Inverness-shire

Inverness-shire stretches from North/central to North/West Scotland in the Highlands. It encompasses North and South Uist as well as parts of Lewis. A vast and sprawling county of legends and history – it is here that you con seek out monsters in the depths of Loch Ness. History, legend, romance and the great outdoors combine seamlessly to guarantee visitors a warm Highland welcome and a truly memorable holiday. The city of Inverness itself is the Capital of the Highlands. With suspension bridges across the River Ness and old stone buildings, it is a pretty city cared for with obvious pride; also well-known for its floral displays. In fact it won the 1996 award for Best Large Town in the Bloom of Britain competition. Over in the far West of Inverness-shire lie North and South Uist, part of the Western Isles. The islands seem to be split down the middle: boggy moors and craggy hills rule the East, whilst the West is softened by a sandy coastline and green pasture. It is hard to tell when looking out across this landscape of surreal beauty whether the moorland is sprinkled with lochs, or the sea dotted with islands. On a sunny day, the landscape is truly sparkling. The Uists are not visited as much as other islands around Scotland as they are quite remote. The road signs are in Gaelic and the food supplies depend to a certain extent on the ferry.

For the visitor, Invernesshire offers varieties of experience. North Uist and South Uist both have nature reserves and are full of ancient monuments, many dating back thousands of years. The remoteness and natural attractions are definitely worth the journey.

Back on the mainland, Inverness Cathedral awaits. It sits on the banks of the River Ness and was built between 1866 and 1869. The foundation stone was laid by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Charles Longley on the the 17th of October 1866. It was the first new cathedral to be built after the Reformation. Built to the Gothic style, it was designed by Alexander Ross and the original plans incorporated spires. The baptismal font is modelled on the world famous Thorwalden in Copenhagen and the Tsar of Russia presented five gold ikons.

As for legend, magic and mystery, Loch Ness has it all. It stretches over 24 miles and reaches a mile wide in places with a depth of some 700 feet. Loch Ness is of course famous for its legendary monster Nessie. There's dramatic scenery and many attractions here as well as natural features such as the Falls of Foyers. The wildlife of the Loch Ness area is also considerable. In fact the Great Glen itself acts as a flight path for migrating birds between the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. It is common to see buzzards or occasionally an eagle or an osprey but more common are woodpeckers, siskin and fieldfares in winter. But for all its other attractions, Loch Ness remains famed as the abode of a strange long necked monster. A story tells how Saint Columba banished a water monster from the River Ness at Fort Augustus, perhaps the forerunner of the famous long necked creature that haunts the loch in modern times.