Drink
Uile-bheist Distillery and Brewery
Riverside distillery and brewery on Ness Bank with a taproom and tours.
Known for: Five craft beers in the taproom
Plan Your Visit
Everything you need to know before you head out: weather, what to pack, the best seasons, and useful links.
Looking for a day plan?
Half-day highlights, full-day explorer, rainy day plan, and weekend escape: all mapped out step by step.
Weather & What to Bring
Weather
Inverness is cooler than southern Britain, according to Wikipedia, which records a highest temperature of 29.7 °C in July 2006 and June 2018 and a lowest of minus 18.7 °C in January 2010.
Packing Checklist
- ✓Waterproof jacket (essential year-round)
- ✓Layers: temperature can change quickly
- ✓Comfortable walking shoes
- ✓Camera: the views are worth it
- ✓Sunscreen: yes, even in United Kingdom
Bring Something Home
Local producers, markets, and makers worth a stop before you leave Inverness.
Books
Leakey's Bookshop
Family-run second-hand bookshop and print seller in a former church on Church Street.
Known for: Second-hand books and antique prints
Market
The Victorian Market
Covered Victorian arcade opposite the station, with over 30 independent shops and a food hall.
Known for: Food hall traders and independent shops
Hours: Seven days a week from 08:00; individual businesses set their own hours (market's own site, read 11 October 2026).
Best Time to Visit
Spring
March - May
Culloden's visitor centre goes back to its longer day on 2 March, and the castle's summer hours start in April.
Spring is when the longer opening hours come back. The National Trust for Scotland moves the Culloden visitor centre to 09:00 to 17:00 from 2 March, and the castle stays open until 19:00 from April, with last admission at 17:00. The battle was fought on 16 April 1746, so mid-April is when the anniversary falls; check the Trust's site for anything planned on the day. The Ness Islands are at their best before the trees are in full leaf, when you can see the water through the pines. Pack for rain and cold mornings.
Summer
June - August
The Highland Games were on 11 July in 2026. Book the castle online, where tickets are cheaper than at the door, and carry midge spray.
Summer is the busy stretch. The castle is open 10:00 to 19:00 with last admission at 17:00, and the online price is lower than the walk-up price, so book ahead. The 2026 City of Inverness Highland Games took place in Bught Park on Saturday 11 July, with heavies, dancing, piping and a ceilidh in the evening. A local at Simpsons Garden Centre told the tourism body's Learn from the Locals series to pack midge spray for the summer months, which is good advice on the canal and at Dochgarroch. Hootananny has live music every night, and the Black Isle Bar keeps its kitchen open until 21:00.
Autumn
September - November
The Northern Meeting piping competition was on 3 and 4 September in 2026, and the Loch Ness Marathon finishes in Inverness on the last Sunday of September.
Autumn starts with pipes and ends with shorter days. The Northern Meeting held its piping competition on 3 and 4 September in 2026, and the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon runs from the south side of Loch Ness into Inverness, on 27 September in 2026 and announced for 26 September 2027. From October the castle closes at 18:00 with last admission at 16:00, and from 2 November the Culloden visitor centre shuts at 16:00. The museum moves to shorter winter hours from November.
Winter
December - February
Short days and indoor options. The castle opens daily except Christmas Day, and the cathedral says its doors are open every day of the year.
Winter in Inverness is short daylight and the indoor places doing the work. The castle opens daily from 10:00 to 18:00, except Christmas Day, with last admission at 16:00. The cathedral says its doors are open 365 days a year, from 09:00 to 18:00. The Botanic Gardens list 09:30 to 16:00 every day, with a Tropical House to warm up in, and the museum runs winter hours from November to March, closed on Sundays and Mondays. Culloden's battlefield stays open all year, but the visitor centre closes at 16:00 until the end of February.