Inverness Castle Experience’s immersive Spirit of the Highlands attractions set to enchant visitors – and maybe even win the hearts of sceptical locals
It all begins with a view already imprinted on the minds of every Invernessian and many beyond - the gently rising approach to the castle itself.
For generations, inquisitive tourists could get no closer than to stroll the grounds and crane their necks beneath the towers of the 1836-built, mock fairytale-style fortification.
WATCH BELOW - OUR VIDEO GLIMPSE OF THE INVERNESS CASTLE EXPERIENCE AND INTERVIEWS WITH TWO OF THE KEY FIGURES GUIDING THE PROJECT:
For many decades, locals would say ‘they should do something useful with that castle’.
Unlucky – or should we say unruly, unlawful and unscrupulous – locals would be led in and away in handcuffs after being processed by a gruff judge or sheriff in the resident courts of law.
One adventurous mischief-maker with a head for heights would regularly climb like Spiderman up the walls to remove the High Court’s Union Jack flag.
Few others, barring staff, lawyers, witnesses, social-workers and hardworking members of the press, got to see inside, never mind the views from above.
All that will change later this year when the £40 million Inverness Castle Experience comes alive to a predicted 220,000 paying visitors a year.
Since it secured well above a tenth share of the £315 million UK and Scottish Government Inverness and Highland City Region Deal, agreed in the aftermath of Covid, project leaders have been busy.
The focus has been working on ways to generate a ‘wow’ factor within the restored, refurbished and re-imagined walls.
On Wednesday, even though they warned us at the outset that the brief preview tour would give a glimpse of only a “tiny percentage of what visitors will experience”, it certainly whetted the appetite.
Even with dust sheets, hard hats and unfinished furnishings and attractions in abundance, those intriguing immersive, interactive displays – some already half brought to life – hinted at an absolutely exceptional, enchanting even, offering in store for locals and visitors alike.
The flow of the tour is inspiring and eye-catching from the off.
After the approach along what will be, come opening, attractively landscaped grounds, visitors will enter the castle through the large traditional front doors facing the much-loved Flora MacDonald monument.
Even though this was never a castle in the truest sense, never one built to resist siege or invasion, the grand entrance is a fitting starting point.
The original split staircase leads upwards to the renowned Rose Window, mothballed 50 years ago from the former Methodist Church on Academy Street, and given spectacular new life amid carefully choreographed dancing lights and effects around it.
WATCH: The Inverness Castle Experience’s own video giving a taster of the attraction.
There is entry up the Spirit Stairwell as it will be known (or by lift) to a South Tower Roof Terrace, then onto a series of themed rooms. The views from the roof simply add to that much-desired ‘wow’ factor.
The first two rooms introduce you to the immersive Experience with the Seanchaidh (story-teller) moving on through Landscape, Gathering, Heritage, People and Spirit themes and ending in the old courtroom where the guest is engulfed from above, below and around in a captivating seven-minute show.
It quickly becomes apparent that every corner of the tour, every nook and cranny, will offer informative displays that enlighten us – and sometimes delight us – with insight into every aspect of the Spirit of the Highlands story, whether geography, geology, ancient and modern history or outlandish folklore that is part of the fabric of Highland identity.
There will be scepticism, understandably in these times, about the price tag, but as we were walked through the exhibits and themed rooms there was a stirring of instinctive pride of place and heritage, certainly within this observer.
Other parts of the country tell their story eloquently. Why shouldn’t we do the same, given the rich diversity and fascinating nature of our own?
Our enthusiastic guides walked and talked us through the paid Experience ticket tour in the south tower experience with pride palpable.
The link building, which has enveloped the historic well that far pre-dates the current building stands, will feature a free-to-enter Saltire Bistro and it felt like a space anyone would enjoy spending time within.
Visitors can then continue on with the paid experience by visiting the Ceilidh Rooms and Gallery in the North Tower. Or they can spend time in the free flow areas which include the Castle Gardens, Saltire Bistro, outdoor terraces and shop.
This is an audio-guided tour that flows naturally into the North Tower Ceilidh Rooms (Runrig exhibition) and North Tower Gallery (Tapestry of the Highlands) are found.
The free flow areas can be accessed in the middle, at the end or completely independently of the paid experience.
There will be a bar serving refreshments in the North Tower, with space for all manner of events and exhibitions, while a West Tower whisky-themed area will be filled with the finest produce of the Highlands’ many and varied distilleries.
In every aspect, the leaders of the project have sought to employ local talent, local contractors and will promote local produce in every area possible.
Only time will tell how it is received locally – and special tickets and reductions will be available to local people – but I left in no doubt Inverness Castle’s revamped future will be a source of pride for many decades to come.