Day Trips
You can have a look at our What's On guide of events in the area or discover the Highlands with some of the suggested trips below.
Cawdor Castle, Fort George & Culloden
One great day tour full of history would be to take in some or all of these sites.
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Shakespeare made Cawdor Castle, famous in the Scottish Play, Fort George is where you can marvel at the size of the fortifications, learn how soldiers lived in the late 1700's and then visit Culloden Battlefield and spend the rest of the day shopping in Inverness.
Loch Ness & Inverness
You can do a circular route taking you down as far as Fort William if you wish, and then return up the western shore of Loch Ness. If you don't spot the monster, then perhaps you'd like to stop off at Drumnadrochit where the Loch Ness Exhibition Centre will inform you where to look, or even just allow you to buy a model! Discover Loch Ness can be pre-booked online, or you could cruise down the Loch from Inverness and picking up your bus at the other end?
Speyside & Whisky Tour
We are lucky enough to be on the Whisky Trail and there are numerous distilleries nearby. Some have very impressive Visitor Centres but beware, some charge for a visit! Coach parties need to book in advance and may then be able to have a guide. Please remember that opening times must be checked too!
You may wish to see more than just whisky distilleries, and although it would not be realistic to do all the following in one day it gives you a choice of attractions in a circular tour.
We have an excellent relationship with Glenlivet distillery, where a guide and 'wee dram' await you, via Tomintoul, the UK's highest village and then onto Dufftown where you'll find
Balvenie Castle and Glenfiddich distillery.
Why not then travel to the Speyside Cooperage to watch how the barrels are made and repaired for the whisky industry. You can picnic on the beach by Telford's metal bridge at Craigellachie and carry on to the shop at Walkers Biscuit Factory. Then a walk around the gardens and a tour of Ballindalloch, a castle still occupied by the family. Then on the way back at the end of the day - you can drop into the Spey Valley Smokehouse and watch the fish being processed and buy some bits for your supper!
View Abernethy Bunkhouses Whisky Tour in a larger map
Edinburgh
Why not spend the day in Edinburgh. Shop in Prince's Street under the shadow of Edinburgh Castle where you can trace the history of Scotland's extraordinary past, see her Crown Jewels and at 1 o'clock, hear the gun that booms across the city every day. The Georgian House offers an insight to life as it was in the more recent past. There are, of course, many other attractions, whether you want history, culture, arts, crafts or even just the pubs for which the city is renowned! Return to Nethy House for supper, or even stay down there for the evening and return in time for bed!
Half Days
Of course, many of the above trips may be shortened but there are other opportunities. Landmark is a great way to spend a number of hours learning about the environment around us or just whizzing down the waterslides! Waltzing Waters is an unusual light and music show, literally featuring dancing fountains with the Highland Folk Museum nearby. A visit to the Findhorn Foundation Ecological Village is always an interesting trip. Or, perhaps a short walk up to Broomhill Station, better known to BBC viewers as Glenbogle Station, where Archie's loves travel to and from in the hit series 'Monarch of the Glen'. From there you can catch the Strathspey Steam Railway's regular service to Aviemore.
Eilean Donan & Skye
You can visit Eilean Donan, not only one of the most photographed of Scottish views, but also made famous as the location of the 'Highlander' films. Then drive on towards Skye and take the bridge over if you wish! It would be a long day - but possible.
Eilean Donan & the Rogie Falls
Alternatively, once you leave Eilean Donan, you could visit Plockton where 'Hamish Macbeth' was filmed and then on through a very scenic route back via Rogie Falls and if it is midsummer you would have enough daylight for a late walk.
Orkney
If you don't mind an early start, you could drive up to John O'Groats and catch the ferry across to these islands. The tour will take you to most of the major sites, including Skara Brae, a 5,000 year old settlement and then return you to catch the ferry back. Again, you'll be back for bed!
