Ness Islands: Inverness Travel Guide (4.8★)

Upriver from the castle

The walk out is part of the visit. From Ness Bridge in central Inverness, follow the river south on Ness Bank (east side) or Ness Walk (west side). On the west bank you pass the red sandstone of Inverness Cathedral and then Eden Court Theatre. The first footbridge appears after about 15–20 minutes at an easy pace.

The islands are long, narrow strips of woodland splitting the river into channels. Iron footbridges from the Victorian era link them to each bank and to each other. Underfoot you’ll find gravel paths, exposed tree roots and benches facing the water.

Water, trees and a small train

The tall trees are mostly mature conifers and broadleaves, and they keep the paths in shade even at midday. The River Ness runs fast and shallow here, with gravel bars where it breaks white around the stones. It is a salmon river, so in season you’ll often see anglers in waders standing out in the current.

Keep an eye out for:

• Grey herons standing still on the shallows
• Ducks working the slack water behind the islands
• Squirrels and woodland birds in the canopy

The “mini train” mentioned in most descriptions is the Ness Islands Railway, a miniature line in Whin Park on the west bank just south of the islands. Whin Park also has a playground and a boating pond. The railway runs seasonally, so check its current dates before you promise it to children.

Making a loop of it

Most people walk a circuit instead of going there and back the same way.

• Start at Ness Bridge and walk south on Ness Bank.
• Cross onto the islands at the first footbridge and follow the paths downstream to upstream.
• Come off on the west bank near Whin Park.
• Return north on Ness Walk past Eden Court and the cathedral.

That’s roughly an hour on foot. To stretch it, continue west past Bught Park to the Caledonian Canal at Tomnahurich Bridge, then turn back along the canal towpath. That makes a half-day walk on flat ground.

Sharing the bridges and the bank

This is a free public park, so you just walk in from either bank. It suits a short visit as much as a long one, and it fills a gap between the castle and dinner in town without any planning.

• Bridges are narrow. Keep left and let runners and pushchairs through. Dogs are common, so keep yours close on the crossings.
• Give anglers room. Don’t throw sticks or stones into pools where someone is fishing, and keep dogs out of the water near them.
• Respect the river. The current is stronger than it looks. After heavy rain the water rises and paths can flood, so stay on the paths and turn back if they’re under water.
• Bring what you need. Don’t count on cafés or toilets on the islands themselves. Food is back in the city centre, a short walk north.

Mornings are usually the quietest time. Families tend to arrive later, heading for Whin Park, and in the early hours you may have a whole island to yourself. Google lists the islands as open around the clock, but under the trees it gets dark early, so time an evening walk to finish in daylight.