What's the best way to see Ness Islands?

According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Ness Islands: Inverness Bike Tour a 2 hours guided bike tour around the Waterways of Inverness (From $39.92) Cycle To Loch Ness - Self Guided (From $64.39) Loch Ness,Culloden Battlefield,Cawdor Castle & Much More From Inverness City (From $643.94) HALF DAY TOUR: loch Ness, Coo's, Battles &Stones,from INVERNESS (From $141.67) Discovering Inverness: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of the Capital of the Highlands (From $6.47)

What hotels are near Ness Islands?

Hotels near Ness Islands: (0.13 mi) Touchwood House (0.08 mi) Twenty Five Guest House (0.41 mi) Avalon Guest House (0.42 mi) Ness Walk (0.18 mi) Rossal House View all hotels near Ness Islands on Tripadvisor

What restaurants are near Ness Islands?

Restaurants near Ness Islands: (0.90 mi) Rocpool Restaurant (1.11 mi) Milk Bar (1.04 mi) River House Restaurant (0.42 mi) Torrish Restaurant at Ness Walk (1.09 mi) Cheese & Tomatin View all restaurants near Ness Islands on Tripadvisor

Ness Islands - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

#3 of 85 things to do in Inverness

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Top ways to experience Ness Islands and nearby attractions

The area

Address

Best nearby

Restaurants

246 within 3 miles

Torrish Restaurant at Ness Walk

92

0.4 mi$$$$ • International • European • British

Contrast Brasserie

574

0.6 mi$$ - $$$ • European • British • Scottish

Best Western Lochardil House Hotel Restaurant

108

0.5 mi$$ - $$$ • European • British • Scottish

0.6 mi$$$$ • European • British • Scottish

Loch Ness House Beefeater

1,035

0.6 mi$$ - $$$ • Steakhouse • Bar • British

Tiger On The Wall

302

0.8 mi$$ - $$$ • Indian • Asian • Vegetarian Friendly

Rocpool Restaurant

2,630

0.9 mi$$$$ • European • British • Healthy

The Castle Tavern

1,941

0.8 mi$$ - $$$ • Scottish • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options

by the river cafe @ Highland Hospice

24

0.6 mi$ • Cafe • British • Soups

See all

Attractions

67 within 6 miles

Inverness Botanic Gardens

706

0.4 miGardens

Highland Archive Centre

37

0.3 miHistory Museums

Battlefield Select Tours

Inverness Highland Games

1

0.3 miCultural Events

River Ness

2,493

0.9 miBodies of Water

0.8 miChurches & Cathedrals

Inverness Museum and Art Gallery

593

1 miHistory Museums

See all

See what travelers are saying

OrkneyFangfarrier
87 contributions
Lovely views on a nice day.
A walk along the river and onto Ness islands is a very pleasant experience. Lots of little features to admire and 'bouncy' bridges to cross over. Paths are well maintained , this is a flat walk so all ability. Popular with dog walkers and parents with prams,
Visited January 2023
Written January 6, 2023
Jaimi M
16 contributions
From Urban to Rural in 30 Mins
I've never experienced anything like this. You start out in the lovely city of Inverness and within 30 minutes you are on an island surrounded by nature! This was so cool; we watched the sunset from Ness Islands and then made our way back to the city once night came. A beautiful way to spend a couple hours enjoying the scenery around you
Visited February 2023
Traveled as a couple
Written March 5, 2023
Cora B
Scherpenzeel, The Netherlands1,369 contributions
Great place to unwind
You can't imagine this place is so close to the city centre. Used by local People, joggers, dog walkers. Serene place with loads of very old trees, dipper on the water, sometimes fishermen. you to the botanical gardens.
Visited May 2023
Traveled solo
Written May 23, 2023
RiSha
London, United Kingdom465 contributions
Hidden gem
Came here recently during my visit to Scotland, travelling between Inverness and Urquhart Castle. We had some spare time in the morning, so thought we'd explore this hidden gem. A peaceful island in the middle of the Ness, with a few dog walkers and runners. A great viewpoint also available on the southernmost point of the island.
Visited July 2023
Written July 20, 2023
Michelle T
7 contributions
Beautiful and quiet
Take a quiet walk along the river Ness to these islands, then walk around the beautiful forest and pathways surrounded by water. A quiet retreat in a beautiful city. Bring lunch for a longer stay!
Visited August 2023
Written August 13, 2023

