"THE reborn Inverness Castle will be our V&A Dundee, our Aberdeen Art Gallery – a world-class attraction that will draw in and keep visitors in the city,” explains Visit Inverness CEO Michael Golding, as we gaze out over the fast-moving River Ness.
We’re enjoying lunch at The Mustard Seed, just one of the great restaurants that are all part of the appeal of a city that to me already deserves to be far more than just the “Gateway to the Highlands”.
I would never criticise anyone just for breezing through Inverness – I’d be a hypocrite. I’ve been here more than 50 times but haven’t stayed over on even a fifth of those visits.
Inverness is glorious for a short break, though. It is a city but feels more like a manageable town, its fairly flat centre spread around the banks of the famous river that connects it to the even more famous eponymous loch.
Inverness is a city on a human scale made for strolling around. The first thing I do is make straight for the Ness Islands. This bucolic escape is all splashing ducks, cute wee bridges and walking trails. It’s where local lovers come to stroll and then come back again to pose for their wedding photos.
There is always something new in Inverness to check out. Walking back down the river, I come to Uilebheist. This impressive-looking whisky distillery and brewery (I know, an unusual combo) is just opening to the public. It wears its heart on its glass-fronted sleeve as you can peer right in on its workings, with tours further opening it up starting soon. They are aiming to be low carbon, using the power of the river just outside, in what is the first distillery in Inverness to open in decades.
If you’re a fan of whisky then the Malt Room is an essential stop. This wee speakeasy-style hideaway stocks a wide range of excellent malts, with some real rarities. I went on a rollicking ride one evening that swept me from newbie Lindores Abbey down to seriously under-rated Glen Scotia and across to Islay mainstay Lagavulin. The drams are reasonably priced and the bar staff are lovely.
Beer lovers should seek out the Black Isle Brewery, which has its own Inverness bar. It has great-value rooms too and do mean pizza.
Crossing back over the Ness, I come to my base, the Best Western Inverness Palace Hotel & Spa (www.invernesspalacehotel.co.uk). This old dame has really been spruced up since I was last in Inverness and really looks the part, all lush fabrics and muted colours, helping make the most of the views over the water to Inverness Castle.
Its proper swimming pool, with a hot tub, sauna and steam room, is a joy on a dreich day. A new purpose-built Marriott has just opened too.
I dine out superbly at The Mustard Seed, which has been going strong for a couple of decades now. A cosy open fire welcomes me for a feast that kicks off with a delicious fresh salad, followed by sirloin steak from a local butcher. An exciting new arrival is Hou Hou Mei, run by a creative young chef. His wife has Hong Kong family roots, which shows in superb Cantonese dishes alongside delicious bao buns oozing with slow-cooked beef. In these cash-strapped times it’s really reasonable too with a Tiger beer or Asahi for less than you’d pay for any old lager elsewhere. Book as it’s wildly popular with locals.
Also becoming popular with locals and visitors alike is the revamped Victorian Market. One half has been transformed into a welcoming, heated food court in a £1.7 million project. It’s not just any food court but one that is alive with local produce, with pop-up outlets at its heart. There is a sushi bar, a vegan deli and the quite brilliant Bad Girl Bakery and Deli from the Black Isle.
Inverness Castle will in 2025 be wildly popular, too, I predict. That is when the massive rebirth should be completed after a whopping project costing more than £30m.
The public will be welcomed back to buildings that were until recently off limits as a courthouse and jail. The South Tower will be transformed into a museum opening up the stories of the Highlands. A new glass linkway will connect it with the North Tower. This will offer shops and another visitor attraction, with landscaped grounds.
Golding said: “We really just can’t wait for the castle to open as it will become a real focal point for Inverness.” He is right, but I think there are already plenty of reasons to enjoy a short break here.
- Scotrail (www.scotrail.co.uk) run trains to Inverness.
- More information www.visitscotland.com
