When you think of Inverness, the first must-see attraction that springs to mind might be the Culloden Battlefield or Loch Ness. A growing but still relatively small city, Inverness attracts tourists from all over the world eager to experience the magic of the Scottish Highlands. Many residents and tourists will have inevitably ticked off big-name sights such as the castle and the Caledonian Canal.
However, just further afield dotted around the city within just an hour’s drive are several unique and fascinating must-visit sites. Must-visit attractions near Inverness Beauly Priory One of three priories founded in Scotland in 1230 for monks of the Valliscaulian order, is just a 25-minute drive from Inverness. The monks came from the fancy-sounding Val-des-Choux, which translates to Valley of Cabbages near Dijon, France.
When John Keats stopped in Beauly in 1818, he explored the extensive ruins, which were the basis for a poem. The massive red stone walls remain standing, with several grave markers dotted around the site. Wardlaw Mausoleum A must-visit site for Outlander fans, the Mausoleum is located in the village of Kirkhill, 20 minutes from Inverness.
Built in 1634 for the Lovat Frasers as a family burial plot and remodelled in 1722 by Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat, also known as ‘Old Fox’. Old Fox features in the TV series Outlander, as the grandfather of Jamie Fraser. The barrel-vaulted crypt contains six lead-lined or double-lead-lined coffins in total, including one.