Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
weekdays you can watch various tartan products being made in the workshop. he
finished products are, of course, on sale in the showroom downstairs, along with all
manner of Highland knitwear, woven woollies and Harris tweed.
Ness Islands
From
St Andrews Episcopal Cathedral
, on the west bank of the river, you can wander a
mile or so upriver to the peaceful
Ness Islands
, an attractive, informal public park
reached and linked by footbridges. Laid out with mature trees and shrubs, the islands
are the favourite haunt of local anglers.
Caledonian Canal
Half a mile upstream from the Ness Islands park, the River Ness runs close to the
Caledonian Canal
, which was designed by homas Telford in the early nineteenth
century as a link between the east and west coasts, joining lochs Ness, Oich, Lochy and
Linnhe. Today its main use is recreational, and there are cruises through part of it to
Loch Ness (see p.407), while the towpath provides relaxing walks with good views.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
11
INVERNESS
By plane
Inverness airport (
T
01667 464000) is at
Dalcross, seven miles east of the city; from here, bus #11
(every 30min, 6am-11pm, 25min; £3.75;
W
www.
stagecoachbus.com) goes into town, while a taxi (try
Tartan Taxis on
T
01463 222777) costs around £14.
Destinations
Belfast (6 weekly; 1hr 5min); Birmingham
(Mon-Fri & Sun 1 daily; 1hr 30min); Bristol (1-2 daily;
1hr 5min); Kirkwall (Mon-Sat 1-2 daily; 45min); London
Gatwick (4-5 daily; 1hr 50min); Luton (1 daily; 1hr
20min); Manchester (Mon-Fri 2 daily, Sat & Sun 1 daily;
1hr 30min); Stornoway (Mon-Fri 3-4 daily, Sat, & Sun 1
daily; 40min).
By train
The train station is on Station Square, just off
Academy Street, to the northeast of the centre.
Destinations
Aberdeen (Mon-Sat 11 daily; 5 on Sun;
2hr 15min); Aviemore (Mon-Sat 11 daily, 7 on Sun;
40min); Edinburgh (Mon-Sat 8 daily, 5 on Sun; 3hr
30min); Glasgow (Queen Street; 3-4 daily; 3hr 20min);
Kyle of Lochalsh (Mon-Sat 4 daily, 2 on Sun; 2hr 30min);
London (King's Cross; 2 daily Mon-Fri & Sun, 1 on Sat;
8hr-12hr 45min); Thurso (Mon-Sat 2 daily, 1 on Sun;
3hr 45min); Wick (Mon-Sat 4 daily, 1 on Sun;
4hr 20min).
By bus
The main bus hub is just north of the train station,
close to the public library.
Destinations
Aberdeen (hourly;
3hr 50min); Aviemore (every 1/2hr; 45min); Drumnadrochit
(1-2/hr; 30min); Fort Augustus (up to 9 daily; 1hr); Fort
William (up to 9 daily; 2hr); Glasgow (5 daily; 3hr 25min-
4hr); Kyle of Lochalsh (3 daily; 2hr); Nairn (up to 3/hr;
45min); Perth (7 daily; 2hr 50min); Portree (3 daily; 3hr
15min); Thurso (Mon-Sat 5 daily, 3 on Sun; 3hr); Ullapool
(2-4 daily; 1hr 25min).
GETTING AROUND
Car rental
Budget, Railway Terrace, behind the train
station (
T
01463 713333).
Bike rental
Ticket to Ride at The Pavilion, Bellfield Park
(daily
T
01463 419160,
W
tickettoridehighlands.co.uk) rents out decent hybrid
bikes for £20/day.
9am-6pm;
INFORMATION AND ACTIVITIES
Tourist o
ce
The tourist o
ce is in an unsightly 1960s
block on Castle Wynd, just 5min walk from the train station
(April & May Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 10am-5pm; June
Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 9.30am-5pm; July & Aug Mon-
Sat 9am-6.30pm, Sun 9.30am-6pm; Sept & Oct Mon-Sat
9am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm; Nov-March Mon-Sat
9am-5pm, Sun 10am-3pm). It stocks a wide range of
literature, including free maps of the city and its environs,
and the staff can book local accommodation for a £4 fee.
There's also a CalMac ferry booking o
ce in the building
(
W
calmac.co.uk).
Left luggage
Train station lockers cost £3-5 for 24hr,
depending on size (Mon-Sat 6.40am-7.50pm, Sun
10.40am-6.20pm); the left-luggage room in the bus
station costs £4/item/day (Mon-Sat 8.30am-5.30pm, Sun
9am-5.30pm).
Outdoor equipment
Tiso Outdoor Experience at 2
Henderson Rd, on the Longman Estate (Mon, Tues, Fri & Sat
9am-6pm, Wed 9.30am-6pm, Thurs 9am-7pm, Sun
10am-5pm;
T
01463 729171,
W
tiso.com) has a large range
of outdoor gear to hire or buy. There's also an indoor climbing
wall and a path for testing walking boots before you buy.
