Stand on Castle Hill for a moment, the River Ness below you and the Highland hills on the horizon. Inverness is a city you only really see once you go looking for it. Turn your visit into a treasure hunt and the clocks, facades and hidden details suddenly become clues.
How the treasure hunt works
You open the route straight in your browser — no app download, no account. This self-guided walking tour leads you from place to place, and at every stop you read the story of that spot and solve a puzzle. The answer is right there in your surroundings. That's how you start to look more closely: at a clock that tells the time its own way, at a carved facade, or at light falling through a stained-glass window.
What you'll come across
The treasure hunt strings together the city's highlights. On Castle Hill, The Inverness Castle Experience draws you in with interactive stories and a sweeping view over the city. Under the glass canopy of The Victorian Market you catch the scent of flowers and the ticking of antique clocks. In the Inverness Museum and Art Gallery you travel from Pictish stones to modern art, and along the river the mighty organ of the Inverness Cathedral, dedicated to St Andrew, fills the space with a deep tone. Which puzzle you solve where, we won't give away — that's the game.
Route and pace
The route has twelve stops and is about 4.6 kilometres long; allow roughly one and a half to two and a half hours, depending on your pace. You start at The Inverness Castle Experience and carry on at your own rhythm.
Who it's for
A treasure hunt through Inverness suits almost any group: an original outing with friends, an active walk for two, or a family day out. All you need is a phone.
The Inverness walk is free to play. Start the treasure hunt in the CityWalkGems app and discover how much more Inverness shows when you have to go looking.
