The Highlands

Covering the far western and northern parts of mainland Scotland, famous for the stunning mountains, sea, heather, lochs and glens

Inverness is the capital of the Highlands and one the fastest growing cities in Britain, and is a great location on the Moray Firth at the northern end of the Great Glen – a geological fault line running across Scotland from Fort William to Inverness. The glaciers of the last Ice Age eroded a deep vally along the fault that is now largely filled by a series of lochs (Linnhe, Lochy, Oich and Ness). General George Wade built a military road along the southern side of Loch Ness in the early 18th century and in 1822 the various lochs were linked by the Caledonian Canal.

The broad River Ness, which flows from Loch Ness into the Moray Firth, runs through the heart of the town. A stroll along the river is highly recommended as is a boat trip on the Moray Firth in search of bottlenose dolphins.