Old Inverness Walking Tour
The Private Group Old Inverness Walking Tour is a great wander through the backstory of the Old Town. Tours priced for up to 10 participants.
Hear fascinating insights and local knowledge shared by the Inverness Tour Guides at the Cathedral, the Castle Esplanade, and some of the oldest buildings still standing – such as Abertarff House and the Old High Church.
Departure
Our first meeting point for this Tour can be your accommodation, or any other city centre site that makes sense for the walking route.
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£120.00 2 hours
Old Inverness Walking Tour – Itinerary
Our first meeting point for the Old Inverness Tour can be at your accommodation, or any other city centre location that makes sense for the walking route. We often begin at the Forbes Fountain on Ladies Walk because it tends to be the highest point upstream that we visit. Working the way downstream, crossing and recrossing the River Ness, we visit many places of interest. Chief among them would be the Cathedral, the Castle Esplanade, and then into the heart of the old town. There we will see some of the oldest buildings still standing – such as Abertarff House and the Old High Church. On request we can even add in a whisky tasting at one of our favorite bars or go for some of our award winning Gelato.
Inverness Cathedral
Architect Alexander Ross began work on Inverness Cathedral in 1866, and it opened for services in 1869. Thus it was the first Cathedral to be completely built and consecrated in Great Britain since the Protestant Reformation of 1560. Invernessians call it Inverness Cathedral, Highlanders call it the Highland Cathedral, and it’s proper name is the Cathedral Church of St Andrew. So good they named it thrice!
Inverness Castle
Inverness Castle Esplanade is the ideal place to form a sense of the layout of Inverness because of the elevation. You can chart both the river’s course and the medieval street pattern. The Picts probably fortified this castle hill as much as 2,000 years ago, but there has certainly been a Royal Castle here since Malcolm III’s castle of 1057. The castle we see before us today, however, actually dates from 1836, and was built as offices and for show, rather than for defence.
Abertarff House
We find Abertarff House tucked away just off Church Street. The Frasers of Lovat owned this, Inverness’ oldest surviving house, dating from the 1500’s. The National Trust for Scotland now own and care for this historic building.
Old High Church
Near the downstream end of Church Street we find the gates and steps up to the Old High Church. The oldest portions of the current church date from the 1300’s, although this has been a site of worship since long before that. The congregation claim that St Columba preached on this low hill, known as St Michaels Mound, so that would indicates a date in the 500’s AD.
Greyfriars Churchyard
Friars Street lies downstream of Church Street. The gates on the right of the street give us access to Greyfriars Churchyard. This churchyard is misnamed, because it was the monastery of the Dominican Black Friars that was here in the 1200’s. This is the oldest gravyard in Inverness, and the octagonal pillar may be the last remaining fragment of the Friary.
Old Inverness Walking Tour – Price
£120 for the tour (2 hours). Whisky tasting prices on asking.
Old Inverness Walking Tour – Departure
Our first meeting point can be your accommodation, or other city centre site that makes sense for the walking route.
FAQ
Can each person in the party pay separately?
Driver/Guide licencing in Scotland will only allow us to take one payment per tour, so if people in a party wish to split the cost then they arrange that amongst themselves and make one tour payment to us.
Are entries to the various visitor attractions included?
We don’t include entry to the attractions – and that way we leave the day as flexible as possible for you.
Will I need cash with me?
Most places will accept Visa or MasterCard and some will accept American Express. It is always prudent, though, to bring a little cash with you for unexpected eventualities. You will need GBP, not Euros or Dollars.
What will we be doing for lunch?
You are responsible for paying for your own food & drink during your tour. Lunch could be in a café, pub, restaurant or even a picnic at a beauty spot. Your guide can discuss and advise on options when you meet them.
Find all of our other FAQ’s here
Why Choose Us
Why Choose Inverness Tour Guides?
Our Inverness Tour Guides are a hand-picked team. As well as being accredited members of the Highlands of Scotland Tour Guide Association, they are all well-recognised as being at the top of their fields. They were chosen because they are great storytellers, are fun to be with, and are uniquely qualified to do what they do well. We are convinced that there is no better team of guides to be found. See their individual profiles here
Performance
Here at Inverness Tours we continually monitor performance. As a result we are confident that we offer long experience and expertise in providing quality, value and enjoyment.
Our Vehicles
Our vehicles are spacious and air conditioned, easily accommodating up to seven passengers. The reclining seats and tinted windows ensure touring in comfort and style.
Our Track Record
Inverness Tours has been taking visitors on world-class tours for more than fifteen years and has been striving to make its exclusive tour business the finest of its kind available in Scotland.
Our Customer Care
The Inverness Tours admin team are frequently complimented on responsiveness, flexibility and care.
Our Environment
Inverness Tours have offset the impact of visitor footfall in the Highlands by contributing financially to environmental and community projects.
Our Precautions
Our COVID19 precautions – Inverness Tours has always carried bacteriological and virucidal disinfectant sprays, disposable gloves and the necessary wipes etc. The vehicles are cleaned on a daily basis. We are investigating and instituting further measures to keep you safe at this current time and into the future.
Our Reviews
All the above contribute to our fabulous back-catalogue of reviews. Check out the TripAdvisor reviews here. You will find that over 98% of our reviews are five-star and as a result we have achieved TripAdvisor’s annual Certificate of Excellence and placement in their Hall of Fame!
What’s included?
The 7-passenger vehicle together with qualified driver/guide is included.
Summary terms and conditions:-
- All tours are exclusive and the same price for between one and seven people. Your booking is considered confirmed once we send out your confirmation.
- While Inverness Tours shall do everything reasonably possible to provide your tour itinerary and/or services as planned, we reserve the right to alter itineraries, guide, transport or accommodation if circumstances require us to do so. If we have to cancel a tour you receive a full refund of the amount paid and that is the extent of our obligation.
- Our normal Cancellation Terms as outlined in the point below have been temporarily relaxed. The relaxation is in relation to any booking which requires to cancel due to COVID-19. Our COVID-19 cancellation terms are outlined here.
- If you wish to change any part of your confirmed booking you should inform us in writing as soon as possible. We will do our best to assist you, but cannot guarantee that we will be able to meet your request. If you cancel a booking up to 30 days in advance you receive a 75% refund of the total paid. Cancellations between 30 and 10 days before the tour receive a 50% refund. There is no refund if you cancel within 10 days of the tour or are not at the organised departure or pick-up point.
- We are happy for you to enjoy bottled water and hard candies while we travel. Other types of food and drink have proved previously to be quite hazardous (on Highland roads) both to yourselves and seat upholstery.
See our full terms and conditions here