Europe > United Kingdom > Scotland > Drumnadrochit
Drumnadrochit is a small village on the western shore of Loch Ness, about 16 miles south of Inverness. It has one claim to world fame that outweighs everything else: this is the place from which the legend of the Loch Ness Monster has been most actively promoted. The Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition in the village takes the mystery seriously enough to explain it properly, which is more interesting than simple credulous promotion.
The village sits at the foot of Glen Urquhart, a pleasant valley that offers good walking into the hills away from the loch. But most people come for Urquhart Castle, a spectacular ruined stronghold on a promontory jutting into Loch Ness just south of the village. The views from the castle over the loch are exceptional — and the loch itself is genuinely impressive, 23 miles long, extremely deep, and often dark and atmospheric under the Highland clouds.
The countryside around Drumnadrochit is worth exploring beyond the main tourist circuit. The Falls of Divach drop impressively through woodland south of the village, and Culnaskiach Falls are accessible with a short walk up the hill. The Great Glen Way long-distance footpath passes through, connecting Drumnadrochit with Fort William to the south and Inverness to the north.
Inverness is the nearest city and the practical base for this area, but staying in Drumnadrochit puts you closer to Urquhart Castle and gives you the loch on your doorstep in the evening when the day visitors have left. The village itself is small — a handful of guesthouses, a couple of pubs, and the exhibition centre.