Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Around Inverness
CULLODEN BATTLEFIELD
The Battle of Culloden in 1746, the last pitched battle ever fought on British soil, saw the
defeat of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the end of the Jacobite dream when 1200 Highlanders
were slaughtered by government forces in a 68-minute rout. The duke of Cumberland, son
of the reigning king George II and leader of the Hanoverian army, earned the nickname
'Butcher' for his brutal treatment of the defeated Jacobite forces. The battle sounded the
death knell for the old clan system, and the horrors of the Clearances soon followed. The
sombre moor where the conflict took place has scarcely changed in the ensuing 260 years.
Culloden is 6 miles east of Inverness. Bus No 1 runs from Queensgate in Inverness to
Culloden battlefield (30 minutes, hourly).
Culloden Visitor Centre
(NTS;
www.nts.org.uk/culloden
; adult/child £10/7.50; 9am-6pm Apr-Sep, 9am-5pm
Oct, 10am-4pm Nov-Mar)
This impressive visitor centre presents detailed information
about the Battle of Culloden in 1746, including the lead-up and the aftermath, with per-
spectives from both sides. An innovative film puts you on the battlefield in the middle of
the mayhem, and a wealth of other audio presentations must have kept Inverness' entire
acting community in business for weeks. The admission fee includes an audioguide for a
self-guided tour of the battlefield itself.
VISITOR CENTRE
FORT GEORGE
The headland guarding the narrows in the Moray Firth opposite Fortrose is occupied by
the magnificent and virtually unaltered 18th-century artillery fortification of Fort George.
Fort George
(HS; 01667-462777; adult/child £6.90/4.10; 9.30am-5.30pm Apr-Sep, to 4.30pm
Oct-Mar)
One of the finest examples of its kind in Europe, Fort George was established in
1748 as a base for George II's army of occupation in the Highlands - by the time of its
completion in 1769 it had cost the equivalent of around £1 billion in today's money. The
mile-plus walk around the ramparts offers fine views out to sea and back to the Great
Glen. Given its size, you'll need at least two hours to do the place justice. The fort is off
the A96 about 11 miles northeast of Inverness; no public transport runs to the fort.
FORTRESS
