Places to Eat:
Esso petrol and Garage opens Mon-Sun, 9 am-7 pm, at the end of the road.
Loch Ness Hub is at Drumnadrochit town centre, a short walking distance of 15-20 minutes. It is a one-stop shop for Loch Ness tours, Urquhart Castle tickets etc.
What to do:
Want to get up close and personal with Nessie? Here are FOUR top sights we recommend for you to enjoy the stunning beauty of Loch Ness and paddling in the water.
1) Urquhart Castle: open Mon-Sun, 9:30 am – 4:30 pm.Around 25 min on foot or 5 min by car from our holiday accommodations. Rated as one of the top must-see sights in the Highlands. The views are just “WOW”. The castle can be easily reached on foot from either Garden Flat or Hideaway Pod. Walk to the end of West Lewiston Road and turn right onto A82. A footpath runs along A82, and it takes you to the castle. Walking along the footpath, you will see great views of Loch Ness and the castle from a distance. A ticket (£13) is required to get into the castle. Advanced online booking is recommended during the peak seasons of Jun, Jul, Aug and Sep. Once you are in, you can access Loch Ness directly from the Castle grounds.
2) Loch Ness Cruise: the nearest point for Loch Ness Cruise is Clansman Hotel, which is on A82, about 15 min by car from the Drumnadrochit. Book a ticket (£30 ) online or purchase on-site at Clansman. From Clansman harbour, you can access Loch Ness directly. Turn left at the ticket box on the harbour, you can walk along Loch Ness and you will see the Witch’s Rock which is a large black rock sitting in the water. Please feel free to climb onto the top of the rock. The views are outstanding.
3) Loch Ness Viewpoint- Fort Augustus: best spot for a panorama view of Loch Ness from the bottom, perfect for a selfie, Nessie monster spotting or paddling. Fort Augustus is 20-25 mins along the A82 by car from Drumnadrochit. You can access Loch Ness directly from Loch Ness Viewpoint. For refreshments, we highly recommend Boathouse Café and Restaurant, across the canal from Loch Ness Viewpoint. It is the best spot to eat and enjoy the stunning view of Loch Ness. You can also take a picnic to eat on the shore of the loch.
4) Dores Beach: located on the North shore of Loch Ness, the beach offers the most stunning sunsets and one of the best views of the loch and the Great Glen beyond. You can paddle in the loch or walk along the pebble shore. It is around 25 mins by car up north. It is home to the legendary Steve Feltham, the most famous Nessie Hunters. He has devoted his life to searching for Nessie and lives in his converted van on Dores Beach. You may be lucky to run into Steve and ask him questions about Nessie.
Check-in: 4 pm
Check-out: 10 am
Please use the Loch Ness Stays as if they were your own home, and enjoy all the surrounding area has to offer. Please smoke outside only and dispose of used cigarette butts. The surrounding area is residential with some holiday let properties, and as such, is very quiet and peaceful, so we ask that you respect this. On your last day, please remove all used bed linen from the beds, leave them lying on the floor where it was used, and put any recycling out to the outside bins.