Inverness gets regular displays of the Northern Lights, so you may be lucky enough to see them while staying in the area (the best time to spot them is between September and April). The optimum conditions for viewing are cold, dark nights and clear skies, when there is increased solar activity. Viewing spots well away from light pollution offer the best chance of seeing them, and they’re often easier to spot through the lens of a camera than with the naked eye.
Aurora Watch UK has created a free downloadable app to receive aurora alerts.
The images below were taken at By the Brae on 26 February 2023.
Knockan Crag is about 70 miles from Inverness, and makes a great day out to the west coast, offering a relatively easy but fantastic walk in an area of outstanding scenic beauty. The area is of huge geological significance (the oldest rocks date back 3 billion years), and the trail provides a fascinating account of the geological discoveries made here, as well as an impressive interpretive sculpture and nature trail. Nature Scot gives a brief account of the importance of this site.
Details of the location and walking conditions can be found on the Walk Highlands website.
The Seaboard Villages (Shandwick, Balintore, and Hilton of Cadboll) are on the east coast about 45 minutes north of Inverness and are well worth visiting. Shandwick has an award winning beach, Balintore has the harbour, and Hilton has the pier. This part of the northeast of Scotland features several Pictish carvings, including the Shandwick Stone which was carved about 1200 years ago, in about 780. There are also some modern sculptures, including two by local artist, Stephen Hayward: The Mermaid of the North, and Giant Salmon.
Shandwick’s award winning beach:
More information about the villages, the local history, and the sculptures can be found at The Seaboard Centre.
The Seaboard Centre also has a cafe (open Tuesday to Friday) and tables outside with a view of the sea.
16 April 2021 marked the 275th anniversary of the Battle of Culloden, which saw the end of the Jacobite dream of restoring the British throne to the House of Stuart/Bonnie Prince Charlie. The 1746 battle was brief and brutal, and was followed by a harsh crackdown on Jacobite supporters. Battle of Culloden
Culloden Battlefield site has an award winning visitor centre, housing a museum, cafe and shop. While there’s a charge to enter the Visitor Centre (currently visits must must be booked in advance), entry to the battlefield itself is free and the site is always open. There are information boards at strategic points around the battlefield, explaining where the Jacobite lines and the Government lines were positioned. Audio tours are available as part of the entry fee to the Visitor Centre. Culloden Battlefield – National Trust for Scotland
The battlefield is about 3 minutes by car from By the Brae B&B, or 35 minutes of walking via the B9006 and then picking up the Culloden Battlefield Trail (or 50 minutes if you take the longer route via the Culloden Woods Trail instead of the B9006 route). Culloden Woodland and Culloden Battlefield Trail. It’s an absolute must-visit for anyone interested in the history of Scotland, but also holds huge appeal to fans of the Outlander books and TV series!
Follow us on our Facebook and Instagram pages for more photos of iconic Scottish places.
Would you like some ideas for great places to visit and inspiring things to see on your Highland holiday?
Check out our Facebook and Instagram pages!
We love welcoming visitors to By the Brae and we look forward to doing so again before too long. We’re always happy to share our knowledge of Inverness and the rest of the Highlands and to help with queries regarding restaurants, historic sites, day trips, walking trails, shopping, cultural events, and more.
If you’re looking for some inspiration on how best to spend your time while you’re in the north of Scotland, take a look at our Facebook and Instagram pages, where we regularly post photos of the stunning Highland landscape, as well as historic places, beautiful villages, quirky places to visit, and more. Just click through on the Facebook/Instagram buttons on our Home page. Like and Follow us for regular updates.
Please book direct with us rather than via an Online Travel Agent (OTA), such as Booking.com, Hotels.com, Expedia etc.
By booking direct you’ll receive the following benefits:
you’ll be offered the best rates, and on more favourable terms, than via an OTA;
you’ll have access to much greater availability than you would see on an OTA (we limit the number of rooms and the periods of availability on OTAs, especially during peak periods);
we’ll be able to communicate with you directly and more efficiently than via an OTA, making it easier for us to meet your specific requests and to give you useful information prior to your arrival.
To see our availability click on the “Check availabilty” tab. To make a reservation with us you can either make a secure booking online on this website, or email us at info@bythebrae.co.uk, or phone us on +44 (0)1463 795467.
By the Brae B&B is not VAT registered, so your booking is zero rated for VAT – there is no VAT included in (or to be added to) your room rate. What you see is what you pay!
Over the years we’ve collected a number of Scottish artworks by a diverse range of artists – painters, ceramacists, print makers, glass makers – and those works now hang on the walls of the guest rooms and public areas of By the Brae B&B.
Jonathan Shearer, Shazia Mahmood, Linda Farquharson. Maureen Minchin, and the late Donald Hamilton Fraser are among the artists whose work is on display. Most of our pieces have been acquired from the Castle Gallery in Inverness – one of the finest small art galleries in Scotland. They have a fantastic selection of works by established and emerging artists, and the gallery is well-worth a visit if you’re coming to Inverness; they also have an excellent online shop.
