Inverness - Castle & Riverside

Navigating The Route

This is a circular Detective Mystery around Inverness Castle & Riverside, with Detectives helping Detective Chief Inspector Bill Shiverlance investigate a local amateur dramatic group's disastrous production of Macbeth, full of backstage backstabbing, onstage egos and offstage alibis.

The investigation covers 2 miles and should take around 2+ hours to complete. You'll begin outside Inverness Town House on the corner of Bridge Street and Castle Wynd, inspect the Mercat Cross, follow the case around Inverness Castle, explore riverside walks and Ness Walk, visit the front of Inverness Cathedral, continue through the Old High Church churchyard and pass Inverness station before returning to Inverness Town House where you began.

This Trail is wheelchair accessible and pushchair accessible. The route is pretty level throughout, with one short flight of steps which is easily bypassed, and a short section with no pavement where you'll have to navigate along the road.

The route follows paths and pavements, with riverside walks and some hills, including a hill section at View Place. Take care crossing roads, use available crossings and keep your Detectives close on the short section with no pavement.

Getting There

By car: The investigation starts outside Inverness Town House on the corner of Bridge Street and Castle Wynd (IV1 1JJ), using ///rash.gallons.delay. The Chief recommends leaving your squad car at Eastgate Shopping Centre (IV2 3PP).

By public transport: Make your way to outside Inverness Town House on the corner of Bridge Street and Castle Wynd to begin the case. The circular route returns to Inverness Town House where you began.

Need the Loo?

Toilets can be found at the station at Clues 17 and 18, giving your squad a useful comfort stop later in the investigation.

Bring Your Furry Sidekicks

Four-legged Detectives are welcome to join the case 🐾

The route includes paths, pavements, riverside walks, roads, some hills and a short section with no pavement, so keep canine colleagues close around traffic, crossings and the River Ness. There is also one short flight of steps, though it is easily bypassed.

Food & Drink Stops

Crime-solving can be hungry work, but there are plenty of places to pick up refreshments and snacks along the way.

If your Detectives prefer to bring their own provisions, there are benches overlooking the river at Ness Walk where you can enjoy a picnic.

Want to Make a Day of It?

Inverness Town House and Mercat Cross

The case begins by Inverness Town House at the Mercat Cross, where the Clach-na-Cudainn, or Stone of the Tubs, sits at the foot of the cross. Before piped water, washerwomen used it to rest their pails after fetching water from the River Ness. It is believed to have once been the coronation stone for the Lord of the Isles, and legend says that as long as it stays here, the town will flourish.

Inverness Castle

Inverness Castle is a key landmark on the route and a suitably dramatic backdrop for a Macbeth-themed mystery. In the play, Inverness Castle is the site of King Duncan's murder and Macbeth's descent into madness, but the fort referred to in the play was razed in the 11th century and replaced many times. What you can see now was built in 1836.

River Ness and Ness Walk

The riverside walks are a lovely place to slow the pace once the evidence has been gathered. Ness Walk has benches overlooking the river, making it a handy picnic pause as well as a scenic stretch of the investigation.

Inverness Cathedral

The route takes you to the front of Inverness Cathedral, where the building becomes part of the case without needing to reveal any answers here. It's worth pausing for a proper look once your Detectives are not busy interrogating every detail.

Old High Church

The investigation also enters the Old High Church churchyard, where an information board shares some grim local history. Bonnie Prince Charlie's Jacobite supporters took Inverness in 1746 and held government troops captive here. After the Battle of Culloden, Jacobites were imprisoned here and some were executed in the graveyard.