The Heart of the Scottish Highlands (Spirit of Scotland)

Description

For a magical barge cruise, Scotland is hard to surpass. We cruise sedately through the Great Glen between Inverness and Fort William, navigating beautiful lochs and the engineering masterpiece that is the Caledonian Canal. Ancient castles perched on the water’s edge, heather-clad hillsides and arguably the finest inland cruising in the world offer our clients unforgettable experiences on a handpicked barge cruise. Scotland’s legends of the past, the taste of single malt and the mythical inhabitant of Loch Ness all contribute to a magical charm only experienced in the dramatic Highlands.

Cuisine is traditional Scottish fare – salmon, game and seafood, prepared by your own Master Chef, and the hotel barge’s experienced crew of four will take care of your every need.

Please Note: Whisky Trail, Golf Theme Departures Available. Please contact us for more details.

On alternate weeks the cruise will be in the reverse direction.

Trip Name

The Heart of the Scottish Highlands (Spirit of Scotland)

Days

Overview

Vessel Type: Hotel Barge / River Boat Length: 128 feet / 39.01 meters Passenger Capacity: 12 Spirit of Scotland is an elegant hotel barge with extensive public areas inside and out that are perfect from which to admire the breathtaking Highlands scenery in comfort as she cruises the Caledonian Canal and the lochs of the Great Glen. Although purpose-built less than twenty years ago as a hotel barge, her style evokes that of the traditional steamers that plied the lochs of Scotland in times gone by. Accommodating up to 12 passengers in comfort, her interior features a bright and spacious saloon and dining area with picture windows, a separate bar, and an integral forward wheelhouse giving views of the cruise route ahead. The 6 air-conditioned cabins offer a choice of twin or double beds and are complemented by well-designed en suite shower rooms. Outside, there are separate areas where you can relax on a recliner, or perhaps in the heated spa pool, as well as a covered dining terrace. And the large upper sun deck is the ideal place to admire the dramatic backdrop as you cruise on deep-water lochs such as Loch Oich and past historic landmarks along the way. Your voyage aboard Spirit of Scotland will be an unforgettable experience, giving you the opportunity to appreciate the very best this dramatic region of Scotland has to offer from a unique perspective. All this, together with the traditional Scottish cuisine, fine wines and wide range of whiskies served on board by an attentive crew of 6, combine to ensure a truly memorable cruising experience.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Day 1 Banavie

Guests are met at the Glenmoriston Townhouse Hotel in Inverness and transferred by private chauffeured minibus to Spirit of Scotland. A champagne welcome by the Captain and crew and perhaps an early evening stroll before our first dinner on board.

Day 2 - Day 2 Banavie to Laggan

Our excursion today will take us to the mystical area of Glencoe, renowned for its geographical beauty and famed for one of the darkest days in Scottish history. Alternatively, we can enjoy some breath-taking panoramic views on a cable car ride to the summit of Aonach Mor mountain. If time permits we can visit the ruins of the 13th century, Old Inverlochy Castle, before embarking on our first cruise, through Moy Bridge, the last hand-operated bridge of its type on the Caledonian Canal. En route, we may visit the Clan Cameron Museum, before crossing Loch Lochy. As we approach our mooring at Laggan, a Highland Piper may be there to greet us with a stirring rendition of traditional Scottish music. Dinner on board.

Day 3 - Day 3 Laggan to Kytra

This morning, we take in some of the finest scenery Scotland has to offer as we drive to one of its best known and most photographed castles, Eilean Donan, which has featured in movies such as “Highlander” and James Bond’s “The World Is Not Enough” and overlooks three sea lochs.Our afternoon cruise today takes us across the very scenic Loch Oich, perhaps stopping en route for a spot of fishing and enjoying a walk, then onto our pretty mooring at Kytra. Dinner on board.

Day 4 - Day 4 Kytra to Fort Augustus

This morning we cruise to Fort Augustus and down the “flight” as the locals call it, to moor opposite the Benedictine Abbey at the entrance to Loch Ness. There is time to explore this pretty village, then after lunch on board, we visit the private, Highland Club; a spectacular exclusive set of residences and a former 19th century Benedictine Monastery with a fascinating history. It is here we are treated to a falconry and birds of prey demonstration on the banks of Loch Ness, the majesty of the swooping birds against the backdrop of the sweeping Scottish Highlands is not easily forgotten. This evening we have dinner ashore at a local restaurant.

Day 5 - Day 5 Fort Augustus to Dochgarroch

This morning we enjoy a picturesque cruise across world-famous Loch Ness, with perhaps a chance of spotting “Nessie”, where en route we pass Urquhart Castle, navigating closely beneath its spectacular 13th century ruins, before continuing our cruise to moor at the hamlet of Dochgarroch. After lunch we visit Cawdor Castle*, forever immortalised in Shakespeare’s “Scottish Play”, Macbeth. The picturesque gardens have been listed as being amongst the top 100 in the UK. The castle contains a superb collection of tapestries, pictures and furnishings and is still in use as a home for the Dowager Countess of Cawdor who resides there for several months of the year. Then we end our tour at the Clava Cairns, a pre-historic clan chieftain burial site dating back to 2,000 B.C. Dinner on board.

Day 6 - Day 6 Dochgarroch to Muirtown

This morning, our final cruise will take us through Tomnahurich swing bridge and through the locks to Muirtown, where there will be the opportunity to take a bicycle ride or walk to the sea lock with wonderful views over the Moray and Beauly Firths. After lunch we visit Culloden Moor, scene of the last major battle on British soil in 1746, next it’s on to the Muir of Ord distillery, founded in 1838 by licence holders Robert Johnstone and Donald MacLennan. We are given a fascinating description of the maturing and ageing process of their whiskies, each with its distinctive characteristics, followed by our special tasting of several single malts. Captain’s Farewell Dinner on board.

Day 7 - Day 7 Muirtown

After breakfast, guests are transferred by private chauffeured minibus to their choice of location in Inverness.

Day 8 - Please Note:

This is a sample itinerary and is subject to change. The excursion to Cawdor Castle is only possible between early May and the end of September. A visit to Fort George will replace it either side of these dates.

Trip Dates

Start	End	Price From	Room Type

Inclusions

Tour of the Glen Ord whisky distillery with a private tasting
Visit to Culloden Moor, scene of the last battle on British soil in 1746
Falconry and birds of prey demonstration on the banks of Loch Ness
Visit The Prestigious and Private Highland Club
Tour of Cawdor Castle and gardens, home of Shakespeare’s Scottish Play
Visit to Clava Cairns, a prehistoric burial site
Cruise Lochs Lochy, Oich, Ness and Dochfour
Wonderful river, canal and loch cruising
Excellent opportunities for walking