Assynt Visitor Centre. Displays
on the history and nature of the area.
In the main street of Lochinver on A837
Open Easter - Oct
Tel: 01571 844330 or
01571 844654
In this area:
NW Sutherland
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Aigas Fish Lift. A831 about 10
miles from Beauly. Fish lift which allows them to pass the Aigas
dam. 'The Borland lift at
Aigas on the River Beauly is now open to the public during the
summer months. At over eighteen hydro-electric sites in the north of
Scotland there are electronic counters to record the number of fish
passing through them. These are sophisticated devices, able to
distinguish between ascending and descending fish...'
Web
In this area:
Firthlands
|
 The
Caledonian Canal runs almost directly from North East to
South West. The
Great Glen divides the Highlands of
Scotland with its series of lochs.
It was designed by Thomas Telford, the greatest of Scotland's
civil engineers. Funded by the British Government and constructed
between 1803 and 1822.
It was built with a largely unskilled local labour force. So,
if you are lucky enough to pass through in a sailing craft
you cannot only enjoy the wonderful scenery but also marvel at the
work of Telford. If you don't have a boat one is able to walk a
large part of it - e.g. Fort Augustus to
 Aberchalder Bridge where it
meets Loch Oich, then from Oich Bridge at North Laggan to
South Laggan Locks where it meets Loch Lochy and again at the south
end of Loch Lochy there are paths beside the canal too. It runs from
Fort William at the south end up to Inverness in the north and is
approximately 72 miles long.
Web
While at Aberchalder (north end of Loch
Oich) watch out for lovely small suspension bridge - it's just off
A82
Fancy a few days on Loch
Ness and the Caledonian Canal. Try
Caley
Cruisers.
In this area:
Loch Ness
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Caledonian Canal Heritage Centre.
Small museum with displays of how the canal was built. Free
admission.
Beside the canal in Fort Augustus.
Open Spring & Autumn, five days. Summer daily 10am till 5pm
Tel: 01320 366493
Web
In this area:
Loch Ness
|
Clan Gunn Heritage Centre.
Latheron on A9, south of Wick
Open June-Sept daily. July & Aug Sun 2-4pm
Tel: 01593 741700
In this area:
Caithness
|
Diving:
The clear sea lochs at Kylesku are a popular venue for Diving
Clubs. Scuba-Diving is available at Lochinver for experienced
divers only.
In this area:
NW Sutherland
|
|
The Dolphin and
Seal Centre at North Kessock is run by the Whale and Dolphin
Conservation Society. The centre is one of the many great places in
the Moray Firth where you can often see dolphins and seals in their
natural habitat. The Dolphin and Seal Centre is open June -
September and can provide information about the local wildlife and
where's best to see it. Bottlenose dolphins, common seals and otters
are all regularly seen from the Dolphin and Seal Centre. There are
also underwater microphones you can listen to and if there are
dolphins around you can hear the clicks, squeaks and whistles that
they use to communicate and find food!
Cross Kessock bridge
(Inverness) north, take first left. Centre near TIC car
park.
Tel:
01463 731866
Open Apl - Oct
Web
Moray Firth
Dolphin Cruises: 01463 717900 Phone to book
In this area:
Firthlands
|
Dounreay Visitor Centre.
All about nuclear decommissioning.
Guides will be happy to show you round the centre, answer any
questions you may have and provide you with leaflets and brochures
about the activities carried out at Dounreay.
Children of all ages are most welcome and can enjoy our variety of
books and competitions.
From Thurso on the A836
Open Easter - November
Tel: 01847 806086
In this area:
Caithnes
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Dunbeath & Latherton:
Dunbeath, apart from a harbour and some lovely walks, has a literary
claim to fame. Neil M Gunn (1891-1973), whose reputation as one of Scotland's most
important twentieth century authors was established in books such as
The Silver Darlings and Morning Tide, was born and
grew up in Dunbeath. He went to school in the very building in which
the
Heritage Centre is now based.
'of The Strath of Dunbeath .."a wealth
of wild flower and small bird life, the soaring hawk, the unexpected
roe, the ancient graveyard, thoughts of the folk who once lived far
inland in straths and hollows, the past and the present held in a
moment of day-dream".—Neil M Gunn, 'My
Bit of Britain', 1941'
The Heritage Centre is signposted off the main road. If approaching
from the south, turn right off the A9 before crossing the fly-over
over the strath. There is plenty of car parking space.
Web
The
Clan Gunn Heritage Centre is in Latherton
In this area:
Caithness
|
Duncansby Head
& Duncansby Stacks.
'Duncansby Head is well
known locally for the lighthouse, the stacs just near the cliffs and
the teaming birdlife especially in the nesting season
where you'll find kittiwakes, fulmars,
razorbills and puffins, at
the right time..'. Take a walk on the cliffs but be very careful.
Birds at Duncansby.
Two miles east of John O'Groats
Open access
Tel: 01955 611448
In this area:
Caithness
|
Falls of
Foyers. Walk from the small parking area to the path going quite
steeply down to the large drop falls. There are other lovely
walks you can take from here.
Not wheelchair accessible.
Take B862 from Fort Augustus and take Foyers sign after about ten
miles.
In this area:
Loch Ness
|
|
Falls of Shin. Woodland walks,
play park and viewing platforms to see salmon leap up the
waterfalls.
The Falls of Shin are a natural feature of
the River Shin, next to the visitor centre. Visitors each year can
watch Atlantic Salmon battle to return to their place of birth to
spawn the next salmon generation
On A837 between Lairg and Bonar Bridge
Open all year
Tel: 01549 402231
In this area:
NW Sutherland
|
Hugh Miller's Cottage. Cromarty.
Birthplace of Hugh Miller. Here in this thatched cottage built c1698 by his
great-grandfather. Was born Hugh Miller, on 10 October, 1802. Miller
rose to international acclaim as a geologist, editor and writer.
Church Street, Cromarty
A832 22 miles north east of Inverness.
Open Easter - Oct
Tel: 01381 600245
In this area:
Firthlands
|
Loch Ness 2000 Exhibiition.
Multimedia exhibition of Loch Ness and it's history. .But
whether you are a Nessie believer or a sceptic research is
fascinating
Drumnadrochit on A82 14 miles south of Inverness
Open Easter - Oct
Tel: 01456 450573
In this area:
Loch Ness
|
Smoo Caves. Limestone cave.
Smoo Cave is
quite large - 200 feet long, 130 feet wide, and 50 feet high at the
entrance. The cave is a great tourist attraction for people visiting
the north-west coast, and is well worth a visit...'
Two miles east of Durness on A838
Open all year
In this area:
NW Sutherland
|
Ullapool
Museum and Visitor Centre.
West Argyll Street, Ullapool
Open all year with winter restrictions
Tel: 01854 612987
In this area:
Wester Ross /
NW Sutherland
The Booth
Want to know what's happening at theatres in the north of Scotland -
buy tickets on-line, save queuing.
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