2019 Holiday in Inverness: Days 7 - 8: Ness Islands Walk, Nairn, Findhorn Bakehouse, Cullen and Dunkeld

The Ness Islands Walk in Inverness was our morning dog walk. You can walk on either side of the River Ness and cross at the islands and over the bridges in the city centre to make a variable length of circular walk.

 Rob lurking suspiciously on a bridge to the Islands

Inverness Castle and the view towards the City Centre

 Brock and I and a carved wooden bench on one of the Ness Islands

Next, we drove East to the seaside town of Nairn. We gave Brock another long walk along the beach and up through the town, stopping to sit at an outside table of The Classroom Bistro for a coffee and cake.

The Bakehouse Cafe at Findhorn was our lunchtime venue (our third visit this holiday!). It was still warm enough for us to sit outside with Brock. I ate GF bread with halloumi and roasted vegetables; Rob had scrambled eggs on toast. The freshly baked bread is fabulous.

Further East, we came to the small fishing village of Cullen, home of the famous Cullen Skink soup (made from smoked haddock, onions and potatoes). We headed downhill to the harbour first.

Then we had a tasty rum and raisin, and coffee ice cream before exploring the three antique and bric a brac shops in the town. We saw some beautiful brass port holes, painted stained glass windows, vintage clothing, costume jewellery, books, and just about every other item you could wish for.

Saturday came round all too soon, and we were up at 7.00 am to give The Bothy a clean and vacuum, getting on the road for home just after 9.00 am.

We stopped off at Dunkeld once again and this time the lovely Kettles of Dunkeld cook shop in the town was open. I bought a silicone spatula, tiny whisk and two top notch dishcloths.

We had morning coffee and cake in the excellent The Scottish Deli. It is dog friendly, so Brock was able to accompany us and met a lively, 'free range' friend in there who was full of beans and trying to get him to play (without much success, since Brock was firmly on the lead!).

We arrived home at 2.00 pm and said hello to the Minnow Cat and Connie Chicken, who did not seem to have missed us at all, since our friends and neighbours Neil and Babette had looked after them so well.

Our Holiday to Inverness III

Day 3: Monday 5 October 2009

Nairn was our first stopping point today. First, a run for Henry on the gorgeous sandy beach; then into the town centre for a coffee and cake, and a few purchases in the book shop and deli, before a picnic in the park under a miraculously blue and sunny sky.


Next stop was Findhorn, a 'new agey'/hippy sort of community with lots of weird and wonderful eco housing, a cafe, artists' studios, a really good food shop that also sold ethically produced clothing and gifts - interesting! The beautiful unicorn mosaic was upstairs in the cafe.


We drove all along the coastal route to Banff, stopping at an old fishing village called Cullen. This is the home of the soup known as 'Cullen Skink'. Cullen is very picturesque, with lots of small fishermens' houses packed together close by the sea; a harbour; disused viaduct; and nice shops.

12 years ago, we visited a brilliant indian restaurant in Forres. We decided to try and find the restaurant and see if it was still as good.

Dinner: Cardamon Spice Restaurant, Forres
JKW: Poppadom and pickles; onion bahjis; garlic chilli vegetable curry; boiled rice; 2 Cobra lagers.
RJW: Poppadom and pickles; vegetable samosas; vegetable balti curry; boiled rice; colcha nan bread (shared); coke.
Cost: £34.75
The restaurant was comfortable, the staff were friendly and the service swift. The poppadoms, pickles, starters and nan bread were excellent: the main curries were rather disappointing, though. Although the sauces were well spiced, they contained very few vegetables at all - mainly chopped cabbage. Seeing as there were aubergines, okra, mushrooms, cauliflower, potatoes and other vegetables offered in side dishes, I think that the chef could have spared a few for the main vegetable meals!
Recommended?: Yes, but order a few side dishes instead of a main curry to widen the appeal.