Essential Tips for Visiting Inverness with Your Pet

May, June and September are the sweet spots: long daylight, average highs around 15–17 C, and thinner midges than the July–August peak. Winter is cold and short on daylight but atmospheric, with quiet loch shores and no crowds, just pack for wind and rain and expect early darkness.

To bring a dog into Great Britain from the EU you need an ISO microchip, a valid rabies vaccination, and a GB Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued by an official vet within 10 days of travel, not the old EU Pet Passport, which is no longer valid for entry to GB. A tapeworm treatment is required 24 to 120 hours before arrival. Check the current GOV.UK rules before you book.

Scotland's outdoor access code gives dogs and their owners generous right-to-roam access, but with real responsibilities: keep dogs under close control or on a lead near livestock and away from ground-nesting birds during the April to July breeding season, and never let a dog worry sheep. On the higher hills and Munros, weather and terrain change quickly, so keep a dog on a lead in mist, near cliffs and on exposed ridges.