Great sheets of rain are sweeping across the river Ness Just outside my window as I write this.  I’m supposed to be out on the hills puffing my way up some majestic peak but instead I’m trapped in doors writing this.  But am I downhearted? Yes I am actually.  Call this a summer!

It’s our annual festival right now, RockNess, and without fail every year the Highland weather says, “A festival? Outdoors? In my Highlands, not bloody likely,”  and disgorges oceans of water, midges and wind onto unsuspecting young people in a determined effort keep them indoors where they belong.  (Are midges a type of weather?  Well they are outside and they come and go and are a damn nuisance, that’s weather in my book.)

Still I suppose I should be grateful I’m not under a sheet of nylon with my head pounding and a small river entering my sleeping bag.  I’m not there because I’m middle aged, fat and sensible.

What could you do on a wet day in and around Inverness?

Well here are some ideas.

Visit Urquhart castle, you’ll get a bit wet but there’s a nice dry café and a cinema.

Wander through the Victorian market. Dry and lots of interesting shops.

Don’t go to the museum it’s boring.

Walk round the Islands in the Ness.  You’ll get wet but it’s worth it.

Go to Cawdor Castle, mainly dry and a great tea shop.

Go to Strathpeffer, it’s a really interesting Victorian Spa village.

Visit the Floral hall, great place for photographing flowers and, of course, they sell great cake.