Inverness & the Central Highlands
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©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Inverness & the Central Highlands 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. 110 The Little Minch #\ Uig Loch Loch Trotternish Torridon Achnasheen Bran Snizort Sound ofRona #\ #\ Raasay Torridon g /·#\A87 i Loch e Dunvegan M Loch n o Damh r Orrin a r #\ C Reservoir Dunvegan e Loch s #\ Inner Monar O Portree Lochcarron Sound rar Raasay Loch #\ Far Isle of Skye Kishorn Loch Carron Kyle g Loch in More Kyle of L Mullardoch Cannich #\ #\ Scalpay Lochalsh Sligachan #\ #\ Loch Kyleakin #\ #\ Dornie Affric Luib Loch Alsh #1 Coruisk Loch Bealach Ratagain c Duich Glen Affric (339m) #\ Five Sisters #\ Loch of Kintail Glenelg Shiel R (1068m) na Cuilce 0¸A887 Bridge /·A87 #\ INVERNESS & THE CENTRAL CENTRAL CENTRAL THE THE & & INVERNESS Loch #\Arnisdale Cluanie Sleat Hourn Loch #\ Isle of Inn Loch Canna Knoydart Ladhar #\ Cluanie R Bheinn Oich Peninsula Kinloch /·A87 Kinloch #\ (1019m) Armadale #9 Hourn Invergarry #\ Castle Sound #\ Inverie Loch Isle of Quoich ch Rum V# of Sleat Mallaig #\ Loch Loch Loch Oi Askival R Nevis Strathan Arkaig Lochy Glen Roy #\Tarbet #\ (812m) Morar #\ Loch Achnacarry Isle of Morar #\ oy Eigg R Sea Sgurr of Arisaig #\ Mallie Gairlochy Roy of the #R7 Lochailort #\ Eigg #\ y #\ Bridge Hebrides /·A830 #\ Glenfinnan #\ Sound of Spean Spea Arisaig Corpach Loch Bridge Nevis n Isle of #\ Glenuig Loch Loch #\ Loch Shiel #6 Range Muck Moidart Eil Fort #] Hi Cona R CastleV# #\Ardmolich William #3 Ben Loch GHLANDS GHLANDS Hi Tioram Nevis Treig #\ #\ GHLANDS GHLANDS Ardnamurchan Portuairk Acharacle Corran Corrour Station£# Point #\ Salen Ferry#\ Kinlochleven #\Kilchoan #\Strontian #\ Lev Loch en /·A861 #\ Glencoe Coll Sunart #\ Kings Ballachulish /·A82 House & THE CE THE & #\ #8 lÿ# #\ Tobermory #\ Loch l Hotel Uig Bonnavoulin A884 a /· Linnhe Glen Coe p Co u Loch Appin Kinlochetive Aline #\ #\ Mull #\ N Loch Lochaline #\ Lismore West Highland T Tuath Salen Sound Bridge of #\ ral Way of Mull #\ Kilcheran Loch Orchy Loch na Craignure #\ Keal Etive Hig #\ Connel Beinn a' Tyndrum #\ Taynuilt Bhùiridh #\ #]Oban (896m) H R Ben Lui lan R (1130m) Lochawe#\ #\ Fionnphort #\ Ardbrecknish D S Hig #\ Kilmelford H Inveruglas #\ lig HT S Inverness & the Central Highlands Highlights 1 Hiking among the hills, at Rothiemurchus Estate 4 Exploring the hills around lochs and forests of beautiful (p126) gorgeous Glen Lyon (p145) Glen Affric (p118) 3 Making it to the summit of 5 Keeping right on to the 2 Wandering through the Ben Nevis (153) – and being end of the road at bleak but ancient Caledonian forest able to see the view beautiful Rannoch Moor (p142).