Inverness & the Central Highlands

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Why Go? Inverness...... 112 From the subarctic plateau of the Cairngorms to the rolling Loch Ness...... 120 hills of Highland Perthshire and the rugged, rocky peaks of Glen Coe, the central mountain ranges of the Scottish High- Cairngorms...... 126 lands are testimony to the sculpting power of ice and weath- Aviemore...... 126 er. Here the landscape is at its grandest, with soaring hills Strathay...... 143 of rock and heather bounded by wooded glens and rushing Glen Coe...... 146 waterfalls. Fort William...... 149 Not surprisingly, this part of the country is an adventure playground for outdoor-sports enthusiasts. Aviemore, Glen Road to the Isles...... 156 Coe and Fort William draw hill walkers and climbers in Small Isles...... 160 summer, and skiers, snowboarders and ice climbers in win- ter. Inverness, the Highland capital, provides urban rest and relaxation, while nearby Loch Ness and its elusive monster add a hint of mystery. Best Places to From Fort William, base camp for climbing Ben Nevis, Eat the Road to the Isles leads past the beaches of Arisaig and Morar to Mallaig, jumping-off point for the isles of Eigg, ¨ ¨Lime Tree (p151) Rum, Muck and Canna. ¨¨Café 1 (p115) ¨¨Cross (p132) When to Go ¨¨Lochleven Seafood Cafe Inverness (p149) °C/°F Te mp Rainfall Inches/mm ¨¨Old Forge (p160) 40/104 10/250 30/86 8/200

20/68 6/150

Best Places to 10/50 4/100

Stay 0/32 2/50 ¨¨ Rocpool Reserve (p115) -10/14 0 J FDM A M J J A S O N ¨¨Lime Tree (p150)

¨¨Lovat (p125) Apr–May Moun- Jun Fort William Sep Ideal for ¨¨Eagleview Guest House tain scenery is at hosts the UCI hiking and hill (p132) its most spectac- Mountain Bike walking: midges ular, with snow World Cup, pulling are dying off, but ¨¨Trafford Bank (p114) lingering on the huge crowds. weather is still higher peaks. reasonably good. #\ i ) y r

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