Situated on the banks of the river ness the columba hotel is overlooked by inverness castle and is within easy walking distance of the theatre shops and other amenities as capital of the highlands inverness is an excellent base for exploring this part of scotland loch ness with its famous monster is only a few miles away and in the opposite direction lies the culloden battlefield it is also close to strath spey and the whisky trail to the south and the spa town of strathpeffer the bla