Hi, I'm Al Coppin.

I live in Inverness, on the west side of town, and I've spent [X years] driving the roads, walking the loch shore, and figuring out which of the tour operators are actually worth your money and which are just good at marketing.

I started North & Ness because every guide I could find fell into one of two camps. There's the official stuff — accurate, but it reads like it was written by committee, because it was. And then there's the other kind: anonymous affiliate sites with no name attached, stuffed with the same generic “hidden gem” language you'd find written about anywhere from Bali to the Cotswolds, clearly never actually checked by the person publishing it.

I wanted something in between. Written by someone who's actually here, kept honestly up to date, and willing to tell you when something isn't worth your time — not just what's bookable.

What you'll actually get here

• Honest comparisons. When there are five ways to see Loch Ness, I'll tell you which one's worth the extra money and which one's just better marketed.
• Real itineraries. Not attraction lists — actual day-by-day plans based on how people really move through this area, whether you've got one day or five.
• Things kept current. Every guide has a date on it. If I haven't checked something in a while, I'll say so rather than let it quietly go stale.
• What's actually happening. Local businesses update events and openings directly, so you're seeing what's on this week — not what was on when the page was last written.

A bit more about me

[2–3 sentences of real, specific personal texture — what you did before this, how long you've been in the Highlands, what got you into exploring it properly. Write this one yourself.]

Get in touch

Found something out of date? Know a business I should feature? Just want to say the Culloden itinerary saved your trip? hello@northandness.scot — I read and reply to all of it myself.