Overview of Inverness

Inverness, Scotland's most northerly city, is located on the A9 road 157 miles (253 km) north of Edinburgh and 174 miles (280 km) northeast of Glasgow. It lies at the head of the Great Glen, off the northeast tip of Loch Ness and is served by excellent rail and air links. Situated on the Caledonian Canal and regarded as the Capital of the Highlands, Inverness has grown dramatically since the 1960s to reach its present population of c.50,000. Almost a quarter of the Highland population lives in or around the city. Inverness Castle dominates the local architecture and dates from the 1830s. Inverness was home to Macbeth, whose 11th Century murder of King Duncan was immortalised in Shakespeare's play. To the east of the town, on the B9006 road, is Culloden Battlefield.

Inverness was given the status of a City in 2000, as one of three Millennium Cities named across the United Kingdom. Inverness is an ideal base for climbing, skiing, golfing, hill-walking and other sport holidays, with picturesque landscapes in all directions. Main tourist attractions include the Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, Balnain House - the home of Highland music, the Eden Court Theatre, Bught Park, home of an annual Highland Games, Hector Russell's Scottish Kiltmaker Centre, the Pringle Woollen Mill, the Inverness Leisure Centre and Aquadome and the Whin Adventure Park.

To the south and west of Inverness is Loch Ness, famous for Nessie its monster, but also noteworthy for the fact that the Loch contains more fresh water than the lakes of England and Wales combined in its 23 miles (37 km) length.