CASTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS
Brodie Castle - 8 miles - National Trust of Scotland - www.nts.org.uk/Property/69/
Set in peaceful parkland, this fine 16th-century tower house is packed with enough art and antiques to keep connoisseurs happy all day. It contains fine French furniture; English, continental and Chinese porcelain; and a major collection of paintings, including 17th-century Dutch art, 19th-century English watercolours, Scottish Colourists and early 20th-century works. The magnificent library contains some 6,000 volumes.
Cawdor Castle - 18 miles - www.cawdorcastle.com
Cawdor Castle dates from the late 14th century and was built as a private fortress by the Thanes of Cawdor. The ancient medieval tower was built around the legendary holly-tree.
Although the House has evolved over 600 years, later additions mainly of the 17th century were all built in the Scottish vernacular style with slated roofs over walls and crow-stepped gables of mellow local stone. This style gives Cawdor a strong sense of unity, and the massive, severe exterior belies an intimate interior that gives the place a surprisingly personal, friendly atmosphere.
Good furniture, fine portraits and pictures, interesting objects and outstanding tapestries are arranged to please the family rather than to echo fashion or impress.
Fort George - 17 miles - www.ukheritage.net/misc/fort_george.htm
Situated close to the village of Ardersier and sitting on a
promontory which juts out into the Moray Firth,
Fort George was built in 1748 to garrison the king's soldiers with a view to keeping the Highlanders in line. For they had formed the army of Prince Charlie with the idea of putting a Stuart king back on the throne of Britain.
Culloden Battlefield - 22 miles - www.nts.org.uk/Culloden
The last Military Battle on British soil..........
The course of British, European and world history was changed here at Culloden on 16 April 1746. It was here that the Jacobite army fought to reclaim the throne of Britain from the Hanoverians for a Stuart king. The British army was equally determined to stop this happening. The ferocious European war had come to Scotland - dividing families and setting clan against clan. The battle was bloody and the consequences long lasting.
Urquhart Castle - 45 miles - www.aboutscotland.co.uk/ness/urquhart.html
One of Scotlands most magnificently situated castles is
Urquhart Castle, on the banks of Loch Ness. It remains an
impressive stronghold today despite its ruinous state.
Once one of Scotland's largest castles, Urquhart's remains include a tower house that commands splendid views of the famous loch and Great Glen. Urquhart witnessed considerable conflict throughout its 500 years as a medieval fortress and its history from the 13th to 17th centuries was particularly bloody.
Ballindalloch Castle - 40 miles - www.ballindallochcastle.co.uk 
Known as the ' Pearl of the North ', Ballindalloch is a warm and welcoming
castle set in the magnificent Spey Valley in the Highlands of Scotland. The
Castle is very much a lived-in family home, which adds to its appeal to visitors. It is filled with family memorabilia, as well as a fine collection of 17th century Spanish paintings collected by Sir John Macpherson-Grant in the mid 19th century. With a spectacular drive to get to Ballindalloch this is a well worth while trip.