These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5

138 reviews

Excellent

98

Very good

37

Average

2

Poor

0

Terrible

1

Jaimi M

16 contributions

From Urban to Rural in 30 Mins

Feb 2023 • Couples

I've never experienced anything like this. You start out in the lovely city of Inverness and within 30 minutes you are on an island surrounded by nature! This was so cool; we watched the sunset from Ness Islands and then made our way back to the city once night came. A beautiful way to spend a couple hours enjoying the scenery around you

Written March 5, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Andrew Y

Singapore, Singapore4,742 contributions

My favourite part of Inverness

Jul 2022

I fell in love with the Ness Islands. They are so beautiful and peaceful. I could spend a whole day here doing nothing. There is actually a very interesting story about how the island came about but I do not have all the details. There was actually a search for various seeds of different types of trees from different parts of the world to see which ones would thrive on the island. You can find Californian Giant Redwood here
(Sequoiadendron giganteum).
There are also stories on how the suspension bridges were constructed. Finally artists were commissioned to sculpt the fallen trees. Most of the fallen trees were left in situ except for one which had to moved out of the way.

Written July 24, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

stevebintley

Bedford, UK6,983 contributions

Lovely retreat and escape

Sep 2021

This is a really relaxing retreat and I was surprised not to see anyone else when I visited. Keep your eyes open as you walk through the area to see some clever artwork made from the fallen trees, and there’s some nice benches throughout. Plenty of natural photo opportunities and just the general ‘being at one with nature’ make this a great spot in the city.

Written January 11, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rachy3001

Cumbria, UK34 contributions

A lovely walk

Dec 2021

Ness Islands is a lovely part of Inverness to enjoy the outdoors and the river Ness. Only 10 minutes walk from the city centre, you don't feel like you're in a city at all. We enjoy a walk every time we visit.

Written January 25, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

rainbowdolphin90

Edinburgh, UK619 contributions

nice place to wander

Jul 2022

Nice forested islands with lots of places to sit and watch the river flowing by. The islands are wooded with a wide variety of trees. Although busy it still retains a sense of peace. The benches are reputed to be trees that fell naturally and were carved in situ. There are other fallen tree carvings dotted around the islands. The islands are joined to each other and the mainland by Victorian suspension bridges

Written August 4, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

itchyfeet2014

Glasgow, UK2,295 contributions

Follow the signs

Aug 2021

This walk did not disappoint. I wasn’t expecting much but the little islands and the linking bridges were quite magical. I particularly liked the fallen tree that had been made into a giant snake, very clever.
Lots of trees to wander under with good paths. Surprised near the centre of Inverness. A pleasant walk along the river Ness.

Written September 14, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

VoyageVogage123

Bangor, UK166 contributions

Great for a stroll

Sep 2020

We went for a walk here every morning after breakfast in our B&B. Great place to relax and unwind, following the pathways alongside the river Ness, then crossing over the bridge at the end to walk back in the direction of the town itself. This beautiful Ness Walk is outstanding and unique and makes Inverness stand out from other cities.

Written September 16, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

bunnySouthport

Southport, UK938 contributions

Stunningly beautiful

Sep 2020 • Couples

Went for a walk along the river ness for about 2k until you come to a small bridge which takes you onto Ness Islands. Absolutely beautiful walk through forested areas with different stages of the tributaries of the rivers merging. A great way to pass two hours and then cross back towards the city and see the beautiful houses overlooking the rivers

Written September 28, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Grim72

Freuchie, UK411 contributions

A hidden gem and free too

Apr 2022

Just a 10 minute walk from our hotel this is a great little walk along the riverside and onto the islands in the middle of the River Ness. It feels like you are in the middle of nowhere despite being so close to the city centre. It is beautifully designed to combine the best of nature with stunning views and good footpaths with plenty of seating areas bins etc. It's also nice that you can do a full loop thanks to the many iron bridges so can access from one side of the river then walk back along the other river bank on your way back rather than retracing your steps.

Written April 11, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Charles S

Northamptonshire, UK1,044 contributions

Beautiful Walk

Jul 2021

On a summer visit to Inverness I visited with my family the Ness Islands situated on the River Ness, opposite the Bught Park. The islands are a great walking spot and home to wildlife such as otters, bats and occasional deer. The 19th century bridges provide access to the islands. For young families there are play facilities so all age groups can enjoy something at the Ness Islands.

Written November 17, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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