Fort George.
 * Loch Ness starts 8 miles south, and stretches for 23 miles. The main road and facilities are along the west bank, with Drumnadrochit the largest centre.
 * Cairngorms National Park covers a wide tract of highland country. The most accessible part from Inverness is Cairngorm mountain itself above Aviemore, a ski resort with a funicular railway.
 * Fort William is close to Ben Nevis, the UK's highest mountain, and to Nevis Range ski and mountain resort.
 * North are the wilds of Ross and Cromarty and Caithness and Sutherland. If you get all the way to Thurso you can take a ferry to the Orkneys, and from there to Shetland.
 * North Coast 500 is a 500-mile (800-km) road circuit of those regions, and Inverness is the usual start and finish point.