Inverness, SCT - Postcode - IV3 5EU

Inverness

A city in the Scottish Highlands, Inverness is a popular tourist destination. You may call it the "capital" of the Highlands, as that's where the offices of The Highland Council are located. Historically, it was the seat of county government for Inverness-shire. The 11th-century Battle of Blàr nam Fèinne against Norway, which took place on the Aird, and the 18th-century Battle of Culloden, which took place on Culloden Moor, are both within easy traveling distance of Inverness. Located at the northeastern tip of the Great Glen (Gleann Mr), where the River Ness empties into the Beauly Firth, Inverness is the most northerly city in the United Kingdom. Dabd mac Mal Choluim (King David I) granted the first royal charter in the 12th century, therefore by the 6th century at the latest, there was already a settlement there. Clan Mackintosh, Clan Fraser, and Clan MacKenzie are just a few of the prominent families with deep roots in Inverness and Inverness-shire. From a low of 40,969 in 2001 to a high of 46,969 in 2012, Inverness saw a 4% increase in population, as reported by the World Population Review. There were 56,969 people living in the Greater Inverness area in 2012, and this number does not include the communities of Culloden and Westhill. With 63,320 residents in 2016, its population is large. A quarter of the Highland population resides in or around Inverness, making it one of Europe's fastest expanding cities. Inverness also ranks sixth out of 189 British cities for its quality of life, the best of any Scottish city. Inverness has a sister city relationship with Augsburg, Germany, and La Baule and Saint-Valery-en-Caux, France.

According to one study conducted by a real estate website in 2014, Inverness was deemed the happiest city in Scotland and the second happiest city in the entire United Kingdom.

A fresh survey from 2015 confirmed Inverness' status as Scotland's happiest city. 

Geography

Inverness is located at the south-western tip of the Moray Firth and at the mouth of the River Ness, which originates in adjacent Loch Ness. West of the city are the waterways of Loch Ness, Loch Ashie, and Loch Duntelchaig. Connecting Loch Ness, Loch Oich, and Loch Lochy is the Caledonian Canal, which begins in Inverness and continues through the Great Glen.

Since the 1840s, visitors have enjoyed the Ness Islands, a public park consisting of two forested islands connected by footbridges.

Craig Phadraig is a 240 m [790 ft] hill where hikers can follow a well-defined path through the woods to the site of an ancient Gaelic and Pictish hillfort.

The Great Glen Fault passes right through Inverness. About once every three years, there is a little earthquake that most people don't even feel. Inverness hasn't seen an earthquake since 1934.