Through serving the needs of an extensive and rural hinterland as well as visitors Inverness is a bustling place with an excellent shopping choice, including the most northerly locations of many 'High Street' retail chains.

Located at the top of the Great Glen a great variety of different kinds of landscape lie within easy reach. Loch Ness is only a few minutes drive. To the south and west lie the big hills in the heart of the Highlands, notably around Glen Affric. West of Inverness and with the little town of Beauly at its northern gateway, the long glen of Strathglass leads into these heartlands.

East of Inverness, the hills gradually give way to the narrow and sheltered lowland strip around the edge of the Moray Firth, where the main town is Nairn, a long-established small resort notable for its golf and fine beaches.

Overall, this area offers plenty of Scottish strands to follow, with a good range of historic sites and castles, as well as Europe's best preserved 18th-century fort at Fort George. The sport and activity choice is also wide-ranging and includes both cruising on Loch Ness (monsters, maybe) and also on the Moray Firth (dolphins, almost definitely). Shopping for Scottish crafts, plus all the nightlife and the cultural programme of Scotland's most northerly city, are just a few of the other options.

The Water Horse The Water Horse is on official release in UK cinemas 8th Feb. find out more >