Inverness - Highlands of Scotland
http://www.scottishweb.net/articles/9/1/Inverness----Highlands-of-Scotland/Page1.html
Published on 12 February 2008
Inverness is the capital of the Scottish Highlands, and by far the largest urban centre in the region. Although it has a population of under 90,000 people Inverness was awarded city status in the year 2000 as part of the Queen's millennium city celebrations, beating off stiff competition for the title.
Places In Scotland - Inverness, Scottish Highlands
Inverness is the capital of the Scottish Highlands, and by far the largest urban centre in the region. Although it has a population of under 90,000 people Inverness was awarded city status in the year 2000 as part of the Queen's millennium city celebrations, beating off stiff competition for the title.
Situated at the mouth of the River Ness, where the Moray Firth narrows and becomes the Beauly Firth, the city dominates the whole area and in many ways acts like a crossroads between different parts of the highlands. To the north is the Black Isle with its fertile and rolling farmland, to the south-west is Loch Ness and the Great Glen, and to the east the land changes from the familiar highland landscape and levels out into undulating farmland that stretches out towards Morayshire.
Inverness has expanded rapidly in the last twenty to thirty years, becoming a major player in the world of business and enterprise. Much of the town is relatively new, engulfing the whole of the natural floodplain of the River Ness, and sitting a mere 2-3 meters above sea level. Many people now say that because the town has grown into a small city, it has lost its highland appeal. I do not believe this is the case, and although Inverness is now a busy commercial centre, it is very much the capital of the highlands and has many features that display that image.
The traveller should understand that the Scottish Highlands is a mixture of very different areas and landscapes. Inverness and Easter Ross are totally different in appearance and nature to Wester Ross and the west coast of the Highlands, just as the northern counties such as Sutherland and Caithness are different from, say, Lochaber.
There's plenty of things to see and do in Inverness and no shortage of places to visit. Just to the south-east of the town is Culloden Battlefield, scene of the last battle fought on British soil between the Jacobites and the Hanoverian government army. Scottishweb has a complete section on the Battle of Culloden - click here to learn more.
The Old High Church, pictured above, was used as a prison for Jacobite soldiers captured after the battle, and Balnain House was used as a hospital to tend Government troops. There are excellent open-topped bus tours of the town and Culloden Battlefield, as well as boat trips down Loch Ness and also out into the Moray Firth to see the dolphins. Alternatively, Inverness has an excellent museum and plenty facilities for the kids, such as the Aquadome, Rollerbowl and Warner Village Cineplex.
Dominating the town is the beautiful sandstone castle, sitting on the site of a former wooden castle destroyed by the Jacobites. The castle is currently the courthouse in Inverness, and out front there is a statue of Flora Macdonald, the heroine of the Jacobite Rebellion, gazing up the Great Glen in search of her prince.
St Andrew's cathedral in Inverness, with its two massive spireless towers, was designed by Alexander Ross and built in 1869-1874. Interestingly, inside the cathedral, there are five golden icons presented by the Tsar of Russia in 1861 to Bishop Eden, the founder of the cathedral. St Andrew's has eleven bells, beautiful woodwork and stained glass, and is a definite attraction for any visitor to Inverness.
The major catalyst in the 19th century development of Inverness was the construction of the Caledonian Canal, built between 1802 and 1822 by Thomas Telford. Linking the lochs of the Great Glen - Loch Lochy, Loch Oich and Loch Ness, this engineering marvel enabled ships to cut their way through Scotland without the long and sometimes dangerous journey around the top of the country. The canal, coupled with the arrival of the railway, made certain that Inverness would become an important cross-roads in the highlands.
Inverness is an attractive destination for many reasons and an excellent base to explore the rest of the highlands of Scotland. The very fact that it is a busy urban area makes it very different from the rest of the Scottish highlands and most of the large department stores and other large retail outlets have a presence in Inverness.
If you want to stay in Inverness search and book an Inverness Hotel online by clicking the link.
Situated at the mouth of the River Ness, where the Moray Firth narrows and becomes the Beauly Firth, the city dominates the whole area and in many ways acts like a crossroads between different parts of the highlands. To the north is the Black Isle with its fertile and rolling farmland, to the south-west is Loch Ness and the Great Glen, and to the east the land changes from the familiar highland landscape and levels out into undulating farmland that stretches out towards Morayshire.
Inverness has expanded rapidly in the last twenty to thirty years, becoming a major player in the world of business and enterprise. Much of the town is relatively new, engulfing the whole of the natural floodplain of the River Ness, and sitting a mere 2-3 meters above sea level. Many people now say that because the town has grown into a small city, it has lost its highland appeal. I do not believe this is the case, and although Inverness is now a busy commercial centre, it is very much the capital of the highlands and has many features that display that image.
The traveller should understand that the Scottish Highlands is a mixture of very different areas and landscapes. Inverness and Easter Ross are totally different in appearance and nature to Wester Ross and the west coast of the Highlands, just as the northern counties such as Sutherland and Caithness are different from, say, Lochaber.
There's plenty of things to see and do in Inverness and no shortage of places to visit. Just to the south-east of the town is Culloden Battlefield, scene of the last battle fought on British soil between the Jacobites and the Hanoverian government army. Scottishweb has a complete section on the Battle of Culloden - click here to learn more.
The Old High Church, pictured above, was used as a prison for Jacobite soldiers captured after the battle, and Balnain House was used as a hospital to tend Government troops. There are excellent open-topped bus tours of the town and Culloden Battlefield, as well as boat trips down Loch Ness and also out into the Moray Firth to see the dolphins. Alternatively, Inverness has an excellent museum and plenty facilities for the kids, such as the Aquadome, Rollerbowl and Warner Village Cineplex.
Dominating the town is the beautiful sandstone castle, sitting on the site of a former wooden castle destroyed by the Jacobites. The castle is currently the courthouse in Inverness, and out front there is a statue of Flora Macdonald, the heroine of the Jacobite Rebellion, gazing up the Great Glen in search of her prince.
St Andrew's cathedral in Inverness, with its two massive spireless towers, was designed by Alexander Ross and built in 1869-1874. Interestingly, inside the cathedral, there are five golden icons presented by the Tsar of Russia in 1861 to Bishop Eden, the founder of the cathedral. St Andrew's has eleven bells, beautiful woodwork and stained glass, and is a definite attraction for any visitor to Inverness.
The major catalyst in the 19th century development of Inverness was the construction of the Caledonian Canal, built between 1802 and 1822 by Thomas Telford. Linking the lochs of the Great Glen - Loch Lochy, Loch Oich and Loch Ness, this engineering marvel enabled ships to cut their way through Scotland without the long and sometimes dangerous journey around the top of the country. The canal, coupled with the arrival of the railway, made certain that Inverness would become an important cross-roads in the highlands.
Inverness is an attractive destination for many reasons and an excellent base to explore the rest of the highlands of Scotland. The very fact that it is a busy urban area makes it very different from the rest of the Scottish highlands and most of the large department stores and other large retail outlets have a presence in Inverness.
If you want to stay in Inverness search and book an Inverness Hotel online by clicking the link.