Great things to do @ Loch Ness in Scotland

Known for its size, its depth and a mysterious monster you might find lurking below the surface, Loch Ness is one of the world’s most famous lakes.

Though as it’s located in Scotland it’s known as a loch rather than a lake and is a must-see on any Scotland itinerary. But there’s more to the Loch Ness region than just the loch itself.

Heading to Loch Ness on a trip focusing on well-being and the outdoors, getting a taste of the area’s beautiful landscapes and discovering the castles, abbeys, waterfalls, hills and beaches that surround the loch.

So even if you don’t spot Nessie, there are plenty more things to do in Loch Ness and the area around it.

                Go back in time at Urquhart Castle

Perched on a headland with a backdrop of the loch and mountains, ruined Urquhart Castle is an impressive sight. Its been watching over Loch Ness since the 13th century, and was built on the site of an older fort.

One of Scotland’s largest castles, it played an important role in the fight for Scottish independence and battles with the MacDonald Clan.

Urquhart Castle was finally destroyed in 1692 to stop the Jacobites using it as a military base and has been left as a ruin ever since. You can find out more about its history at the visitor center, which has a film and exhibition, and look around the ruins.

Climb to the top of the Grant Tower, walk along the remains of the ramparts and peer inside the prison cell where Gaelic bard Domhnall Donn was held.

Get there: Urquhart Castle is a 5-minute drive/45-minute walk from Drumnadrochit. Entry costs £13 adults (£10.40 concessions, £7.80 children aged 7–15) if booked online.

                 Explore Fairy-tale Reelig Glen

Just north of Loch Ness, Reelig Glen is an ancient forest that’s home to some of Scotland’s tallest trees. This tranquil glen is a narrow, steep-sided gorge with the Moniack Burn rushing through it past stone bridges, grottoes and trickling waterfalls.

Follow the mile-long Tall Trees Trail to see some of the glen’s giants. Reelig is also known as the fairy glen, and although you might not spot one of those, you can see wildlife like red squirrels and pine martins.

The glen was originally owned by the Fraser family, who planted conifer and broad-leaved trees in the early 1800’s to create the forest.

There must be something in the water, as Reelig Glen has the largest concentrations of tall trees in the county. A 64-metre-high Douglas Fir known as Dughall Mor (‘Big Douglas’) held the record for the tallest tree in Britain – until it was overtaken by its neighbour.

Get there: Reelig Glen is 10 miles east of Inverness via the A862 or 8 miles north of Loch Ness via Abriachan. There’s off-road parking at the start of the trail.

                 Visit the ruins of Beauly Priory

Not far from Reelig Glen is the town of Beauly – which is said to have got its name from Mary Queen of Scots who passed through in 1564 and said ‘C’est un beau lieu’ (what a beautiful place). And she wasn’t wrong, particularly when it comes to Beauly Priory.

Beauly Priory was founded in 1230 for Valliscaulian monks who came from Dijon in France. They lived there for 300 years, but after the Reformation its stone and lead were stripped away and all that’s left now is the atmospheric ruins of the abbey church.

The church lost its roof along the way but you can still see original stonework and tombs of the Mackenzie family, as well as historic graves in the churchyard. And look out for the gnarled sycamore tree by the entrance which is over 800 years old.

Get there: Beauly Priory is 18 miles east of Inverness via the A9/A832, or 14 miles north of Drumnadrochit via the A833. Entry is free.

              Taste Whisky @ The Glen Ord Distillery

For a truly authentic Highland experience you can’t miss a visit to a whisky distillery to see how Scotland’s liquid gold is made – and taste a dram or two.

The Glen Ord Distillery is located on the atmospherically named Black Isle, west of Inverness. It was founded in 1838 to make use of local barley and has grown to be Scotland’s fourth largest distillery.

They run tours to give you a behind-the-scenes insight into the process, from the gleaming copper stills to the stacks of barrels where it’s aged.

The 1 hour 15 minute tour ends with a tasting of three of their whiskies, including their flagship Singleton of Glen Ord. This smooth honeyed whisky is normally exported to South East Asia, so a visit to the distillery is a rare chance to get your hands on it.

Get there: Glen Ord Distillery is 15 miles east of Inverness via the A9/A832, or 17 miles north of Drumnadrochit via the A833. You can also catch the train to Muir of Ord station, a 10-minute walk away. The Singleton Distillery Classic Tour costs £22 per person.

