Cromarty Library

The old courthouse in Cromarty has been given a second life as a library, and it's worth a detour if you're staying nearby in the Highlands. The building itself is the real draw - Victorian architecture with proper character, the kind of place where you half expect to bump into a ghost in the reading room. You'll find local history collections, Highland archives, and the sort of quiet that modern life has largely forgotten about.

It's not a spectacle. You won't spend hours here unless you're genuinely interested in Scottish local studies or genealogy. Families might pop in for thirty minutes if kids are keen on old buildings, but don't expect interactive exhibits or anything flashy. This is a proper working library for locals and researchers.

The opening hours are tight - mornings on Monday, afternoons and early evenings Tuesday and Thursday - so plan accordingly. It's free to get in and have a look around. Cromarty itself is a pleasant seaside village about fifteen miles north of Inverness, easy enough to reach if you're based at somewhere like Delny Glamping. The coastal walk around the village is better than the library on a decent day, but combine them and you've got yourself a solid afternoon. Worth knowing before you drive over.