Highlands Road Trip: Inverness

Visiting the Culloden Moor, Clava Cairns, and Inverness, Scotland

Inverness, Scotland has always held a bit of mystery in my mind – a place of lore, mythical monsters, and ancient tales. So, when we had a misty, cloudy afternoon for our drive to see the sights in the area, it fueled my imagination all the more.

Above photo: Countryside outside Inverness

We rolled into the area after a long day of playing in the Cairngorms. The tour buses and crowds had already dispersed for the day, leaving us to explore on our own, which is how we like it.

*This post contains affiliate links, so I may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on my site at no additional cost to you.

An overview of our complete 10-Day Scottish Highlands Road Trip itinerary can be found here.

When we arrived at the Culloden Battlefield, the Visitors’ Center & Museum were closed already and the parking lot was empty. There were just a couple other folks walking the foot paths around the moor. This place has such a somber and moving aura that you feel as soon as come into the open field.

Above photo: Culloden Battlefield

A series of red and blue flags mark the Highlander and British fronts so you can really get a picture in your head of how this all went down. It’ll give you the chills.

Above photos: Culloden Battlefield

In the middle of the field there are several stones that memorialize the various clans that fought for their beloved Bonnie Prince Charlie, as well as a larger monument where people had left flowers and notes.

Above photos: The Battle of Culloden Memorial

The site of the Battle of Culloden has been protected and kept sacred all these years. And, it really does make you feel something. And, that is beautiful.

Above photo: Culloden Battlefield

Just five minutes away is Clava Cairns, an ancient burial site surrounded by tall, flat stones. The stones are said to have been the inspiration for Craigh na Dun in the Outlander series, along with the the Callanish standing stones on the Isle of Lewis.

Above photo: Clava Cairns

The stones are fascinating. Besides all the mystery and magic of the stones, they are also just so old – around 4,000 years old by some estimates. It takes minute for it to truly sink in.

Above photos: Clava Cairns

Quick tip: Be careful if you are using GPS navigation to get to Clava Cairns. Ours sent us on a wild goose chase and it took some backtracking to find the correct location.

From Clava Cairns, we drove into the city of Inverness where we were staying for the night. I was excited to see the city and walk along the River Ness. While planning this trip, I had a hard time choosing a hotel. The reviews were mediocre or the location wasn’t right. We finally decided on the River Ness Hotel (a Radisson property). The hotel was fine, but we were disappointed in the lack of parking. We had to park in a public parking garage several blocks away and roll our luggage through town. Honestly, I’m not sure the experience would have been any better anywhere else. They all seemed to have their pros and cons.

Above photo: Inverness

Happy we had a place to rest our weary selves, we dumped our luggage and walked over to our dinner reservations at The Mustard Seed Restaurant. This cute restaurant-bar is located right along the river. So, I got my moment to see the city lights reflecting off the water before we sat down to enjoy our dinner.

Above photos: The Mustard Seed Restaurant

The following morning, we left the hotel fairly early and grabbed coffee en route to the massive parking garage. Not super impressed by Inverness. Maybe I didn’t give it a fair shake since we were in-and-out so quickly. We did get the sense that it served as a “home base” for people traveling throughout the Highlands, as well as a center of commercial activity for the region. In that sense, it is an important hub and has a lot to offer.

Next up: Continue reading about our trip through the Highlands as we traveled a segment of the NC500 up to Golspie to visit Dunrobin Castle & Gardens.

To continue to Day 4: Dornoch, Dunrobin Castle, and Beauly of our Scottish Highlands Road Trip, click here.