Explore picturesque Inverness-shire!
Local Area:
Close by, is the Glenurquhart Forest and mountain-bike trails. About five miles to the west is Cannich, which leads to the Glen Affric National Nature Reserve, where there are lovely walks through ancient Caledonian pinewoods and across open moorland, providing the opportunity to enjoy all sorts of wildlife and unspoilt splendour. Also close by, at Corrimony, are chambered cairns and an RSPB bird reserve.
Glen Urquhart itself stretches from the banks of Loch Ness westward towards the mountains of Glen Affric. It’s a beautiful wooded glen with lochs and a river that greatly rewards exploration on foot, cycle or horseback.
Drumnadrochit is the nearest village, with the famous Loch Ness monster exhibition. There are several bars and restaurants, shops, doctors, church and take-aways.
Within 20 minutes walking distance of the lodge is The Steading – a quirky local pub and restaurant not without its charms. Serving local ales from the Cairngorm brewery, wine and soft drinks and a large selection of single malt whisky from the highlands of Scotland.
A mile or two down the road, on the banks of Loch Ness, are the ruins of Urquhart Castle. There are also several boat trips available on the Loch, and this is always a popular activity for everyone.
Further Afield:
Inverness, the capital of the Highlands, is only 25 miles away with everything a modern city has to offer. The international airport is just a around an hour away and the main rail station is in Inverness town centre itself.
Once you have left the town, you will find there is stunning scenery all around, little traffic and absolute peace and tranquility.
The drive over to the Isle of Skye, (only just over an hour away) is breathtaking. The open space, the red deer, and the mountains on either side of you are just beautiful. The Isle of Skye itself can be stunning, but it’s bigger than you think and needs a full day out to see it all.
The road to Ullapool, again is a lovely drive and you can sit and watch the ferry from the Isle of Lewis with some of the best fish & chips you’ll ever get. Carry on north from Ullapool for more dramatic scenery, stunning mountains and if you enjoy your hill walking, there’s a treat in store.
To the north east you come to John O’ Groats. It’s a fair distance, passing some stunning cliffs on the way and on a clear day you can see oil rigs far out to sea. A little closer is Culloden battlefield, just the other side of Inverness and also Cawdor Castle. A trip to Dufftown and a visit to a distillery or two is well worth considering. It’s free and you normally get a ‘dram’ at the end of the tour.
South of us is Fort Augustus, where you can sit and watch the boats going up the locks on the Caledonian Canal, a lovely way to spend an hour or so while sitting on the banks with a glass of something from the pubs at the side of the canal.
Further south still are Ben Nevis and Fort William, where you can also take the steam train over to Mallaig (seasonal). This is very popular due to the Harry Potter connection and you’ll probably need to book in advance.