The River Ness – the Islands and a Pint at the Castle Tavern
A few hours, from Inverness station and back.
The route
On a long summer evening, the walk up the River Ness to the Ness Islands and back is the stroll Inverness does best, along the water, over the footbridges and through the islands' tall trees.
It ends at the Castle Tavern, a family-run pub in an 18th-century stone building opposite the castle, with real ales, malt whiskies and good pub food. It's an easy, friendly evening for couples, friends and anyone with a dog, all on foot from the station.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
The nearest of ours is Newhall Mains in Balblair, 13 miles away.
Book a table at the Castle Tavern
Book a table at the Castle Tavern on its website if you want to eat after the walk, for about 7.15pm: the kitchen serves until 8pm Monday to Thursday and 9pm Friday to Sunday, and there's no need to book just for a drink.
The day
Inverness
A flat, easy loop of about three miles beside the river, out along one bank and back along the other, with the pub waiting at the end.
About three hours
River Ness Walk
An attraction
From the station it's 8 minutes' walk down to the river and over the white suspension bridge at Greig Street to the river's west bank. The walk runs upstream along the west bank by Huntly Street and Ness Walk, past St Andrew's Cathedral, to the Ness Islands in about half an hour; little footbridges hop between wooded islands in the middle of the river. It comes back down the east bank along Ness Bank, with the castle ahead, in about 20 minutes. It's about three miles in all, flat and on tarmac paths, and the islands have old-fashioned lamps along them. The river runs fast with no barriers, so keep children and dogs close.
8 min on foot
The Castle Tavern
A drink
The Castle Tavern stands on View Place, right opposite the castle. The mid-1700s stone building has a bar downstairs with real ales and malt whiskies, a restaurant upstairs and a beer garden, and dogs are welcome in the bar. It opens every day from noon, until 11pm Sunday to Thursday and 1am on Friday and Saturday. The kitchen serves until 8pm Monday to Thursday and 9pm Friday to Sunday, so book a table on its website if you want to eat. The station is 8 minutes' walk back.
If it rains
On a wet evening, walk straight to the Castle Tavern, 8 minutes from the station, and keep the islands for a dry night.
Where to stay