Now is the time to visit the Caledonian Stadium as it may not exist in the coming years
To follow up my Wembley visit, to watch Newcastle United lift the Carabao Cup, it was a very different footballing experience for me this week on my sports travel adventures. Inverness was my destination, 571 miles north of London, and a football stadium that may not exist in a few years time.
My journey to see Inverness Caledonian Thistle play at the Caledonian Stadium
With Edinburgh being my home I departed the city's Waverley train station on Saturday morning's 08:37 service to Inverness. The route takes you up the famous Highland Line for three and a half hours passing through the likes of Perth, Pitlochry and Aviemore. Not to mention the stunning landscapes north of Perth as you travel through the Cairngorms National Park.
My fellow passengers are unlikely to be football fans, but certainly up for an adventure. Rucksacks tightly packed, warm weather gear and hiking boots accompany those taking their seats as Scotrail's Intercity service prepares to leave the Capital city. Like most of the passengers, the train needed waking up too.
I too had a tightly packed rucksack. My cameras and camera kit were the main culprits for the weight on my shoulders. Just the kind of stuff that football grounds love for you to try and get through the turnstiles. It'll be okay, I'll drop my bag at the luggage storage area at Inverness train station before heading to the Caledonian Stadium, the unique home of Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
I settled in to the journey, easy to do with a table seat all to myself and the views to enjoy for the next few hours. The Highland Line is a joy but it doesn't technically start until you've left Perth heading north. Sadly on this occasion, the route took us through Stirling so there wasn't even the 'wow' moment of crossing the Forth Bridge which is often the pre-highlands highlight shortly after leaving Edinburgh.
Not to worry, I was bound for the highlands and excited to experience a stadium I have only ever seen in passing whilst driving on the A9 crossing the Kessock Bridge.
On arrival in Inverness the luggage storage facility is closed, so I set about immersing myself in a traditional Inverness Caledonian Thistle match day, complete with bulging backpack.
During the journey to Inverness I read through the stories making the news that the team may need to leave the Caledonian Stadium in the coming years due to the costs of maintaining the 7,000 + capacity ground.
It has been 25 years since the lofty days of Inverness Caley Thistle beating Celtic at Celtic Park in the Scottish Cup, which helped create the world-famous newspaper headline "Super Caley go ballistic - Celtic are atrocious". And whilst the Club have predominately been in either the Scottish Premier League or Championship since their launch in 1994, they now play in League One.
And this is why you should pay the Caledonian Stadium a visit when visiting Inverness. To give the ground a little love.
Back in 2008 a record attendance was recorded at the stadium when 7,753 packed in for the visit of Glasgow Rangers. Nowadays the Club are playing in front of less than 2,000 fans and sit dangerously close to the bottom of Scotland's League One, the country's third tier of football. Money is tight and the Club's main investor is calling for the team to play at a much smaller, more manageable ground. It's mentioned that Inverness College would be a better home for the Club.
It is part of the reason I'm making the trip, to showcase what should be a really colourful, fun and iconic stadium to attend but is crying out for some visitors. By paying the stadium a visit, it is exactly the help it needs. Every penny counts and all that.
What to do in Inverness pre-match before a Inverness Caledonian Thistle match
A Wetherspoons pub close to the train station called The Kings Highway is a fan favourite before a game and it was already bustling at 12:15 ahead of the 3pm kick-off. My arrival at just after midday meant I had two hours and 45 minutes to soak up the pre-match atmosphere, but opted for another bar first.
The Black Isle Bar is right next door to The Kings Highway and seemed a very suitable option to begin the day. The Black Isle Blonde lager was just the tonic to set up my match day experience.
Onto another popular pre-match stopping point, The Innes Bar. It's about a 10-minute walk from the city centre in the harbour area. Blink and you'd miss the pub, hidden away on Innes Street but once inside it's full of hope and excitement. Darts and pool tables can be found towards the back of the room and a small beer garden at the rear.
