Invergordon is a friendly little town with a huge cruise ship terminal. Sea travelers are the most frequent visitors to this corner of Scotland. As well as traditional British architecture and picturesque Highland scenery, Invergordon is famous for its distilling traditions and original wall paintings. You can go around its streets in literally an hour. And if that doesn't seem enough, very close (40 miles) is the legendary Loch Ness and the more exciting Inverness. The local landscapes are enchanting, so it is not for nothing that the Highlands in general and Invergordon in particular are popular with golfers, hikers and cyclists.
HOW TO GET
The way to Invergordon almost always lies through nearby Inverness - its airport receives flights from all over England. Bus routes No. 25, 25A and 25X run regularly (every 25-40 minutes) between the two cities. Travel time: 40 minutes. Moreover, from Innverness they depart from Central Bus Station, and return from High Street, which is a two-minute walk from the pier. There are also trains between Inverness and Invergordon. On the way: 50 minutes. You can read more about how to get to Inverness here.
The bulk of tourists are cruise ship passengers. This option will allow you to get to Invergordon and capture many other European cities.
HOTELS
The cost of accommodation in Invergordon hotels is quite high. But their huge rooms in the Scottish style (most often located in old houses) justify every pound. Especially since the price includes a substantial English breakfast. A double room will cost from 89 GBP.
ENTERTAINMENT AND SIGHTS
The main attraction of the city is the distillery built in the late 1950s, which produces the famous grain whiskey Invergordon. It is now one of the largest enterprises of its kind in Scotland. Together with 7 other factories, the huge Invergordon Distillers complex was bought in 1993. by Whyte & Mackay: it is known for drinks such as Dalmore, Fettercain and Isle of Jura. The distillery is easy to find by the signs, and its size will not allow you to pass by. You can get there on foot or by taxi - the plant is 2 km west of the port. To visit Invergordon and not try the local whiskey is an unforgivable folly, so you should not deny yourself the pleasure of tasting drinks aged for many years.
The cost of a tour to the Dalmore distillery is about 10 GBP, the duration of the tour in a group of 8-14 people is about 2 hours. Children under 8 years old are not allowed. Tasting is offered upon request.
Another, though not the most obvious, attraction is the port. Previously, it played the most important role of the strategic base of the Royal Navy of Great Britain, as Invergordon Bay was considered almost the most convenient natural harbor in the world - deep water and protected from the open space of the North Sea. The military left here in 1956, and they were replaced by oil workers. By the way, this explains why the calm horizon of the Cromarty Firth is diluted with oil rigs. But "black gold" is not mined here, just Invergordon - the largest center for maintenance of offshore drilling rigs.
You can get acquainted with the history of the city with the help of colorful paintings on the walls of the houses. The street art here is very original, somewhat reminiscent of Irish. Local artists are volunteers, they transform the city absolutely free of charge. There are a total of 11 murals in Invergordon depicting life in the Highlands past and present.
The Invergordon Museum is easy to find thanks to the huge graffiti and the red exploded sea mine on the plinth. He works out of the former Royal British Legion Dance Club on the High Street.
The exposition of the museum includes the following departments:
Admission is free, but since the museum is run by volunteers, donations are welcome.
Walking around the city flies by very quickly, so you can spare a few hours for a trip to Urquhart Castle on the shores of Loch Ness. It can be reached by taking the No. 25 bus to Inverness at the ATS Garage stop (5 minutes from the terminal). Travel time: about 1 hour. Buses 919 and 19A run from Inverness to Loch Ness. Travel time: about 40 minutes. Entrance to the castle grounds is £7.95. Nearby is the Nessie Museum.
CAFES AND RESTAURANTS
You can try traditional Scottish food in one of the many establishments in the city. Yes, Jaipur offers both simple everyday dishes and festive dishes, as well as food with Indian motifs.
Fast food in Invergordon features paninis for £6, sandwiches for £4.50 and burgers for £4. There are no fancy restaurants here, more democratic cafes offering lamb ribs for £13, haggis for £6 and steaks for £17-20. A portion of fish and chips costs between £4 and £6 on average. The prices on the page are indicated for September 2018
Other Scottish favorites include cocky licky onion soup in chicken stock with prunes. Among other dishes, the leadership is held by lamb and its offal. It is worth trying the pie with lamb's kidneys and stewed tripe. After a meal, a walk is a must, which will help you open your eyes to the harsh northern beauty.
