Explore the real-world places that appear in Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney. Each location on the map shows what happens there in the novel, the real history of the place, and what's there today. Featured locations include Loch Ness, The Highland Cottage, Inverness, Inverness Castle, The Ness River and 10 more.
Near Inverness — The central setting of the novel
Loch Ness is the heart of the novel where Amelia, Dan, and Jay are trapped during a Scottish holiday that goes catastrophically wrong. The couple arrives at a remote cottage on the loch's shore intending to reconnect, but their weekend becomes a psychological nightmare filled with deception and danger. The dark, moody waters of the loch mirror the murky secrets and lies that unravel between the three characters, with the isolated setting amplifying paranoia and suspicion.
Loch Ness, located in the Scottish Highlands near Inverness, is the largest freshwater body in Scotland by volume. It has been famous since 1933 when accounts of the 'Loch Ness Monster' first made headlines, though legends of a creature in the loch date back centuries. The area has been inhabited since prehistoric times and is rich in Scottish Highland history.
Loch Ness is one of Scotland's most visited tourist destinations, attracting visitors from around the world searching for Nessie. The Loch Ness Visitor Centre offers exhibits about the loch's history and ecology. The shoreline features numerous walking paths, boat tours, and access points for visitors exploring the Highland landscape.
Visit: Loch Ness (landmark)
On the banks of Loch Ness — The rental where the nightmare unfolds
This isolated rental cottage is where Amelia and Dan arrive for their anniversary weekend, hoping to save their fractured marriage. The cottage becomes a pressure cooker of suspicion and psychological torment as Jay, an unwelcome third party, arrives and disrupts their plans. Within the cottage's remote walls, the three characters become locked in a deadly game of deception where trust erodes and violence threatens to erupt. Amelia watches and waits, uncertain who to believe or what really happened.
The Scottish Highlands have been dotted with stone cottages and highland homes for centuries, many built as crofts or shepherds' dwellings. Traditional Highland cottages were designed to withstand harsh weather and isolation, with thick stone walls and minimal windows.
Many Highland cottages have been converted into holiday rental properties, attracting tourists seeking authentic Scottish experiences. The cottage in the novel is fictional but representative of the numerous self-catering properties available along Loch Ness's shores.
City center — Where secrets begin to unravel
Inverness is the nearest town where Amelia, Dan, and Jay interact with locals and where the couple's relationship history is partially exposed. The town represents connection to the outside world and potential help, yet it also becomes a place where past lies surface. Characters make trips to Inverness for supplies and information, and the town's residents observe the tension between the three visitors.
Inverness, the capital of the Scottish Highlands, has been a strategically important location for centuries. Inverness Castle, built in the 12th century, dominates the skyline. The town served as a gathering point for Highland clans and witnessed major events during the Scottish Jacobite risings. The modern city developed significantly during the 18th and 19th centuries as an important trading center.
Inverness is a thriving modern city and popular tourist hub for visitors exploring the Highlands. Inverness Castle, though largely reconstructed, is open to the public. The city offers restaurants, shops, museums, and serves as a gateway to attractions like Loch Ness and Glen Affric. The town retains its historic character while accommodating contemporary tourism.
Visit: Inverness (landmark)
Castle Street — An imposing presence overlooking the Ness River
Inverness Castle looms in the background of the novel as an iconic Scottish symbol of power and history. While not a direct scene location, the castle's presence reinforces the isolated Highland setting and the couple's emotional distance from civilization. The imposing fortress serves as a reminder of Scotland's turbulent past, paralleling the dark conflict between the three characters.
Inverness Castle was first built in the 12th century by Scottish kings and has been rebuilt and fortified multiple times. It was strategically important during the Wars of Scottish Independence and the Jacobite risings. The current castle structure dates from the 19th century Victorian reconstruction, built on the foundation of earlier fortifications.
Inverness Castle is open to the public and functions as a visitor attraction and seat of local government. The castle offers views over the Ness River and the city. Visitors can tour the castle interior and learn about its military and political history through exhibits and guided tours.
Visit: Inverness Castle (historic site)
Flowing through Inverness — A symbol of time and inevitability
The Ness River, which flows from Loch Ness through Inverness, becomes a symbolic presence in the novel. The constant flow of water mirrors the unstoppable momentum of the narrative as lies compound and the situation spirals toward violence. The river connects the isolated cottage to the town, suggesting both an escape route and a boundary that cannot be crossed.
The Ness River, one of Scotland's shortest rivers at about 6 miles long, has flowed from Loch Ness through Inverness since the end of the last ice age. The river was crucial to the town's development as a trading center, providing water power and transportation. The river has been crossed by various bridges dating back to medieval times.
The Ness River is crossed by several bridges in Inverness and is a popular spot for walking and fishing. The river provides habitat for Atlantic salmon and brown trout, making it a destination for anglers. The riverside areas include parks and scenic walking paths that are accessible to the public year-round.
