For those who want to see and explore the Scottish highlands, one of the very best places to start is the wonderful old village of Invergarry. It is centrally located at the point where the main highway A82 shifts to the west toward the junction with A87, making it an excellent "home base" for nearly any itinerary you might choose.
The history of Invergarry is long, colourful, and somewhat brutal in some cases. The clans of Scotland guarded their lands aggressively, and the Invergarry area is no exception. Perhaps the best known and most interesting legacy of such clashes is Invergarry Castle, the ruins of which are located just inside the more modern Glengarry Castle Hotel. In its prime, Invergarry Castle was home to the powerful clan MacDonnells of Glengarry; it was destroyed much later by the Duke of Cumberland as he waged war all across the highlands. Visiting the ruins of the castle offers visitors two distinct yet wonderful experiences – taking in the history of the ruins right alongside the elegance and splendour of the Glengarry Castle Hotel.
If you are willing to splurge a bit during your holiday vacation in Scotland, the Glengarry Castle Hotel in Invergarry is definitely the right place to do so. It is absolutely spectacular, nestled in among sixty acres of woods that stretch all the way down to the Loch Oich. There are plenty of activities to enjoy right there on the hotel grounds, including walking trails, gardens, and plenty of quiet places to relax. Even if you don't choose to actually stay at the Glengarry Castle Hotel, make plans to visit and perhaps have a cup of coffee there just for the experience of it all. We can also recommend the Glen Albyn Lodge
Invergarry is located along the Great Glen Cycle walking route, which begins in
Fort William and extends 118 kilometres to
Inverness. Because of its prime location on the route, you will likely encounter many people who are hiking the trail and decide to take a break in Invergarry. This is a great opportunity to meet and enjoy the company of people literally from all over the world as well as all over Scotland, so don't be shy about striking up conversation in and around the town. Two great places for doing this are the coffee shop in the Invergarry Community Centre and the main pub in town called The Invergarry Hotel. It's not unusual for these spots to offer music, dancing, and other activities during the main tourist season and on the weekends.
The Invergarry Community Centre also houses the Heritage Centre, a very complete and interesting display of all things related to Invergarry specifically and the Scottish highlands in general. The people there are incredibly friendly and helpful; they are very proud of their village and their heritage, and are more than happy to share their knowledge and sense of history with visitors.
The great outdoors are an integral part of Invergarry and the surrounding areas, so of course there are plenty of ways to experience them while you're on holiday there. A number of wonderful walking paths of varying difficulty branch out from Invergarry, making it easy for anyone to enjoy the fresh and wonderful Scottish highlands air. If you go a bit south of Invergarry to
Laggan, you will find the Great Glen Water Park. This wonderful facility is a major centre for outdoor activities such as mountain biking, white water rafting, canoeing, rock climbing, and much more.
Getting to Invergarry is just as scenic and interesting as the village itself. There is a major bus route from
Inverness to
Fort William that passes right through the village; there is also a Citylink route from
Fort William to
Kyle of Lochalsh. Another possibility is to hire a car and drive to Invergarry via A87 or A82.
