'The Heart of the Highlands'

A ten night cruise aboard the deluxe MV Lord of the Glens navigating a course through the beautiful Highlands, Islands, Glens and Lochs of Scotland. Cruising Loch Ness, Loch Oich, Loch Lochy, Loch Linnhe, Loch Leven, and Loch Sunart. Visiting Inverness, Fort Augustus, Tobermory (Isle of Mull), Isle of Iona and Ullapool.

Inverness to Gairloch/Ullapool 
(Map of itinerary)

Day 1  Inverness. Join the Lord of the Glens under your own arrangements or join the scheduled transfer from Inverness airport/train station to the Muir Town Basin (Inverness). Embark from 16.00 hours. Captains welcome reception and evening dinner cruise around the Moray Firth. Moor overnight. 

Day 2  Inverness to Fort Augustus. Morning tour of Fort George,  then the nearby standing stones of Clava Cairns, overlapping the Stone and Bronze Ages followed by Cawdor Castle.  In the afternoon we will cruise Loch Dochfour and the length of Loch Ness sailing close the impressive ruins of Urquhart Castle. Reach Fort Augustus in evening. Moor overnight. 

Day 3  Fort Augustus to Laggan Locks. Morning at leisure to independently explore Fort Augustus . After lunch continue via a short man-made section of the Canal to Laggan Locks (where those who up for a healthy stroll can walk this section catching the vessel up at Kytra Locks) before the vessel continues across Loch Oich and then to the ‘ Laggan Avenue ’ another man-made section of the Canal for the night. Here at Laggan Locks is a floating pub and a variety of walks for those interested in ‘wilds’ of the Scottish Highlands. Moor overnight. 

Day 4  Laggan Locks to Banavie. Depart after breakfast and cross Loch Lochy arriving at Banavie, in the shadow of Britain’s highest mountain Ben Nevis, shortly after lunch. Afternoon tour to Glencoe. Moor overnight. 

Day 5  Tobermory Isle of Mull. After breakfast descend Neptune ’s Staircase’ - a flight of eight interconnected locks that lowers the vessel to sea level and the open sea ( Loch Linnhe ) at Corpach. Thereafter cruise Loch Linnhe, pass Fort William, Lismore Island, Duart Castle, the Sound of Mull and finally onto Tobermory on the Island of Mull. The afternoon is reserved for independent exploration of the town. Tobermory’s most distinctive feature lies in the brightly covered painted facades of many of the buildings that line the quayside originally built by the British Fisheries Company to house its workers in the 18th century for just £25 each – the most notable being the Mishnish Pub. Evening (weather permitting) cruise of Loch Sunnart & Moor overnight at Tobermory. 

Day 6  Tobermory - Isle of Mull & Iona. The whole day is reserved for the full day excursion of the Isle of Mull & Iona. For more than 1000 years, the island of Iona has been a place of deep spiritual significance. No less than 62 Kings of Scotland are buried here, including Duncan, Macbeth’s victim. St Columba came here from Ireland in 563 AD and early Christianity spread through northern Britain from this remote island community. After lunch return via Duart Castle home of the Clan Maclean Chiefs for nearly 700 years. Moor overnight at Tobermory.

Day 7  Tobermory to Armadale. After breakfast cruise around Ardnamurchan Point – the most westerly point of mainland Britain, then pass the island of Eigg before entering Loch Nevis and arriving at Armadale on the Island of Skye. Afternoon visit to the Clan Donald Centre and Gardens. Moor overnight.

Day 8  Isle of Skye. Morning cruise of the Sound of Sleat, Loch Hourn, Kyle Rhea, to Kyle of Lochalsh. Afternoon drive across the Skye Bridge to the Isle of Skye for a visit to the Cuillin Mountains and the capital, Portree. Portree is best explored independently on foot and has many interesting things to engage the casual visitor. See the Royal Hotel (McNab’s Inn ) where Bonnie Prince Charlie bade farewell for the last time in 1746 to Flora MacDonald, who famously conveyed him ‘over the sea to Skye’. Later visit the Cuillin Mountains . Moor at Kyle of Lochalsh overnight.

Day 9  Gairloch. Following breakfast cruise the Inner Sound, Loch Carron (Plockton) to beautiful Loch Torridon and even more beautiful Upper Loch Torridon before continuing to Gairloch. The late afternoon is reserved for independent exploration of this small fishing town or an optional trip out on one of the small whale/dolphin/seal vessels that run from quay. Moor overnight.

Day 10  Gairloch to Ullapool. Morning visit to Inverewe Gardens . Here amongst the scenery visit the splendid Inverewe Gardens where windbreaks made of local pines provide shelter for an amazing collection of exotic trees and shrubs. Afternoon excursion to Ullapool with its painted houses with an optional visit (weather permitting) to the Summer Isles in search of marine wildlife. Evening Captain’s Farewell reception and dinner. Moor at Gairloch overnight.

Day 11  Gairloch/Ullapool. Disembark after breakfast. A transfer coach will take passengers back to Inverness if required.

Deck Plan & Pricing

EXCURSION DESCRIPTIONS:

FULL DAY EXCURSION OF THE ISLE OF MULL & IONA.
Duration: All day 
Highlights: For more than 1000 years, the island of Iona has been a place of deep spiritual significance. No less than 62 Kings of Scotland are buried here, including Duncan, Macbeth’s victim. St Columba came here from Ireland in 563 AD and early Christianity spread through northern Britain from this remote island community. Also includes a visit to Duart Castle home of the Clan Maclean Chiefs for nearly 700 years.

VISIT TO THE CLAN DONALD CENTRE AND GARDENS
Duration: 2 hours 
Highlights: Explore the wonderful gardens and look round the old house.

VISIT THE SPLENDID INVEREWE GARDENS.
Duration: 2 hours 
Highlights: An amazing collection of exotic trees and shrubs.

ULLAPOOL
Duration: 2 hours 
Highlights: Excursion to Ullapool with its painted houses.