An afternoon at the Ness Islands in Inverness

On January 3rd, I left Denmark for the first adventure of 2020. Two months living and working in Portree on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, alongside my younger brother Brandon who has been living there since September. 

But before getting to Skye, I flew to Inverness and spent a night there. The charming city of Inverness is the northernmost city in the United Kingdom and is regarded as the capital of the Scottish Highlands. Home to just 70,000 souls, the city is tiny and compact, but still has everything you’d want from a city, including happy citizens as Inverness has been described as the happiest place in Scotland.

The city’s small size also means that nature is always close by. And nature is something that the surrounding areas have lots of. The city is located in the middle of the Highlands, and thus offers incredible opportunities for day trips to nearby hiking hotspots. I arrived in the afternoon and therefore didn’t have time to venture outside the city, but I did get to explore a beautiful natural park within the city limits.

After taking the bus to the city and checking in at the hostel, I only had a few hours of daylight available. Brandon had recommended that I walk to and through the Ness Islands, a series of small islets in the River Ness, connected to the mainland by small Victorian foot bridges.

With many photo breaks, it took me about 1,5 hours to complete this three mile walk which took me along one side of the river and onto the islands, and then to the other side of the river and back to the city center. I had wonderful views throughout of the city and Inverness Castle, built in 1836 on the site of an 11th-century defensive structure. I also passed by the majestic Inverness Cathedral from 1866, the most northerly Anglican Cathedral in the United Kingdom, as well as several wonderful homes that must cost the earth.

There was a very strong current in the river. While walking along the banks of it, I imagined how fun it would be to float down the river in the summer! If I ever visit Inverness in the summer, that’s what I’ll do!

The best part of the walk was the islands. They are like an oasis in the middle of the busy city, completely silent apart from the few people and dogs that I met on my way. I really enjoyed the solitude of this place, and had it not been close to sunset, I would’ve spent hours there enjoying the rare sunny weather.

My sightseeing afternoon ended at the Falcon Square in the city center, where I found some food before heading back to the hostel for an early night. I’d been up at 3 AM that morning to catch my two flights to Inverness, and I had an early departure the next day for Skye. Finally, I would be on my way to the island of my dreams.