Iconic Eilean Donan Castle & the West Highlands
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Port
Portree (Isle of Skye), Scotland, United Kingdom
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Activity Level
Moderate
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Excursion Type
Local Sightseeing,All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At
$119.95
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 4¼ Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
Skirt the base of the famous and treacherous Cuillin Mountains -- a dark, brooding mass growing more prominent on the horizon. Two distinct rock types make up this range -- Red Cuillin (red granite) and Black Cuillin (dark grey basalt and gabbro) -- together forming one of the most distinctive and beautiful mountain panoramas in the whole of the British Isles.
At the south end of the Isle of Skye, you will cross the Skye Bridge -- a contentious project when it was built but now considered by many to be a blessing.
Your destination is the iconic Eilean Donan Castle on the mainland. This is Scotland's most-photographed castle, and one glance at its achingly beautiful setting and perfect degree of dilapidation leaves no room for doubt that this special status is one hundred percent earned. Eilean Donan's image has graced the covers of calendars and postcards, and the castle has even starred in such movies as Highlander and James Bond. Cross to the castle by way of a stone footbridge and learn about its strategic location, presiding over the once-important confluence of Lochs Alsh, Long and Duich. Its forbidding tower rises from the water's edge, and its rather exciting history dates from the 13th century. There are plenty of stories to go around -- bloody, bold and beautiful -- from the Vikings to the 18th-century Jacobite rebellion to Bonnie Prince Charlie and prophetic dreams. The contents of Eilean Donan reflect its fantastic past, from the billeting room and its 12-foot-thick walls to the lavishly-decorated dining hall, with its secret tunnels behind the walls.
Return to the ship along the same panoramic route and, time and traffic permitting, enjoy some photo stops to capture some stunning Skye scenery.