Visitors may well be loathed to leave the house, even to drive down the few miles to the hotels, museums and small shops of Drumnadrochit (6 miles) or Fort Augustus (22 miles).

This is the heart of the Great Glen, the fault line which runs diagonally across Scotland from Inverness to Fort William. The area offers wonderful walking, and the construction of the Great Glen Cycleway means that the same holds true for cyclists. Drumnadochit offers boat trips on the loch, as well as pony trekking in the surrounding hills. Just a short distance to the north east is the picturesque ruin of Urquhart Castle, probably one of the most photographed in the country.

To the south west, the road follows the lochs which are interconnected by Thomas Telford’s amazing Caledonian Canal, which links the North Sea to the Atlantic. There are plenty of opportunities for watching the boats pass through the various locks on the way. Perhaps the most scenic place of all to do so is at Fort Augustus, where the Canal descends in a series of locks through the centre of the village. There are seats and hostelries along the banks, making it a lovely place for lunch or coffee, with plenty of free entertainment thrown in.

In the other direction, Inverness itself should not be missed and the surrounding area too is easily accessible and well worth a visit. Just above the city, the Kessock Bridge provides a great viewpoint for watching the dolphins which regularly frequent the estuary.

The lovely Black Isle peninsula affords further opportunities to see these creatures at Chanonry Point as well as the chance to spot recently reintroduced red kites and wading birds at Munlochy Bay. Don’t miss the Black Isle Brewery there either!

To the east of Inverness are the Culloden Battlefield and the historic barracks at Fort George. You can even go further afield to explore the famous 'Road to the Isles', the Isle of Skye and Plockton.