Capital of the Highlands

Atlantic Salmon
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Our initial intent was only to spend a day or so in Inverness.  However, we ended up spending 3 nights in town. Visiting the Culloden Battlefield, Fort George and spending a day salmon fishing on the Ness River.  Plus to be honest rest and recuperation for our colds.

Like nearly every town we visited Inverness has a Castle, High Street and great pubs and restaurants.

The one sense that the area gives is of the historic and turbulent nature of the history of Scotland.  Culloden was the last stand of the Highlanders, the Catholic Stuarts, and Fort George represented the final imposition of English Rule and entrenchment of the Religious Reformation that led to so much strife in Europe.

River Ness flowing through Inverness
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The Inverness of today seems modern and the gateway to the Highlands. The local fishing club was right friendly and after a long day of throwing a heavy glass 12 weight fly rod in mist and rain, offered me a cup of hot tea.  Also the Scottish accent was more prevalent here than in Edinburgh.

This is the place I most enjoyed not being on an itinerary and flexibility of backpacking.  Even though the first hostel we stayed at was miserable the second was quite nice and enjoyable.