If you like history then you might want to think about adding Fort George to your time in Inverness. It is the most amazing military construction built after the Battle of Culloden to control the Highlands and crush any future Jacobite rebellions. On the landward side, it was protected by a series of impressive ditches which could be flooded and even more impressive ramparts. It was planned using the latest ideas in defensive military architecture with stone faced walls and projecting bastions and redoubts. The fort spreads over 42 acres with houses for the governor, deputy-governor and fort-major, blocks for the staff officers and the gunners, two enormous barrack blocks, ordnance and provision stores, powder magazines, workshops, bake house, brew house and – as an afterthought – a chapel.
The scale of Fort George is impressive and it is virtually unchanged since it was built. It remains one of the largest and most impregnable fortifications in Europe.
However, by the time it was finished, the Highlands were relatively calm and no action was ever required from Fort George. There is a story, may be apocryphal, that one shot was fired by a jittery soldier on night duty who thought he saw a Jacobite soldier creeping up to the fort and fired at him. Next morning the guards found the dead body of a cow.... Lots more information and pictures:
Also completely different are Clava Cairns which are just a short distance from Culloden Battlefield. These date from 3000-4000 years ago. Now surrounded by trees they are a magical place, best visited either early morning or later in the afternoon after the visitors have left and they are much more atmospheric when the sun is lower, (They are also believed to be the inspiration for Craig na Dun in the very popular TV series ’Outlanders’, hence the large car park.) More information and pictures
Glencoe - scenically impressive but you will have seen lots of good scenery on Skye. I'd do this as a drive through.
Oban - as well as the town there is the oportunity to catch the ferry across to Mull and Iona, with its Abbey and carved stones. This can be done as a day trip from Oban. Check out ferry times on the Calmac website.
Also to the south of Oban is Kilmartin, one of the most important concentrations of Neolithic and Bronze Age remains in Scotland with cairns, standing stones, carved rock, stone circles, forts and castles. Walk Highlands has a walk covering many of the sites have a look here for details and pictures.
