Nairn is situated on the southern shore of the Moray Firth on the East coast of Scotland, 16 miles (26 km) east northeast of Inverness and 89 miles (143 km) northwest of Aberdeen via the A96 road. Built around the old Fishertown at the mouth of the River Nairn, Nairn was a favoured Victorian health spa, due to the medicinal properties of the local sea water. Its fine weather and miles of sandy beaches have made the town a favourite holiday resort for generations. The railway arrived from Inverness in 1855, and within three years was extended east to Elgin and Aberdeen. Nairn has retained its station and also benefits from many old hotels which echo the town's heyday as a spa, together with two championship golf courses, a sports centre, two swimming pools and a riding centre. Nairn also has two museums; Nairn Museum, which tells the story of Nairn's past, and the Fishertown Museum, which recalls the story of the fishing industry of the town.
Places of interest around Nairn include the Culbin Forest and Culbin Sands, a rare example of dune stabilisation; Culloden, the battlefield that witnessed the final defeat of the Jacobite rising; the Clava Cairns, which date from the early bronze age and three famous castles - Cawdor Castle, Brodie Castle and Castle Stuart.
African explorer James Grant (1827-92) was born in Nairn, while politician William Whitelaw (1918-99) was brought up here.
