Inverness & Highlands holiday - advice please :-)

So my husband & I are doing a Highlands holiday soon. We'll be driving up to Inverness for a 4 night stay (hotel), then we'll take a cottage in Wester Ross (near Plockton) for a week.

So I need some advice!

First off, we're not staying in B&B accommodation in Inverness, so I'm keen to find out recommendations for Inverness restaurants (we'll be staying in town, near the river & walkable distance to town stuff & restaurants). For brekkie & fryups, lunches & coffee (including takeaway packed lunches - like from a bakery, etc), dinners out, etc. And where's the good craic in the evenings? Good pubs, etc?

Secondly, normally when we do a self-catering holiday, we take most of the food with us. However, since we've got the nights in Inverness first this time, I can only take non-perishables for keeping in the car until we actually go to the cottage. So, we'll need to do a food shop for fresh stuff on the day we're leaving Inverness for the cottage (there not being much available near where we're staying, apart from somewhere to get basics - bread, milk...maybe a little Cooperative near the Skye Bridge, etc...lol!). So in Inverness, where is good to shop? For fresh veg & fruit? (I'm thinking like farmers market, farm shop, Phatbeetle's allotment, etc...?) And secondly, a good butcher? What supermarkets are there in Inverness?

Okay - you Inverness peeps (cough...Phatbeetle) - spill your local secrets! 

Don't be surprised if you open your boot and find me curled up in there! 

Don't be surprised if you open your boot and find me curled up in there! 

Hehe, well there are beds going spare in the cottage, as it's hard to find cottages that are for *only* two people. I think we're going to find Phatbeetle in one of the extras... 

I've got loads to say..... but not until later tonight as I am now off to meetings until 6 pm and then band practice....
Stay tuned!  

I've got loads to say..... but not until later tonight as I am now off to meetings until 6 pm and then band practice....
Stay tuned!  

Okay - I look forward to it! 

Don't be surprised if you open your boot and find me curled up in there! 

And me! 

Haha! Ok, hands up, who all's coming on this here holiday! 

 

Better rent a bigger car!

So my husband & I are doing a Highlands holiday soon. We'll be driving up to Inverness for a 4 night stay (hotel), then we'll take a cottage in Wester Ross (near Plockton) for a week.

So I need some advice!

First off, we're not staying in B&B accommodation in Inverness, so I'm keen to find out recommendations for Inverness restaurants (we'll be staying in town, near the river & walkable distance to town stuff & restaurants). For brekkie & fryups, lunches & coffee (including takeaway packed lunches - like from a bakery, etc), dinners out, etc. And where's the good craic in the evenings? Good pubs, etc?

I like the Spanish Tapas place across from the castle. There's also a good beer shop on that street. Rockpol, on the bridge, is supposed to be great but we've not actually made it. Artysans by the bus station is a nice cafe, but it's staffed by (at risk?) teenagers so the service is a bit spotty. We usually get coffee from Costa of which there are three(!) in the city centre (one on the street and two in the mall). A friend and i always meet up at Coffee Affair but their food isnt great so I'm not sure why. If you make it out to the floral hall, which is just over a half mile walk from the town centre and the admission is free and I love, they have nice teas. Not sure about packed lunches. Ashers and Harry Gow are the two main bakeries, they each have several in the town centre. Hootenanny's is a good venue for Scottish music, and I'm blanking on the one on the river that's good if you want a quiet little hunting lodge feel.

Secondly, normally when we do a self-catering holiday, we take most of the food with us. However, since we've got the nights in Inverness first this time, I can only take non-perishables for keeping in the car until we actually go to the cottage. So, we'll need to do a food shop for fresh stuff on the day we're leaving Inverness for the cottage (there not being much available near where we're staying, apart from somewhere to get basics - bread, milk...maybe a little Cooperative near the Skye Bridge, etc...lol!). So in Inverness, where is good to shop? For fresh veg & fruit? (I'm thinking like farmers market, farm shop, Phatbeetle's allotment, etc...?) And secondly, a good butcher? What supermarkets are there in Inverness?

If you find the allotment, let me know! There's a farmers market on the high street the first saturday of the month. There's a Tesco express, a corner co-op, M&S, and a morrison's on the other side of the mall. I like the butcher next to the post office.

Okay - you Inverness peeps (cough...Phatbeetle) - spill your local secrets! 

Inverness is small so I'm not bothering with street names. That's completely why and it isn't because I don't know half of them... Touristy recommendations will depend on how soon your holiday is. Most of the stuff is only open till October at the latest. Jacobite Cruises out to Loch Ness and Urquhart castle runs year round. There's a Pictish fort (ruins of) on a hill that I keep meaning to explore. We don't drive and we're homebodies so we don't get out much  I have a friend from London who always leaves room in her bag for charity shop treasures as we have a lot of them.

