Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Classroom££
(
01667-455999;
www.theclassroombistro.com
; 1 Cawdor St; mains £15-23; 10am-
midnight Mon-Sat, 11am-10.30pm Sun)
Done up in an appealing mixture of modern and
traditional styles - lots of richly glowing wood with designer detailing - the Classroom
doubles as cocktail bar and gastropub with a tempting menu that goes from Cullen skink
(soup made with smoked haddock, potato, onion and milk) to steak with red wine and
mushroom sauce.
GASTROPUB
Information
Nairn has a
tourist office
(
01667-452763; 62 King St; Apr-Oct)
, banks with ATMs
and a post office.
Getting There & Away
Buses run hourly (less frequently on Sunday) from Inverness to Aberdeen via Nairn. The
town also lies on the Inverness-Aberdeen railway line; there are five to seven trains a day
from Inverness (£6, 20 minutes).
CAWDOR CASTLE
Cawdor Castle
(
01667-404615;
www.cawdorcastle.com
; adult/child £9.50/6;
10am-5.30pm May-Sep)
was the 14th-century home of the Thanes of Cawdor, one of the
titles prophesied by the three witches for the eponymous character of Shakespeare's
Macbeth
. Macbeth couldn't have lived here though, since the central tower dates from the
14th century (the wings were 17th-century additions) and he died in 1057. The castle is 5
miles southwest of Nairn.
Cawdor Tavern
(
www.cawdortavern.co.uk
; bar meals £8-15; lunch & dinner)
in
the nearby village is worth a visit, though it can be difficult deciding what to drink as it
stocks more than 100 varieties of whisky. There's also good pub food, with tempting daily
specials.
BRODIE CASTLE
Set in 70 hectares of parkland,
Brodie Castle
(NTS; 01309-641371; adult/child £9.50/
7; 10.30am-5pm daily Jul & Aug, 10.30am-4.30pm Apr, 10.30am-4.30pm Sun-Thu
May-Jun & Sep-Oct)
has several highlights, including a library with more than 6000 peel-
ing, dusty volumes. There are wonderful clocks, a huge Victorian kitchen and a 17th-cen-
tury dining room with wildly extravagant moulded plaster ceilings depicting mythological
scenes. The Brodies have been living here since 1160, but the present structure dates
mostly from 1567, with many additions over the years.
