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Lewiston and Drumnadrochit offer lots of activities , attractions and fantastic scenery. The surrounding area is a walkers paradise.

Loch Ness Hogmanay Festival

Things to see and do include:
  Loch Ness
  Hiking / Hillwalking
  Monster Exhibitions
  Cycling / Mountain Biking
  Horse Riding
  Fishing
  Art Galleries & Museums
  Photography
  Local Pottery
  Pubs & Nightclubs

Local Events and Things to see and Do in the Highlands of Scotland near Loch Ness and Inverness

Boat Trips on Loch Ness
Horse Riding Around Loch Ness

A very popular wee boat trip run locally for only £8 can be booked from the Hostel from about Easter to the end of October. There are several fishing lines on board so you can give it a try and your £8 could well include trout for dinner! Otherwise, just sit back and enjoy the spectacular scenery and get some great photos - the best views of the Castle are from Loch Ness Bay.

 Horse riding along the shores and in the hills above Loch Ness is quite spectacular. This can be booked at Borlum Farm only 10 minutes from the Hostel.

Hairy Coos!
Urquhart Castle


Two of the cutest and friendliest characters in the village are the two hairy coos (long haired Highland Cows!) who hang out in a little paddock just five minutes from the Hostel.

They like nothing better than posing for photos and being rewarded with some bread and carrots. If you place your mouse over their picture they might Moo for You!
Urquhart Castle dominates a dramatic site on the rocky promontory of Strone Point providing panoramic views of Loch Ness.

Despite being in ruins the Castle is still very impressive. Once a stronghold of Robert the Bruce, it's end came in 1692 when it was blown up by the English to render it useless to the Jacobites. A good place for "monster" spotting.

Wildlife around Loch Ness
Urquhart Bay & Woods

The Great Glen acts as a flight path for migrating sea birds between the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea so the bird population of the Loch Ness area is considerable. It is common to see buzzards circling above the banks of the Loch.

These are sometimes mistakenly thought to be eagles but to see an eagle in the area is a rare occurrence. Occasionally an osprey may be seen out on a fishing trip.

Other birds to look out for are siskins, fieldfares and lesser spotted woodpeckers. Deer, badger, fox, otter, red squirrel, stoat, weasel and pine martens all populate the area.

 A site of special scientific interest - This is the best way to walk to the shores of Loch Ness and the route starts just outside the Hostel. The woods lie between two rivers - the Enrick and the Coiltie - and when the rivers are in spate the woodland and the route are flooded.

The area is one of Britain's last remnants of swamp woodland comprising 26 hectares of rare Alder, and is home to many endangered insects and rare lichens. It is the largest flood plain or swamp forest in the Highlands. Look out for dippers on the river banks.

Divach Falls
The Great Glen Way & Cycle Route


Divach Falls - one of the highest waterfalls in the area - drops over 30 metres. J.M Barrie, creator of Peter Pan, visited the falls when he stayed at nearby Divach Lodge
This low level route starts at Fort William and follows the Great Glen to Inverness passing right through the village of Lewiston. It is a 71 mile route from the Atlantic Ocean in the West to the North Sea in the East.

On its way it passes the foot of Ben Nevis (our highest mountain), goes along the banks of the Caledonian Canal and round the shores of Loch Ness (our largest Loch). The official opening of the Way for walkers is not until 2001 but many have already taken the challenge.

"Go alone, with a friend, a dog or the wind and rain"

Craigmonie Hill
Meallfuarvonie

Craigmonie Hill - which is thought to once have been the site of a Pictish Hill Fort - offers a magnificent panoramic view of the area around Loch Ness and beyond. On the path that runs along the foot of the hill you will find a Sequoia planted by the 7th Earl of Seafield in 1857, a giant Sitka Spruce and a record holding Grand Fir.

 Meallfuarvonie - " the round topped hill on the cold moor" - is the highest hill in Glen Urquhart (2283 ft) and the highest red sandstone peak in the country. It dominates the surrounding area and is used as a landmark for sailors far out into the Moray Firth. From the top on a clear day you can see both ends of Loch Ness and beyond to the Moray Firth in the East and Ben Nevis in the South West.

Wild in Scotland

Wild in Scotland is committed to bringing you the Best Value tours of our homeland for the young independent traveller. With smaller buses and more flexible itineraries than any similar company they have been pioneering routes to the far flung Highlands and Islands for 6 years now - places other companies are only now beginning to follow...[more]

Loch Ness & Glen Affric walks

Loch Ness & Glen Affric walk cover everything from short family rambles, through cross-country hikes to ascents of mighty Munro summits. We also have an extensive accommodation directory, including hotels, self catering cottages, and hostels, as well as an online shop for Loch Ness and Affric books and maps.


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