Scotland:Lord of the Glens – 8 day cruise (Secrets of the Highlands and Islands) 1242

Travel under own arrangement to Inverness (rail/air connections can be arranged on request). A coach transfer is provided from Inverness Airport (approx. 15.15hrs) or Inverness city centre (approx. 16.00hrs) to Muirtown Basin, Inverness, where we embark the MV Lord of the Glens.
This evening we will be joined by members of the crew for a welcome reception before dinner. We moor here overnight.

After breakfast this morning we depart by coach on an excursion to the National Trust for Scotland’s Visitor Centre at Culloden, the scene of the last battle fought on British soil in 1746, and the Clava Cairns, a group of exceptionally well-preserved burial cairns that were built about 4000 years ago. We set sail this afternoon on the Caledonian Canal, built between 1803 and 1822 to connect Loch Ness with the Great Glen’s three other lochs. This most famous of Scottish lochs is 23 miles long, a mile wide and up to 600ft deep, which is a lot of water in which to hide if you are a monster! Whether ‘Nessie’ is a relic from the age of dinosaurs or just a carefully cultivated myth remains to be seen, but keep a careful look out just in case! On the way we pass by the ruins of Castle Urquhart, which provides the perfect photo opportunity.
We ascend an impressive flight of locks that runs through the heart of Fort Augustus, where we moor this evening.

After breakfast this morning we sail through the tree-lined section known as Laggan Avenue and into Loch Lochy, where we continue until we descend Neptune’s Staircase, a set of eight interconnected locks. We arrive in the village of Corpach, nestled in the shadow of Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain. In the afternoon we depart by train along part the West Highland railway, travelling over the impressive Glenfinnan Viaduct, which found world-wide fame after it appeared in the Harry Potter films.
We moor overnight in Corpach.

Today after breakfast we enter the ocean, passing mysterious lochs and islands until we reach Oban, the seafood capital of the Highlands. Join us for a walk around the town and (if you wish) up to McCaigs Tower, dominating the skyline of the town with great views over the bustling harbour and towards the isle of Mull. We moor overnight here.

Following breakfast this morning we sail to Craignure, the main ferry port of Mull, with a chance to take photographs of Duart Castle, the 13th century home of the Chief of Clan MacLean.  We depart by coach for a visit to the Isle of Iona, the last resting place of some 50 Scottish Kings and the place where St Columba introduced Christianity to Britain. The tiny island has a unique sense of peace and tranquillity. This afternoon we sail to Tobermory. Tobermory’s most famous and striking feature is the row of brightly painted houses that lines the waterfront, originally built by the British Fisheries Company for £20 pound each to house its workers.
We moor in Tobermory overnight.

Enjoy your breakfast this morning as we depart on an early morning sail to the tiny island of Eigg, where you get a sense of what life is like for the 90 or so people who live on this island, which came into community ownership in 1998. Look out for marine animals and birdlife, including Atlantic seals, minke whales, dolphins, porpoises and a variety of seabirds.
We then sail to the town of Inverie in Loch Nevis, one of the most remote locations in Scotland with a famous pub which can only be accessed by boat. We moor in Inverie overnight.

As we enjoy breakfast this morning we sail across the Sound of Sleat to Armadale on the Isle of Skye. Here we will visit the Clan Donald Centre, before we sail to Kyle of Lochalsh this afternoon to visit Eilean Donan Castle. This must be one of the most photographed castles in Scotland, with its impossibly romantic setting on Loch Duich. The beginnings of Eilean Donan Castle reach back into the early mists of time – evidence of a pictish fort was found in vitrified rock uncovered during excavations, some of which has been kept for visitors to see.
In the evening we will be joined by members of the crew reception and dinner, and moor here in Kyle overnight.

Following breakfast we disembark. A coach transfer will take you back to Inverness city centre (approx. 11.30hrs) and Inverness Airport (approx. 12.00hrs). Alternatively you can travel independently via the scenic railway line to Inverness.