From here, it's about a 20-minute walk to the Caledonian Stadium. As you come out of the Innes Bar, you'll turn right onto Shore Street then Cromwell Road which guides you around the water's edge. First you're kind of walking through an industrial site, but after 10 minutes or so it opens up and the views of the Moray Firth, Kessock Bridge and harbour provide a great lead into a football stadium.
As you walk underneath the Kessock Bridge, which carries the A9 over the Inner Moray Firth the stadium comes into view. The Caledonian Stadium, eager for anyone to attend, desperate for support. From the car on the bridge you can almost hear it saying, "do you want to pop in?" As you walk up to it, it's saying "thank you for being here."
What it's like watching a Inverness Caledonian Thistle match at the Caledonian Stadium
Approaching the turnstiles, all two of them at my access point on the North East corner, I was asked for my bag to be searched. A nervous moment having travelled from Edinburgh and the bag being full of cameras, a drone, mics, tripods and a stabiliser. At this level of football, I could well have been a one-man band host broadcaster.
I'm always very careful not to film the actual match, as I don't have the rights. It's the experience, the atmosphere and the venue I'm more interested in - but at some stadiums that doesn't wash. In Inverness nothing much was said and I was allowed in.
I had seats in the North Stand which is where the most passionate of fans are situated. It's the Caledonian Stadium's Kop, Gallowgate, Yellow Wall. On a smaller scale of course, but no less passionate fans. Cheering every tackle, chance and goal, which is exactly what Inverness had against high-flying Alloa Athletic after just 8 minutes. To my left through the gap between the North and Main Stand you can see the Moray Firth, a wonderful sight in the sunshine.
The Main Stand is a sun trap when the highlands sun shines. The South Stand is mostly for away fans but does provide the best seats for the views of Kessock Bridge. I counted 10 Alloa Athletic fans there on Saturday.
Half-time comes and its time to check out the food options. Behind the disused West Stand, if we can even call it that, I've seen bigger seating arrangements in school halls, there are toilets and snack bars. The menu consists of your football favourites. Steak pie, mince pie, sausage roll and hot and soft drinks. I opted for the sausage roll and hot chocolate which cost £5 and was very good.
The second half saw Alloa equalise but Inverness put up a good fight and were the better side for much of the half. There were moments that kept the 1,700 fans who were there animated. A penalty was awarded to Inverness which was missed, they then hit the woodwork and had a man sent off. It was a fun match but it was the charm of the stadium that made my day most enjoyable.
What to do after a Inverness Caledonian Thistle match
At full-time it doesn't take long for fans to leave the stadium. Outside there are shuttle busses that take those that were at the match back into the city-centre. Ideal for visitors who don't have a car. The bus service costs £2.70 and takes 5 minutes to get you back to Inverness Bus Station. Which handily enough is a couple of minutes walk from the Black Isle Bar.
I couldn't resist one more of those Black Isle Blonde lager's so ordered my post-match pint and then discovered the pub's secret rooftop garden.
Why you should attend a Inverness Caledonian Thistle game?
If, like me, you love to experience a sporting event no matter how big or small, getting to a Inverness Caledonian Thistle game whilst in the city is a fun thing to do. It's one of the most northern professional football teams in the UK - only beaten by Ross Country (Dingwall) and Wick Academy I believe and its stadium setting is great.
The Caledonian Stadium may not be on your traditional bucket list, like say the Bernabeu or the San Siro might be, but if close by, the Caledonian Stadium is the Highlands' version of those iconic venues. And it is crying out for love.
Inverness is a popular destination. It's airport has links to many cities and the highlands attracts people from all over the world. So if you are using Inverness as a base to explore the highlands and close by attractions like Loch Ness or the Black Isle or even the Whiskey Trail... an afternoon trip along to the Caledonian Stadium will only enhance your stay.
In doing so, you'll be helping a Club in need of any ticket sales it can get, you'll be visiting a stadium that is charming with friendly fans in a location that's worth a few photos and you'll be hard pushed to find a sausage roll and hot chocolate combo for £5 anywhere else these days.
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