highlands scenery from Invergordon/Inverness?

we are in port 8-6pm July 8 (Sunday). Best way to see some highlands scenery--maybe a few cattle, some mountains and Urquhart castle? If we rent a car and drive from Inverness and stop at U Castle 1st, how far would we need to drive to see some highlands scenery--maybe a few cattle, some mountains and via which route?

If you pick up a hire car in Inverness and drive along the A82 it will be minutes before you begin to see Highland scenery, infact be honest, you see mountains, cattle and more just coming from Invergordon.

Urqhuart Castle is just outside the village of Drumnadrochit which is 14 miles from Inverness, a few minutes drive from Inverness will bring you to Loch end, the start of Loch Ness and on your left you will see the beautiful Loch. Don’t make the mistake a lot of car hire users do when leaving Inverness and use sat nav as this will take you over the mountains and you’ll miss half of the Loch, just follow the A82 signposts and brown tourist sign posts from Inverness.

Arriving in Drumnadrochit about 15minutes later you will see the Loch Ness Centre & Exhibition on your right a huge Victorian building housing exhibition shops, hotel, cafe and a place where cruises depart from on the Loch Ness projects research boat. Keep on the A82 and in two miles you will reach Urqhuart castle. The castle can be very busy in summer and particularly on cruise days so you may not actually get in as parking is limited but it’s worth a visit.

After leaving the castle you could continue on the A82 to Invermoriston, a further 10 miles, a pretty village with a fabulous waterfall under the bridge, six miles further and you’ve seen the whole Loch as you’ve reached Fort Augustus, where the Loch joins the Caledonian canal.

To be honest with you though I wouldn’t hire a car. July is a very busy time and more so when cruise ships are in. If you get the train to Inverness you could walk a couple of streets to the bus station and get a Jacobite tour. Their sensation tour will give you transport, castle, cruise and the Loch Ness exhibition centre, with entry fees included. (normally £9 castle, £7.95 Exhibition, £14 cruise) They also have a Tour which is longer at 7 hours but that’s a bit long for your 6pm departure time. The passion tour leaves Inverness at 10.15am and is £35pp. You are also guaranteed to get entry to the castle. Booking the tour in advance is essential.

Please let me know if you need more advice. I live at Loch Ness and am happy to help. Whatever you do you’ll have a wonderful day 😀

We booked an excursion with Invergordon Tours (https://www.invergordontours.com/) that went to Urquhart Castle, a boat ride on Loch Ness, Clava Cairns, and Cawdor Castle. It was nice, although some folks on the other bus that we knew from our ship complained that they were too crowded on that bus.

That’s a good option as well since that tour also includes a cruise with Jacobite cruises and means you get guaranteed entry to the castle.

There’s also a company called Invergordon bus tours who do the same kind of thing, but I think they are cheaper.

thank you. sounds like we'll nix the car hire. We don't really want the cruise part of it, and we'll have a free entrance already. If we have a multi day pass, like Scottish Explorers, which does not have any timed entrances, we can just walk up to Urquhart and enter without waiting in line, yes?

Also, I assume if we hire a taxi or private minvan with driver for the day that the driver can drop us off for an hour, even if the car park is full at Urquhart?

Lastly, confirming that there is virutally no public transit (bus) on Sundays from Inverness to Urquhart, even in summer? I was hoping that Stagecoach might run extra summer buses, but their schedule is not out yet.

You may still have to wait inline even with a pass as lots of people have passes but the line will be shorter, this won’t help if the car park is full which can be frustrating when people have booked in advance and can’t get in. It may be an option for a private tour or taxi to drop you outside the “grounds”if the car park is closed because it’s busy. I would try and get there before the tour buses do if you can. Yours is the only ship in that day and the English and Welsh schools won’t have broken up so it shouldn’t be too bad.

There is public transport from Inverness to the castle every day, you need the fort William bus for that.

Just checking, you are aware that Urqhuart castle is a ruin? It’s nicely located but is just ruins. If you want to see a castle that’s not in ruins let me know and I can give you suggestions.

You may still have to wait inline even with a pass as lots of people have passes but the line will be shorter, this won’t help if the car park is full which can be frustrating when people have booked in advance and can’t get in. It may be an option for a private tour or taxi to drop you outside the “grounds”if the car park is closed because it’s busy. I would try and get there before the tour buses do if you can. Yours is the only ship in that day and the English and Welsh schools won’t have broken up so it shouldn’t be too bad.

 

There is public transport from Inverness to the castle every day, you need the fort William bus for that.

 

Just checking, you are aware that Urqhuart castle is a ruin? It’s nicely located but is just ruins. If you want to see a castle that’s not in ruins let me know and I can give you suggestions.

I would be interested in your other suggestions for castles or alternative itineraries.

If the weather is good I’d rent a car and head west towards Gairloch.

Its about 70 miles and if you want mountains and lochs you won’t be disappointed.