Visit: Ness River Walks (park)
West of Inverness — A wilderness refuge in the Highlands
Glen Affric represents the vast, unforgiving Highland wilderness that surrounds the couple's cottage. The glen's isolated beauty and remote nature underscore the couple's vulnerability and the inescapability of their situation. The dense forests and mountain terrain of Glen Affric embody the psychological landscape the characters navigate — beautiful on the surface but dark and potentially dangerous beneath.
Glen Affric is one of Scotland's most spectacular glens, with ancient Caledonian pine forests that have existed for thousands of years. The glen was traditionally home to Highland clans and has been shaped by human habitation, land management, and conservation efforts. The area has been a site of both beauty and hardship for Highland inhabitants.
Glen Affric is now a major tourist destination and nature reserve, managed for conservation and public recreation. The Affric Kintail Way hiking trail passes through the glen, offering visitors access to pristine wilderness. The area features several parking areas, walking trails of varying difficulty, and stunning views of mountains, forests, and water.
Visit: Glen Affric (park)
Within Glen Affric — A remote mountain loch
Loch Affric is mentioned as part of the remote Highland landscape that isolates the trio. The loch exemplifies the austere beauty of the Highlands and the couple's distance from help or civilization. The cold, pristine waters of the loch contrast sharply with the heat of the conflict brewing between Amelia, Dan, and Jay.
Loch Affric is one of Scotland's most beautiful mountain lochs, surrounded by ancient Caledonian pine forest. The loch has been part of the Highland landscape for millennia and was traditionally used by local inhabitants for fishing and water supply. It remains largely untouched by modern development.
Loch Affric is accessible via hiking trails from Glen Affric and is a popular destination for walkers, photographers, and nature enthusiasts. The loch is home to trout and pike, attracting anglers. The surrounding wilderness offers some of Scotland's most dramatic and unspoiled mountain scenery.
Visit: Loch Affric (park)
On Loch Ness's eastern shore — A crumbling symbol of the past
Urquhardt Castle's ruins represent the novel's themes of decay, buried secrets, and the passage of time. The castle's skeleton looms on the loch's shore, a reminder that even the most imposing structures crumble and that history obscures truth. The ruins serve as a metaphorical backdrop for the couple's collapsing marriage and the hidden truths that will eventually surface.
Urquhardt Castle was built in the 13th century and was one of the largest castles in Scotland. It played a significant role in Scottish history during the Wars of Independence and the Jacobite uprisings. The castle was deliberately blown up in 1692 to prevent it from being used as a military stronghold, and it has remained in ruins for over 330 years.
Urquhardt Castle is now managed by Historic Environment Scotland and is one of the most visited castles in Scotland. Visitors can explore the extensive ruins, including the famous Grant Tower. The site features a visitor center with exhibits about the castle's history, and the dramatic ruins remain one of Loch Ness's most iconic attractions.
Visit: Urquhardt Castle (historic site)
South end of Loch Ness — A small Highland town with dark implications
Fort Augustus appears as a small Highland town near the couple's isolated cottage, representing the world beyond their shrinking reality. The town is mentioned as a destination for supplies and information, though its proximity paradoxically increases the couple's sense of exposure — they could seek help but choose not to, or cannot. The town embodies the ordinary world that contrasts with the psychological horror unfolding at the cottage.
Fort Augustus is a small town at the southern end of Loch Ness, built around the ruins of an 18th-century military fort constructed by the British after the Jacobite risings. The fort was strategically positioned to control the Highlands and maintain order. The town developed around the fort and became a stopping point for travelers in the region.
Fort Augustus is a popular tourist stop for visitors exploring Loch Ness and the Great Glen Way hiking route. The town features restaurants, shops, and accommodations catering to tourists. The Caledonian Canal, which connects Loch Ness to the North Sea, passes through the town and offers boat tours and water activities.
Visit: Fort Augustus (landmark)
Hiking trail from Fort Augustus to Fort William — A test of endurance
The Great Glen Way hiking trail connects Fort Augustus to Fort William and represents escape routes, physical challenge, and the boundaries of the Highland wilderness. In the novel, the trail embodies the possibility of walking away from danger, yet also the isolation and exposure of the Highlands. The trail's difficulty and length mirror the emotional journey the characters endure.
The Great Glen Way follows the line of the Great Glen, a major geographical fault line that runs through Scotland from the North Sea to the Atlantic. The route has been used for travel and transportation for centuries, following ancient paths and later the Caledonian Canal. The formal hiking trail was established in 2002.
The Great Glen Way is one of Scotland's most popular long-distance walking trails, stretching 73 kilometers from Fort Augustus to Fort William. The trail is well-maintained and waymarked, offering accommodation and facilities in towns along the route. It attracts hikers from around the world seeking to experience the Scottish Highlands on foot.
