Date spot in Inverness
Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness
Drive down the side of Loch Ness to the ruined castle on its shore, and climb Grant Tower for the view up and down the loch.
Drumnadrochit, about 30 minutes' drive south-west of Inverness
Address: Urquhart Castle, Drumnadrochit, Inverness IV63 6XJ- Trip
- Outdoors
- Cheap and cheerful
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Culture
- Out of town
Why it's a good date: It's the classic Highland day out: a ruined castle, a huge loch and hills all around. Go early or late in the day to miss the coach tours, and keep an eye on the water.
Photo: Daniel Kraft, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped and resized)
More from our Inverness guide
Chanonry Point
Near Fortrose on the Black Isle, about 25 minutes' drive north-east of Inverness
Address: Chanonry Point car park, Ness Road, Fortrose IV10 8SD- Trip
- Outdoors
- Free
- Best in Summer
- Out of town
Watch for bottlenose dolphins from the shingle spit by the lighthouse, where they come in close to feed.
Why it's a good date: Waiting on a beach together for dolphins to turn up is a lovely way to spend an hour. Check the tide first: they're most often seen on a rising tide, about an hour after low water.
Photo: Vcarceler, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped and resized)
The Ness Islands
Ness Bank and Bught Park, a 15-minute walk south of the city centre
Address: Ness Islands, Inverness IV2 4QS- Outdoors
- Free
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Romantic
Follow the river upstream from the city centre and cross the Victorian footbridges onto the wooded islands in the middle of the Ness.
Why it's a good date: It's an easy loop with the river on both sides, and you can talk the whole way round. Go on a summer evening, when it stays light until late, and walk back along the opposite bank for a change of view.
Photo: dave conner, CC BY 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Leakey's Bookshop
Greyfriars Hall, Church Street, city centre
Address: Greyfriars Hall, Church Street, Inverness IV1 1EY- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Free
- Best in Autumn, Winter
- Cosy
Browse Scotland's biggest second-hand bookshop, inside an old Gaelic church with a wood-burning stove and a spiral staircase up to the gallery.
Why it's a good date: Give each other ten minutes to find the other person a book, then swap. It's warm and quiet, and ideal when the weather turns.
Photo: LeamingtonBooks, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
