When I was planning my trip to the Scottish Highlands last month, I debated whether or not to rent a car. While having a car would provide more freedom and flexibility, I also felt a little stressed about the prospect of driving on the left side of the road in an unfamiliar area without knowing what the weather would be like. Since my trip was in late April, conditions could really vary.

Instead, I decided to base myself in Inverness, Scotland and take day trips from there to the surrounding areas I wanted to see. Two of my day trips utilized public transport, while one was through a guided tour. These trips included Culloden Battlefield and nearby Clava Cairns, Cairngorms National Park, and Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle.

I’ll walk you through how I planned these three day trips, as well as share a few suggestions and recommendations for Inverness itself.

Day Trips

1. Culloden Battlefield and Clava Cairns

Culloden Battlefield is the site of the end of the 1746 Jacobite Rising. It was the last battle fought on British soil, where Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Jacobite army was defeated by government forces in under an hour. Today, mass graves are marked by clan stones across the battlefield. Nearby, Clava Cairns is a well-preserved 4,000-year-old Bronze Age cemetery featuring circular graves, ring cairns, and standing stones.

To get there, take either Bus 13 or 1B from Queensgate (near the Inverness train station) to Culloden Battlefield (£2 each way). You can check bus timetables online, and credit cards are accepted on the bus.

For Culloden Battlefield, I do recommend booking your ticket online in advance. I paid £16 for a guided tour and museum entry, and I personally found the tour worthwhile because it provided a lot of historical context about the battle and the events leading up to it.

After visiting Culloden, we walked about 30 minutes to Clava Cairns. The path is not particularly well marked, so I’d recommend downloading Google Maps or using mobile data for directions. Entry to Clava Cairns is free. Once we finished there, we walked back to Culloden Battlefield to catch the bus back to Inverness.

You could easily pack a lunch for this day trip, as both Culloden and Clava Cairns have picnic benches. Culloden Battlefield also has a café onsite.

Total cost: Approximately £20 per person (£4 for the bus, and £16 for the guided battlefield tour with museum entry)

2. Cairngorms National Park

Cairngorms National Park is the largest national park in the UK, located in the Scottish Highlands and known for its mountains, forests, lochs, and wildlife. It’s a popular destination for outdoor activities. During my visit, I hiked around Loch an Eilein, explored Craigellachie National Nature Reserve, and spent some time wandering around the town of Aviemore.

To get there, take the train from Inverness station to Aviemore (approximately £13 round trip). From there, we hired Gerry’s Aviemore Taxis to bring us to the trailhead for Loch an Eilein. The taxi cost £23 round trip total, and Gerry’s taxis accepted credit cards.

After returning to Aviemore station, we also walked to Craigellachie National Nature Reserve, which is about a 15-minute walk from the station. Lastly, we explored Aviemore itself and browsed some of the local shops while waiting for our train back to Inverness.

There was no additional cost for either of the hikes, as we entered on foot.

Total cost: Approximately £24.50 per person (£13 for the train and £11.50 each when splitting the taxi fare between two people)

3. Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle

This was the only day trip I didn’t organize myself. Instead, I booked the Temptation Tour through Jacobite Cruises. The tour included transportation from Inverness Bus Station to and from Loch Ness, a one-hour narrated cruise on the loch, entry to Urquhart Castle, and a stop to see Highland cows.

I paid £54 per person and felt the price was reasonable considering everything included. The commentary throughout both the bus ride and the cruise helped me learn more about the area, its history, and of course the Loch Ness Monster legends.

Total cost: £54 per person

Top Recommendations

Beyond the day trips, I really enjoyed Inverness itself. Here are some of my top recommendations:

Food and Drink

Food at restaurants was more expensive than where we live in South West England, so I’d recommend doing some grocery shopping for snacks or packable lunches to help cut down on costs.

We tried the Early Evening Menu at The Mustard Seed (available from 5pm-6:30pm) and highly recommend it. It’s one of the top higher-end restaurants in Inverness, and they offer a two-course special for £21.95. It was a great option after a full day of sightseeing.

We also got cocktails at The Malt Room and would highly recommend it. The presentation of the drinks, along with the bartender’s explanations about each cocktail, really added to the experience.

Castle Tavern has a lovely outdoor seating area overlooking the River Ness, making it a great place to relax with a drink. Their cullen skink, a traditional Scottish seafood soup, was delicious as well.

In front of Inverness Cathedral, there are also food trucks and picnic tables, which make for a nice casual lunch or dinner spot.

MacGregor’s was lively and fun, with whisky flights, live music, and delicious cranachan — a traditional Scottish dessert made with cream, oats, raspberries, whisky, and honey.

Accommodation

Hotels in Inverness fill up quickly outside of winter, so I’d definitely recommend booking accommodation before arranging the rest of your trip. We stayed at The Bank House, which I would recommend. Our room was spacious, had large light-filled windows, and was within walking distance of central Inverness. It was also only about 10–15 minutes from where all of our day tours departed.

If you are not planning on having a car, I’d recommend staying within the city so you can easily walk to restaurants, attractions, and day tour departure points.

Activities

We walked along the River Ness and down to the Ness Islands, which are forested and connected by scenic bridges, with sculptures throughout.

We also browsed the shops in the Victorian Market and looked through used books at Leakey’s Bookshop. Inverness also has several charity shops that I enjoyed exploring.

While I didn’t pay to go inside Inverness Castle, I do recommend at least stopping to see it. Perched atop a hill, it’s visually impressive and overlooks the city beautifully.