Inverness St Albans Train

The Scottish city of Inverness is an important centre for bagpipe players and lovers and every September since 1788 the city hosts the Northern Meeting, a bagpipe competition. Another important event for the city is the annual Highland Games which can trace its roots back to 1822. While centred on competitions in piping and drumming, dancing, and Scottish heavy athletics, the games also include entertainment and exhibits related to other aspects of Scottish and Gaelic culture.

Inverness is also home to two summer music festivals, Rockness and the Tartan Heart Festival, that bring a variety of different music to the town.

The River Ness, which flows from nearby Loch Ness, runs through Inverness on its way to the Moray Firth. The Ness Islands, a publicly owned park, consist of two wooded islands connected by footbridges and has been used as a place of recreation since the 1840s. Craig Phadraig, once an ancient Gaelic and Pictish hill fort is a 240 m hill which offers hikes on a clear pathway through the wooded terrain.

Shinty is an integral part of the Highlands and Islands and as the capital of the Highlands Inverness often hosts a wealth of Shinty finals such as the Camanachd Cup Final (the pinnacle of Shinty) as well as the International game of Shinty and Irish hurling.

The cathedral city of St Albans, in Hertfordshire, has a long history dating back to Roman times which can be observed in the city's Roman remains and beautiful medieval architecture. The city has open spaces and is surrounded by beautiful countryside and has many attractions to suit all. In addition to the city's national high street shops, there are many small independent shops, cafes, bars and restaurants for visitors to enjoy. If you are interested in the city's Roman heritage then take a visit to the Verulamium Museum where beautiful objects from the Roman City of Verulamium are displayed. The collection features Roman mosaics and re-created Roman rooms which provide visitors an insight in to the life and times of a Roman city. Remaining with the Roman theme, and just a short walk from the museum, is the Roman Theatre which is the only visible example of its kind in the United Kingdom. Its acoustics were perfectly suited to musical and dramatic performances. Close by are the foundations of a Roman town house, a secret shrine and a row of Roman shops. St Albans railway station is just 20 minutes away from London’s St Pancras International railway station on the First Capital Connect train line.