Ness Islands, Inverness, Scotland
Pull up your collar up and wrap your scarf around your neck, tug on those silly knitted mittens and yank your cap (the one with the puffy bit on top) over your head. The day may be chilly, winter may be well set in, the icy snow may crunch under your boots, but that’s no excuse not to get out in the fresh air to uncover new marvels. Inverness is a city very much at home in adverse weather. It is a place that shrugs its shoulders at chilly temperatures, smiles at new snowfall, rolls its eyes at rain, sighs at soft mist – as if to say, “is that all you’ve got? Bring it, weather.” The first stop for many on their way to the Cairngorms and the greater Scottish Highlands region, Inverness is a snug city folded along the banks of the River Ness, which is of course only a short distance from Loch Ness, which is of course home to a dino-like monster or two slinking within its murky depths. (Fun fact – no matter what you believe, there is at least one Loch Ness monster here – a 1930s Nessie film prop was lost to the inky depths and still resides at the bottom of the loch). The best way to experience the River Ness to walk along the Ness Islands, an-interlocked collection of natural islands that form a sort of middle-of-the-river park. Connected by Victorian footbridges and traced with narrow paths shrouded in tree canopies, the Ness Islands are a lovely place for a stroll. Dotted with carved benches, hardy fishermen and other remnants of artists’ works nestled amongst the mature woodland, watch the sunset at the edge of this quiet and brooding place. At the close of this Scottish winter’s day, make your way back into the city for a cosy dinner before kicking off your Cairngorms adventure.
Tip: Enjoy that cosy winter’s meal at the adorably-named The Filling Place, where cosy comfort food is their specialty.
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