Port
Invergordon (Inverness), Scotland, United Kingdom
Activity Level
Moderate
Excursion Type
Local Sightseeing,All
Wheelchair Accessible
No
Starting At
$204.95
Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
Duration
Approximately 8 Hours
Meals Included
Meals included
Begin your day with a panoramic drive from Invergordon along the banks of the beautiful Cromarty Firth. Descending a steep hill, you will see splendid Loch Ness -- the largest volume of fresh water in the UK -- home of the Loch Ness Monster. Enduring legend, clever hoax, or the real thing? You decide. Pause briefly for photos on the banks of Loch Ness; then, head south, skirting the banks of the loch en route to a local hamlet for a comfort stop.
Continuing through some of Scotland's most rugged and wild landscapes, you'll pass Loch Clunie and Glen Shiel, with a dramatic ridge that boasts no fewer than seven Munros (mountains that stand at more than 3,000 feet). This is the site of a famous Jacobite battlefield.
Magical, iconic and unforgettable Eilean Donan Castle presides over the once strategically-important confluence of Lochs Alsh, Long and Duich. This astonishingly graceful castle and its imposing tower rise from the water's edge, joined to the shore by a narrow stone bridge, with sheer mountains as a backdrop. Spend two hours exploring as your guide provides detailed information on the castle's vivid history, which dates back to the 13th century.
The drive back to the port at Invergordon is a three-hour scenic adventure through the wilderness of the Highlands, awe-inspiring countryside, rugged landscapes, seascapes and towering mountains. The forbidding Field of Storms and a series of four tranquil lochs ease you back to Invergordon.
Notes:
Photo stops are time and traffic conditions permitting. Wear comfortable walking shoes. Photography is not allowed inside the castle. Bags/backpacks cannot be taken into the castle. In July and August, guided tours of Eilean Donan Castle are not allowed; handheld audio guides are provided instead. Tour consists mainly of sightseeing from the transportation, with a two-hour stop at Eilean Donan Castle.