Yesterday we jumped on a train first thing to Inverness. We very much enjoyed the beautiful scenery, we could just imagine the Hogwarts Express speeding through this very countryside. The countryside was so diverse, from forests and valleys, to the Cairngorms - strange succession of hills sticking out of vast miles of flat land with flat creeks snaking throughout.

Arriving in Inverness just after lunch, we managed to catch the last Loch Ness/Urquhart Castle Tour of the day. We had a great tour guide on the bus, giving us great insight into the surrounding area and an entertaining drive. We were dropped off on a cruise of Loch Ness which, due to the wet weather, was suitably misty and mysterious. It's the biggest freshwater lake by capacity in the UK and is surrounded by very beautiful landscapes. The boat took us to Urquhart Castle, that dates back to 500 AD. It has remained a ruin since the British blew it up to keep it from Bonnie Prince Charlie's forces, the Jacobites. It was very busy and we had a great afternoon exploring the ruin in the rain.

This morning we were up bright and early to make it to the Culloden Battlefield. The new visitors centre is fantastic, detailing the build up to, the actual Battle at Culloden, and the aftermath. When walking the battlefield, you get a GPS linked audio guide that is set off by GPS at different points on the battlefield. Along with the flags that demonstrate each sides position on the field, the audio guide gave us a very interactive and realistic experience of the battle.

Another whirlwind tour, but we really liked Inverness, which is built around the River Ness and hope to return in the future to further explore the Highlands.