Find your way around the Capital of the Highlands
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The Inverness Street Plan is published at a large scale (1:11,100 or nearly 6 inches to 1 mile), and features much more relevant detail than any other comparable publication. It now includes the Inverness Retail and Business Park to the east, and extends south-eastwards to Milton of Leys. The rapidly growing suburban areas to the east of the town are included on R P A Smith's Inverness East Street Plan, at the larger scale of 1:7500 (8 inches to 1 mile). This map includes Balloch, Culloden, Smithton and Cradlehall as well as Ardersier.
To order by post direct from the publisher, please click on the 'Map Ordering' button on the left.
Inverness is, by some considerable margin, the largest settlement in the Highlands of Scotland. Elevated to the official status of a city in 2001, in which year the Census recorded its population as 40,949, plus 10,883 in the eastern suburbs around Culloden. Its clear locational advantages at the head of the Great Glen and of the Moray Firth have led to centuries of prosperity; it was already a Pictish capital when St. Columba came to convert King Brude in the 6th century, the town was made a Royal Burgh by King David I (1124-1153) and today it is the administrative centre for a vast area stretching from Glencoe in the south to Wick and Thurso in the north.
Inverness is one of Scotland's main tourist destinations, with a wide variety of good quality accommodation and of places to visit. The city, with its fairly dry climate, is renowned for the quality of its floral displays and parks, and for its pleasant walks along the banks of the River Ness. Normally, over the summer months, over 1,000 tubs and hanging flower baskets are on display. In complete contrast, not far away are the rugged Highland mountains, many of which offer real challenges to hillwalkers and climbers.
As might be expected, Inverness is a good shopping centre where the main chain stores are supplemented by many souvenir shops and a wide variety of specialist outlets, some in charming old-fashioned arcades and others in a modern town centre shopping mall. The city also has surprisingly large industrial estates which underline the extent to which the Highland service economy has centralised in Inverness.
Click on the button below to find what shops can be found in Inverness High Street.
Inverness Castle and Flora Macdonald Statue - Although much photographed, Inverness Castle on its hilltop site dates only from 1830 and is used as a Court House. The hill was, however, occupied by a castle as far back as the 12th century. The present castle's predecessor was rebuilt by General Wade in the early 18th century and blown up by Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1746. In front of the building is a statue of Flora Macdonald (right), famous for her part in helping the prince flee the country.
St Andrew's Episcopal Cathedral - On the west bank of the River Ness (in the background of the photograph) is the Gothic-style St Andrew's Cathedral, completed in 1874 and the first British cathedral to be entirely built and consecrated after the Reformation. It contains many treasures and a set of eleven bells, one weighing fully a ton.
Caledonian Canal - On the western fringes of the town is the Caledonian Canal, created over the period 1803-22 to the designs of the great engineer, Thomas Telford. There are sets of locks at Muirtown and Clachnaharry with an intervening basin, full of interest. The canal extends south-westwards through three lochs to near Fort William, and its original cost was £1.3 million, a lot of money in those days.
Tomnahurich Cemetery - Near the Tomnahurich Bridge over the Caledonian Canal is 'perhaps the most spectacular cemetery in Scotland' (Nigel Tranter). This burial ground covers an isolated, steep-sided and well-wooded hill, with graves up to the very top. Apparently, the Town Council once organised horse races around its base!
Cromwell's Fort - Away from the the town's main tourist areas can be found the interesting, but scanty, remains of a large citadel, built by Oliver Cromwell in 1653 to house 1,000 men, but demolished eight years later on the restoration of King Charles II. The clocktower still stands in Cromwell Road, and some earthworks remain nearby.
Museum and Art Gallery - Close to the Tourist Information Centre, in one of the modern buildings which was unfortunately allowed to disfigure the town centre in the 1960s, can be found the town's museum and art gallery, well worth a visit. The museum contains fragments of Pictish symbol stones, Highland weapons, fossils and paintings of Inverness as it was.
Tourist Information Centre - Centrally located off Castle Wynd, near the Ness Bridge, this all-year information centre is the place to gather further information on the town and the Highlands generally, together with assistance in finding accommodation, etc.
Inverness Aquadrome and Sports Centre - Invernessians are proud of this modern sports facility at Bught Park, featuring a leisure pool with flumes and waves, a traditional 25-metre swimming pool and two sports halls.
The Ness Islands and Whin Park - About a mile upriver from the town centre is an extensive area of riverside parkland including the Ness Islands, a series of islands in the River Ness interconnected by footbridges. The large Bught Park is the venue for the Inverness Highland Games, and nearby is the Whin Adventure Park with its boating loch and miniature railway. Other features include the Inverness Ice Centre, a popular caravan site, and the Floral Hall, an interesting and relaxing series of conservatories, complete with coffee shop!
Eden Court Theatre - This theatre (photograph, above right), pleasantly situated on the west bank of the River Ness, caters for a wide range of tastes and interests - from traditional music and dance to modern film and drama.
Bellfield Park - On the opposite side of the River Ness from the theatre is Bellfield Park, worth visiting for its beautiful floral displays and for bowling, tennis and children's play.
Football Ground - In recent years, two of the town's football teams merged to become Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC in the Scottish league; their new ground is close to the Kessock Bridge. In addition, Inverness Clachnacuddin FC still plays in the Highland League.
Some Places to Visit outwith Inverness
Culloden Battlefield - The Battle of Culloden, fought close to Inverness on the Drummossie Muir in 1746, was Britain's last major land battle. On the battlefield is a visitor centre run by the National Trust for Scotland.
Fort George - On a headland near Ardersier, Fort George is one of Europe's most impressive military fortifications, built after the Battle of Culloden. Never having been attacked and still partly in use by the army, the fort is still in remarkably good condition.
Loch Ness - The 23-mile long Loch Ness, over 750 feet deep, is a major tourist attraction, overlooked by Urquhart Castle (itself open to the public). Visit one of the Loch Ness Monster exhibitions or take a boat trip to discover whether the monster really exists!
Falls of Foyers - There are several waterfalls worth visiting in the Inverness area and a walk to the Falls of Foyers on the south-east side of Loch Ness is particularly recommended.
The Mountains - In contrast to the area's relaxing woodland and riverside walks is the wide variety of 3,000 ft. mountains (Munros) within easy reach of Inverness, ranging from rounded Ben Wyvis, an exceptional viewpoint, to the more challenging peaks of Glen Affric.
R P A Smith's range of Street Plans covers the following towns around Inverness:
Dingwall
Fortrose
Cromarty
Conon Bridge
Strathpeffer
Alness
Invergordon
Tain
Dornoch
Golspie, Brora
Wick
Thurso
Nairn
Forres
Elgin
Aviemore
Grantown-on-Spey
Kingussie
Newtonmore
Fort William
