The city of Inverness in northern Scotland is the gateway to the
Highlands, a busy centre that is ideal as a base for those wanting
to make excursions into this attractive part of the country. The
town sits on the east coast, at the mouth of the River Ness, and
just a few miles from the beautiful and mysterious Loch Ness, home
to the legendary monster but also one of the most scenic parts of
the Highlands.
Just 20 miles (32km) east of Inverness is the low-key holiday
resort of Nairn, on the Moray Firth, with its long white beaches
and championship golf course, venue of the 1999 Walker Cup. Nearby
is the magnificent Cawdor Castle that was featured in Shakespeare's
Macbeth, and Fort George, one of several Hanoverian bastions
erected in the wake of the Jacobite rebellion of 1745. The infamous
battle and ensuing massacre that ended in Bonnie Prince Charlie's
uprising took place on the outskirts of Inverness, at Culloden, and
was the last major battle to take place on British soil. Fort
George is one of the most outstanding military fortifications to be
found anywhere in Europe. Designed to intimidate the Jacobite
Highlanders, Fort George has never seen a shot fired in anger,
although today, more than 200 years after it was completed, it is
still a working garrison. There is an interesting visitors centre
in Culloden, which tells the story of the Jacobite uprising.
Inverness town centre boasts a variety of historic stone
buildings, not least of which is a castle on a low cliff
overlooking the River Ness and affording a good view of the area
and the suspension bridges spanning the river. To add to the
atmosphere, a piper plays on Castle Hill every evening during the
summer. Inverness is particularly proud of its renown as a floral
city, and one of its favourite local attractions, at Bught Park, is
the Floral Hall, a recreation of a sub-tropical landscape complete
with waterfall. There are flowers all over the town during summer,
when a walk along the riverside to explore the Ness Islands is a
pleasant way to pass some time. There is also a museum and art
gallery, and some good shopping malls. The indoor Victorian market
on Academy Street is a great place for visitors to pick up
souvenirs and gifts.