Hundreds of thousands of visitors come to Inverness every year to explore the wonders of the Highland Capital.
When the summer arrives and the sun comes out (occasionally), both tourists and locals try to make the most of it by going outdoors.
Every Invernessian has probably taken a walk around the Ness Islands or visited St Andrews Cathedral at some point in their lives.
While every tourist has likely grabbed a pint to the sound of live music at Hootananny on Church Street and hopped on a bus to spot Nessie at Loch Ness.
However, Inverness is much more than these clichés.
That is why the Press and Journal has put together a list of five unusual things to do in Inverness.
Frisbee Golf
Even many locals are not aware of the existence of the 18-hole frisbee golf course at Torvean Park.
Frisbee golf or disc golf is a rare sport played similarly to traditional golf.
Instead of hitting a ball with a club, players throw a flying disc with the aim of putting it into a basket, instead of a hole.
When completing a hole, players shoot the disc from the spot where the previous throw landed.
The Inverness course was created from a disused golf course in 2021, when members of the Torvean Disc Golf Club, also established that year, set up baskets across it.
The course is open to everyone and is free of charge, while frisbee disks can be borrowed from a box located at the start of hole one.
Bike Polo
From one bizarre sport to another, bike polo is another unusual activity you can try out in Inverness.
During 10-minute matches, players ride with one hand while controlling the ball using a mallet held in their other hand.
The Inverness Bike Polo Club was founded in 2020 by local Matt Lafferty when he and his mates played the game in car parks for over a year.
As more members joined, they moved to a hardcourt at Merkinch Primary School in August 2022.
Less than a year later, in March 2023, Inverness held the Great Glen Open, the first-ever bike polo event in the Highlands.
Now, the club has nearly a dozen members and is open to anyone who wants to give it a try, meeting every Wednesday from 6:30pm to 8pm.
Inverness Hospital Trail
Inverness’ unique hospital walk is a unique experience that takes architecture and history lovers back in time.
The free audio walking trail was launched in March by Prof Steve Leslie, a consultant cardiologist at Raigmore Hospital, and his father Jim Leslie, a retired geography teacher, following 15 years of research.
The 60-minute tour starts from the Inverness Town Hall on the High Street and takes you through the history of 11 buildings that were once used as healthcare facilities.
Prof Leslie told the Press and Journal: “It takes you through an amazing part of Inverness and you learn something about your local history,” he concluded.
Playing Pétanque
Many people have probably heard of pétanque, however, only some may have actually played the game.
It was invented in the French Provence in the early 20th century.
After tossing a small target ball players throw six large metal boules from a circle drawn on the ground.
The aims are to get as close as possible to the target ball and to knock out opponents’ boules.
The Highland Capital is proud home to one of the few pétanque clubs across the nation.
Located at Bught Drive, not far away from the Botanical Gardens and the Disc Golf course, the Inverness Pétanque Club meets on Wednesdays between 7pm and 9pm and Sundays between 2pm and 5pm.
New members are welcome to join, and boules are provided.
Visiting St Mary’s Clootie well
We now leave the city centre and take a short drive or bus journey to Culloden.
Located in Culloden Woods, and not far away from the Battlefield, there is an unusual sight that surprises walkers.
This is St Mary’s Well, a clootie well that sits on the Culloden Battlefield Trail.
Clottie wells are Celtic ritual sites that were said to have healing powers.
Traditionally, a piece of cloth was dipped in the water of the ‘holy’ well before being tied into a branch while a prayer was said to the spirit of the well.
The belief is a person would recover from illness or a wound would heal as the rag, or cloot, disintegrated.
There is a bench to remember soldiers who washed wounds in the well after the Battle of Culloden.
The well is not well-known, despite 200,000 people visiting Culloden Battlefield each year.
Of the five, which unusual things in Inverness would you most like to do?
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