Visiting Drumnadrochit

Drumnadrochit is a Loch Ness village, which lies on the north side of the loch on the A82. You can easily reach it from Inverness by car or public transport. The driving time from Inverness is approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Known as the “home of Nessie”, this village is most famous for its connection with the legend of the Loch Ness Monster.

On the shores of Loch Ness, with attractions including the Loch Ness Exhibition Centre, Nessieland and Urquhart Castle, Drumnadrochit makes for a great day out near Inverness. Have a relaxing lunch or coffee overlooking The Green and take in the atmosphere of this historic little village.

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What’s in a name?

Coming from the Gaelic "Druim na Drochaid", meaning "The Ridge of the Bridge"

The ridge of the bridge

The name “Drumnadrochit” has always fascinated visitors to our area. For anyone not sure how to pronounce it, just follow the example of the locals and call it “Drum”!

The name Drumnadrochit comes from the Gaelic Druim na Drochaid, which means “Ridge of the Bridge”. This bridge over the River Enrick was why the first residents settled in the area in the seventeenth century. Today you can still enjoy a coffee or a cold drink in one of the cafés and pubs near The Green. This is the centre of the village, which was a sheep and cattle market in days gone by.

The Nessie Legend

One of the oldest buildings in the village is the one that houses the Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition. It has an interesting history as a courthouse and an inn. Of course, these days it hosts an exhibition all about Scotland’s legendary Loch Ness Monster.

Although the earliest mention of the mythical beast comes from a reported encounter with the Irish monk St Columba in 565 AD, the Nessie legend as we know it today goes back to the 1930s. The headline “Strange Spectacle on Loch Ness” in the local paper, Inverness Courier, captured would-be monster hunter’s imaginations worldwide. Today you can head for the Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition or Nessieland to find out more about the legend and the many attempts over the years to find the loch’s famous inhabitant.

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Scottish History

Explore Urquhart Castle's 1000 years of history in Drumnadrochit

Urquhart Castle

For those visitors interested in Scottish history, the nearby ruin of Urquhart Castle and its visitor centre is a must-do. The castle is only about a mile from the village and the walk will take about 15 to 20 minutes.

The visitor centre will show you more of the castle’s 1000 years of history. Such as how rival clans, Jacobites and government troops frequently fought over it. And after the castle was blown up in the seventeenth century, local people used the stones to build their houses and farms.

See Urquhart Castle below

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