         Follow Robbie Burns to the Falls of Foyers

Further along the loch’s south side is the small village of Foyers, home to the Falls of Foyers. A path zig-zags its way down through the forest past dripping ferns and mossy trees to a viewpoint overlooking the 165-foot-high waterfall.

Time your visit after its rained to see the falls at their best, when ‘As high in air the bursting torrents flow’.

The sight of the falls inspired Scots poet Robert Burns to pen the poem Lines On The Fall Of Fyers Near Loch-Ness on the spot when he visited in 1787. And if you keep an eye out for carved stones along the walk you can see snippets of the poem.

In Burns’ day he’d have had to climb down a slippery bank to reach the falls. Now a path takes you to the first viewpoint in around 20 minutes, and you can then carry on to a lower viewpoint or even keep on going downhill all the way to the shores of Loch Ness.

Get there: The Falls of Foyers are 13 miles north of Fort Augustus via the B862, or 20 miles south of Inverness. There’s parking opposite, next to the shop and café.

                Discover the Legends of Nessie

You can’t have a trip to Loch Ness without mentioning its most famous resident – the Loch Ness Monster. Loch Ness’ waters are deep and murky, thanks to high quantities of peat, so who knows what might be lurking beneath the surface.

The Loch Ness Monster was first mentioned in a sixth-century book about Saint Columba, but a sighting in 1933 started off the Nessie obsession, and over 1000 people say they’ve seen it since.

Is there a prehistoric creature living in the loch, or is it a giant eel, trick of the light or hoax? Sonar, submersibles and satellites have all failed to say for sure.

Learn more at the Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition, which takes you through the history of the loch as well as the search for the monster. It’s also the site of the Great Glen Distillery, who make their own gins in Scotland’s smallest craft distillery.

Get there: The Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition is in Drumnadrochit. Entry costs £18.95 adults (£14.95 children aged 5–15) with discounts for booking in advance.

                            How to get to Loch Ness

Loch Ness is just 8 miles southwest of Inverness, where you’ll find the nearest airport. There are also trains to Inverness from Edinburgh and Glasgow (both 3.5 hours) and London (8 hours).

Or you can take the Caledonian Sleeper train from London, which leaves Euston around 9pm and gets into Inverness at 8.45am the next morning.

If you’re visiting as part of a Scotland road trip, Loch Ness is around 175 miles from Edinburgh, 184 miles from Glasgow, 50 miles from Fort William and 65 miles to Kyle of Lochalsh (where you cross the bridge to the Isle of Skye).

It’s easiest to get around the Highlands by car (available for hire in Inverness or at the airport) but there are also local buses, though they’re not very frequent.

The Citylink 919 bus connects Inverness with Drumnadrochit, Urquhart Castle and Fort Augustus. And the Stagecoach 16 service runs along the south side of the loch to Dores and Foyers.

There are also day tours from Inverness which include many of our top things to do in Loch Ness, like the boat trip, Urquhart Castle, Foyers and Dores Beach. Or you can take day trips from Edinburgh and Glasgow* which also visit Fort William and Glencoe.

                                Where to stay in Loch Ness

Drumnadrochit: The Loch Ness Inn* is a traditional pub that’s had a contemporary makeover just south of Drumnadrochit.

There are 11 en-suite bedrooms as well as a bunkhouse if you’re on a budget. The inn also has a cosy restaurant with wood-burning stove and a newly renovated Brewery Bar serving locally sourced ales and spirits.

Fort Augustus: The four-star Lovat Loch Ness* lies at the far south of the loch on the site of a former barracks.

It mixes luxury with sustainability, with eco-friendly policies like a wood chip boiler and waste recycling. Rooms range from garden cabins to suites, and there’s also the 3 AA Rosette Station Road Restaurant and Waypoint Bar.

Whitebridge: On the loch’s quiet south side, the Wildside Highland Lodges* are a group of log cabins on the banks of the River Fechlin.

There are a few different types, from the simple one-bed Glenmorangie Lodges to the luxurious three-bed Dalwhinnie Lodges. But all come with a wood-burning stove and private hot tub to soak under the stars.

Foyers: Also on the south side of Loch Ness, the Craigdarroch Hotel* is a traditional Highland lodge overlooking the loch.

There are 10 en-suite bedrooms with views of either the loch or woods, and dogs are welcome in some rooms. There’s also a restaurant on site serving food made with local produce, and beer garden with sweeping views.

On The Luce.com / ABC Flash Point News 2025.