Inverness Highlands Area Castles to Pictish Museum and Clava Cairns.

Castles in Inverness and Highland area.
This is the area around the City of Inverness has a number of castles and ancient cairns that are well worth visiting during your stay in the area. Here you will discover some fascinating places to visit, all within a short time away from Inverness City centre. All the attractions listed below can be reached within 20 to 30 mins car journey from the centre of Inverness.

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Groam House Museum and Pictish Centre is an independent, award-winning museum dedicated to the Picts, who inhabited Scotland before the arrival of the Scots from Ireland. Examples of their stunning carved stones dating from 8/9thC. AD, all found locally, can be seen in the museum. Annual exhibition: George Bain - Games & Gatherings, to mark Homecoming 2009. Activities, videos and gift shop. Interactive computer programme including descriptions of Rosemarkie’s Pictish sculputure, the Book of Kells, Scottish Coinage, Vikings, Lewis Chessmen and Scottish Social History. Admission Free. Wheelchair access to ground floor only.  Open: 7 Mar to 26 Apr 2-4pm. Sat/Sun, 4 to 13 Apr 2-4.30pm daily, 1 May to 31 Oct, Mon to Sat 10 - 5pm, Sun 2 - 4.30pm. 1 Nov to 6 Dec, Sat & Sun 2 - 4pm.
Tel:01381 620 961 www.groamhouse.org.uk 
Email: curator@groamhouse.org.uk 

Brodie Castle. (NTS) The Z-plan castle dates from the 16th C & contains fine furniture, porcelain & a major collection of English & Dutch paintings. A woodland walk & wildlife hides. Shop, wild garden, children’s adventure playground & picnic area. Open: Castle 1-31 Apr daily 10.30-5pm 1 May -30 Jun, Sun to Thur 10.30-5pm, 1 Jul to 31 Aug 10.30-5pm. 1 Sept to 31 Oct Sun to Thus 10.30-5pm. Last tour 4.15pm. Tearoom 10.30-5pm.Grounds Open all year. Off A96, 24mls East of Inverness. IV.36 2TE Tel: 0844 493 2156  www.nts.org.uk

Cawdor Castle,  with links to Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The tower & drawbridge are intact. With a wide collection of paintings, books tapestries and furniture in the castle. Gardens; nature trails; 9 hole golf course & putting green; restaurant; snack bar; 3 shops. Open 1st May to 11th October, 10 to 5.30pm (last entry 5pm); Tel: 01667 404401 www.cawdorcastle.com  Between Inverness/Nairn on B9090 IV.12 5RD

Beauly Priory Ruin. Founded in 1230, it became a Cistercian home around 1510. The church was roofless in 1633, the stone is said to have been used by Cromwell to build a fort in Inverness in 1650. A plaque tells of Mary Queen of Scots’ visit here in 1564 and her travels in the Highlands. Descriptive plaques point out all the points of interest. Open daily. Free admission. Historic Scotland. Situated in Beauly village, on the A862.

Fortrose Cathedral. Bishop Robert moved here from Rosemarkie between 1214 & 1249 and built the cathedral. Within the aisles are three arched tombs: the Countess of Ross-shire (who was forced to marry the Wolf of Badenoch), Bishop Fraser (who died in 1507) and Bishop Cairncross (who died in 1545). Only the south aisle, chapel and chapter house now remain, with the plan of the foundations laid out in the grass. Open all year. Free admission. Situated in Fortrose, signposted from the High Street.

Highland Pictish Trail. The Picts inhabited Scotland until 840AD, when they combined with the Scots to form Scotia. Discover the secrets of the Picts and their ancient settlements in the Highlands. The Pictish Trail starts in Inverness, where you can see Pictish carved stones displayed at Inverness Museum. Then head north on the A9 and follow the road signs for Groam House Museum, Rosemarkie; and continue back on to the A9 & follow the way-marked Pictish Trail signs.
http://her.highland.gov.uk/SingleResult.aspx?uid='THG7'

Balnuaran of Clava. Believed to be dated before 2000 BC. Clava Cairns are a special group of tombs concentrated in northern Inverness-shire. They have two types of cairn in the group, 'ring cairns' and 'passage cairns', as represented here, excellent examples with descriptive plaques. Situated off B9006 from Inverness beyond Culloden battlefield onto B851 straight across first crossroads (0.1 miles). Drive 0.9 miles to sign post.

Attractions / Places of Interest around the Inverness Area / Places to visit. / Loch Ness & the Loch Ness Monster / Castles and Cairns