Hope that helps til PB weighs in 

Right... places to eat... Mmmm... no shortage of good places to eat around here! In no particular order - in town:
Cafe 1
The Mustard Seed
The Kitchen
Riva
Rockpool
Sam's (Indian)
Castle Tavern
As noriem says, La Tortilla Aesina (Tapas)
Mcgonagall's Steak House
Velocity Cafe (vegetarian and it's a bicycle workshop- its great though)
Corriegarth Hotel
Aspendos
Joy of Taste
You can get lovely soup and coffee at the Inverness Museum and its always quiet
The Riverhouse
Eden Court Theatre has very good coffee and good too
Cinnamon (more curry)


If you don't mind venturing out of town for places to eat these places are worth the drive:
Simpson's Garden Centre has great -cheap breakfasts and all kinds of caveries and all you can eat veg for other meals- (about 3 miles from town)
Cawdor Tavern -Probably one of the best places to eat  -amazing (15 miles from town)
Dores Inn - Nice wee pub on the side of Loch Ness (7 miles from town)


The Craic-Drinking:
Castle Tavern is my favourite pub -real ales and usually a good cider or two (for you  )
Hoots (Hootannny) has black isle beers on tap and thats nice- plus three floors of music-but during the week it's usually one- it is usually traditional music- but I've seen all kinds of everything from death metal to jazz in there so you have to pay attention to what's on
Gellions usually has traditional music as well
Blackfriars - real ales and music too
Market Bar is fun -the Proclaimers were apparently "found" there -it's tiny, but there's always good craic in there
The Waterfront
Cawdor Tavern
Dores Inn


Unfortunately, we don't have an easily accessible greengrocer - but you can usually get nice veg and fruit at Swansons cash and carry (by the dump)-

I wonder if Macleod Organics could get you a one off box?

Out in Nairn is Wester Hardmuir Farm -with local fruit and veg

Hahha, yes, I am sure I have allotment vegetables I can share

If you find the allotment, let me know!

We're in Dalneigh, near the canal

The butcher by the post office is good, with a car - Culloden Butchers is good too-
There's a good fishmonger in the market
This is not a big place at all, but we've got 4 tescos -one huge one- a Morrisons, a large co-op, several small corner Co-Ops, an M&S (and an M&S in a BP station),  an Aldi, a Lidl- and an Asda (almost forgot about that one)

For the next part of your journey-The Co-Op in Kyle of Lochalsh isn't too small - or you could get a Tesco delivery out there-
Foodwise, there is a tiny-hole in the wall place for fish and chips in Plockton -but amazing
The Waterside cafe in Lochcarron is supposed to be very good


I'll probably post more, lol, but I hope that gives you some ideas for now!

The Spectrum Centre has good coffee and lunch
There's a nice "hippie" cafe on Church street - Veggie food and alternative therapies in one

Hahahah, Mrs R, you and hubby can go to Vinyl - the "retro 70s-80s club" - 

Inverness itself isn't too interesting at all - but 5 miles outside of town is where it all becomes beautiful and lovely and interesting and fun.  Loch Ness Cruises, Historic Scotland sites -including Ft George, Urquhart Castle, Dallas Dhu distillery, Elgin Cathedral, Duffus Castle,  and Clava Cairns, then Strathspey Steam Railway, tons of walking-cycling in the Caringorm Mountains, Black Isle Brewery-Caringorm Breweries, Whisky Distilleries abound, amazing scenery, sheep, dolphin boat tours- so much to do and see.... There's a few various shows on in Eden Court Theatre whilst your here too.

On the west coast, there's a ton of walking, beaches, boat tours, Jacobite ("Harry Potter") railway is not too far away, Isle of Skye is gorgeous, Ft. William - and you must go up the road to Applecross - it's a very worthwhile trip up the winding-curving steep road - with signs that say "Not for learner drivers" - if the weather is good, the views are amazing.  Also, the pub in Applecross is a great place to eat!     Eilean Donan castle is awesome to see on the drive from Inverness (but the inside is naff, IMHO) and the ferrel goats on that road always make me smile. 
 

I just wanted to pop on here & say thank you, noirem and phatbeetle, for all the recommendations & suggestions so far! 

I've been running around like a chicken the last day or so (had the builder in doing some work), so I've not had time to sit down & spend more time looking over it all - but looks like you've given me lots to go on!

I will be organising & printing off all the info you've given for us! So if you have anything further to add, keep the recommendations coming!! 

We will be there & home again by the beginning of Oct, so if you have season-specific ideas that you're holding back on (for the pre-Oct period) - come on & get them out here. 

Doors Open Days are in September with various buildings open
http://www.doorsopendays.org.uk/opendays/default.aspx

This is always fun

Haha! Ok, hands up, who all's coming on this here holiday! 

I am planning on hiding in your boot, I think! 

Have fun and can't wait to hear the tales after your return.......

Passing through Glasgow at all?