Visit: Great Glen Way (park)
Running through the Great Glen — A passage between worlds
The Caledonian Canal connects Loch Ness to other lochs and the North Sea, serving as a symbol of connection to the outside world. In the novel, the canal represents both escape and containment — the characters are near water routes but fundamentally isolated. The canal's locks and controlled passage mirror the constraints the characters experience as their situation becomes increasingly confined.
The Caledonian Canal was built between 1803 and 1822 to provide a shipping route connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the North Sea, avoiding the dangerous journey around Scotland's northern coast. The canal was engineered by Thomas Telford and includes a series of locks to manage the height difference between the lochs. The canal was revolutionary for its time but became less important with the advent of steam-powered ships that could navigate open water.
The Caledonian Canal is now primarily a recreational waterway, popular with tourists on boat tours and private vessels. The canal is navigable by small boats and cruises regularly depart from Fort Augustus, offering tourists views of Loch Ness and the surrounding Highlands. The canal towpaths are also popular with walkers and cyclists.
Visit: Caledonian Canal (landmark)
Near Inverness — A place where Highland dreams were shattered
Culloden Battlefield, where Highlanders were defeated by British forces in 1746, serves as a historical metaphor for the novel's themes of devastation and irreversible loss. The battlefield's tragic history echoes through the novel — just as the clans were destroyed at Culloden, the couple's relationship and trust are obliterated in the cottage. The weight of Highland history underscores the personal tragedy unfolding in the present.
The Battle of Culloden, fought on April 16, 1746, was the decisive engagement that ended the Jacobite rising and effectively ended the independent Highland way of life. The Highlanders were defeated by government forces, resulting in massive casualties and the decimation of clan culture. The battle marked the beginning of the Highland Clearances and forced emigration.
Culloden Battlefield is managed by the National Trust for Scotland and is one of Scotland's most visited historical sites. The visitor center provides exhibits and film about the battle and its consequences. Visitors can walk the battlefield, view the clan graves and monuments, and understand one of Scotland's most pivotal historical moments.
Visit: Culloden Battlefield (historic site)
Near Urquhardt Castle — Tourist infrastructure in a remote landscape
The Loch Ness Visitor Centre represents the intrusion of modern tourism into the ancient landscape. While not directly featured in the novel, the centre embodies the contrast between the curious onlookers seeking mythical monsters and the very real horrors unfolding at the couple's isolated cottage. The centre's focus on legends and mystery parallels the deceptive narratives the characters construct.
The Loch Ness Visitor Centre was established to manage tourism and provide information about the loch's history, ecology, and famous legends. The centre was built to accommodate the millions of visitors annually seeking to experience Loch Ness and search for evidence of the 'monster.' The facility has evolved to include exhibits about both the legend and the loch's genuine natural and historical significance.
The Loch Ness Visitor Centre offers interactive exhibits about the loch's geology, history, and the Nessie legend. The centre features a cinema, exhibition space, and gift shop. Visitors can enjoy a café and access the scenic shoreline. The centre attracts thousands of tourists annually and serves as an information hub for exploring the Loch Ness region.
Visit: Loch Ness Visitor Centre (museum)
South of Inverness — A picturesque hamlet near the narrative's geography
Beauty (pronounced 'Byewly') is a small Highland village that represents civilization and normalcy in proximity to the couple's nightmare. The village's peaceful appearance and ordinary life contrast sharply with the psychological warfare unfolding at the cottage. The village serves as a reminder that just miles away from beautiful, quaint Scottish towns, a marriage is collapsing into deception and potential violence.
Beauty is a small village in the Scottish Highlands with a long history. The village features a beautiful ruined priory, founded in the 13th century, which gives the village its name. Beauty has been a focal point of Highland life for centuries and retains much of its historic character and charm.
Beauty remains a small, quiet village popular with visitors exploring the Highlands. The ruined Beauty Priory is managed by Historic Environment Scotland and is open to visitors. The village features a small number of shops and accommodations, making it a peaceful stopping point for those touring the region.
Visit: Beauty Village and Priory (historic site)
On the Caledonian Canal — Where passage is controlled
Dochgarroch Lock on the Caledonian Canal serves as a metaphorical representation of control and containment. The lock's mechanism, which raises and lowers vessels, mirrors the power dynamics and control issues between the three characters. The lock prevents free passage, just as secrets and lies prevent the characters from moving forward in their relationships.
Dochgarroch Lock is one of the series of locks on the Caledonian Canal built by Thomas Telford in the early 19th century. The locks were engineering marvels that allowed vessels to navigate the significant height differences between the various lochs and waterways. The locks remain functioning examples of 19th-century engineering and are still operational.
Dochgarroch Lock is part of the functioning Caledonian Canal system and is accessible to the public. Visitors can watch boats pass through the lock and understand the engineering required to navigate the canal. The lock area features walking paths and informational signage about the canal's history and operation.
Visit: Caledonian Canal Locks (historic site)
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