Drumnadrochit

Drumnadrochit's hotels and guest houses make the most of its position on Loch Ness, with many rooms and gardens looking out over the water or up into Glen Urquhart. The village itself has a couple of traditional Highland hotels right on the green, offering easy walking access to the shops, pubs and the Loch Ness Centre, while smaller guest houses and B&Bs are scattered along the roads leading out towards Urquhart Castle and into the glen. For those who prefer more space, self-catering cottages and lodges in the surrounding countryside put you within a short drive of the village while offering a quieter, more rural base among farmland and forestry. Given Drumnadrochit's popularity as a stop on Highland touring routes and its status as a Great Glen Way waypoint, rooms can book up quickly in July and August, so it is worth planning ahead for a summer visit. Outside peak season, availability is much easier to find and rates drop noticeably, making spring and autumn a good time for a comfortable, better-value stay within walking distance of the loch shore.

Drumnadrochit rewards a slow visit. Between the loch, the castle and the surrounding glens, there is enough here for a long weekend without ever needing to drive far.

• The Loch Ness Centre — Housed in the old Drumnadrochit Hotel, this exhibition traces the story of Loch Ness and the monster legend through original research, archive footage and interactive displays, finishing at the lochside Cobb Café.
• Urquhart Castle — A couple of miles south of the village on the A82, the ruins of this medieval stronghold occupy a headland over one of the deepest parts of Loch Ness and are among the most visited historic sites in the Highlands, with a modern visitor centre and sweeping loch views.
• Loch Ness boat trips — Cruises depart nearby for a look at the water where the monster legend was born, with skippers pointing out the sonar equipment used in decades of scientific searches.
• The Great Glen Way — The 73-mile long-distance path between Fort William and Inverness runs directly through Drumnadrochit, with the stretch alongside Loch Ness offering some of the finest views on the whole route.
• Glen Affric and Glen Urquhart walks — Forest trails, waterfalls and hill paths lead out from the village into some of the most scenic glens in the Highlands, suitable for anything from a short afternoon stroll to a full day's hike.
• Nessieland and the village green — A family-friendly stop with monster-hunting exhibits and gifts, right beside the green that has been the social centre of Drumnadrochit for generations.
• Cycling the Loch Ness 360 trail — Drumnadrochit lies on this waymarked cycling and walking route that circles the entire loch, making it easy to explore further afield on two wheels.

The village punches above its weight for food and drink given its size. The Fiddler's Coffee House and Restaurant on the green is a long-standing local favourite for meals and drinks, while the Benleva Hotel is known among walkers and locals alike for its real ales and straightforward pub food. The Glen Café by the Loch Ness Centre and Loch Ness Inn on the edge of the village both serve hearty, produce-led menus, and a small supermarket and bakery cover self-catering essentials for anyone staying nearby.

Wild camping is generally permitted across most of Scotland under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, and the hills, forests and lochside ground around Drumnadrochit offer some genuinely spectacular pitches, provided you camp responsibly, keep well away from roads and buildings, and leave no trace. The terrain along the Great Glen Way and up into Glen Affric ranges from gentle waterside paths to proper Highland hillside, so a good pitch is usually within reach of a short walk from the village, with the loch itself providing a dramatic backdrop to any wild camp. For those who prefer a formal site, established campsites and caravan parks in and around Drumnadrochit and along the loch shore offer showers, hook-ups and easier access for tents, campervans and motorhomes alike.

The best camping season runs from late spring to early autumn, when the weather is milder and daylight lasts well into the evening, though this same period brings the Highland midge in force, especially in the still air near water and woodland at dawn and dusk. A good midge net and repellent are essential kit for any summer camping trip here, and a breezy, more open pitch will usually offer some relief. Early and late season camping trades a little warmth for far fewer midges and quieter surroundings. For anyone who wants the Loch Ness setting without the demands of a tent, glamping pods and safari tents have sprung up around Glen Urquhart and the wider loch shore, offering proper beds, wood-burning stoves and, in many cases, the same loch or glen views that make wild camping here so popular. Whichever way you choose to stay, camping around Drumnadrochit puts you right at the meeting point of loch, glen and the Great Glen Way, one of Scotland's finest long-distance trails.