Edinburgh & Scotland's West Coast Cruise 2012 

Following your individual travel to Edinburgh, your Tour Manager meets you in the reception of the Radisson Blu Hotel. The hotel is superbly situated at the halfway point of the city's impressive Royal Mile which runs from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace. With so many different activities to tempt you, you have today free for individual sightseeing. Edinburgh city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and as you wander through the narrow streets of the medieval Old Town and the elegant terraces of the Georgian New Town, it's easy to see why it was awarded this accolade. Stroll past award-winning modern architecture juxtaposed with majestic old buildings built in the typical grey stone of the area, or amble down the winding alleyways, or wynds, which fan out from the Royal Mile leading up to the castle. This fortress, perched high on Castle Rock, is a symbol of Scotland's turbulent past. (D)

This morning we enjoy a guided walking tour of Edinburgh. Our local guide takes us on an informative tour of the Old Town, walking in the footsteps of Robert Burns. Following our tour we transfer to Edinburgh Waverley for a journey over the Forth Rail Bridge and through the brooding Highland scenery to Inverness. Here we transfer to Muirtown Locks in Inverness, where we board the MV Lord of the Glens, our luxury floating home for the next 11 nights. Tonight we enjoy the Captain's Welcome Reception and dinner on board. The MV Lord of the Glens remains moored in Inverness overnight. (B,D)

After enjoying our first sumptuous breakfast on board we enjoy a fascinating excursion to Culloden and the Clava Cairns. We then enjoy a panoramic tour of the charming city of Inverness before returning to the ship for lunch on board. This afternoon we set sail for the first time, travelling along the Caledonian Canal. We enter tranquil, mystical Loch Ness, famous for its 'monster' and for its outstanding beauty. We cruise past Urquhart Castle, still an impressive sight on the banks of Loch Ness despite its ruinous state. Finally we reach Fort Augustus, a village on Loch Ness. We conclude the day by ascending the impressive flight of locks that run through the heart of Fort Augustus before mooring in the heart of the village overnight. (B,L,D)

This morning we remain in Fort Augustus, giving you chance to explore the village and the fascinating British Waterways Museum, which is dedicated to the construction of the Caledonian Canal. Returning to the ship, we enjoy lunch on board as we make our way through some of the man-made sections of the Canal. We also cross beautiful Loch Oich and travel along a picturesque, tree-lined section of canal known as Laggan Avenue. We reach Laggan Locks and moor here for the night. This evening you could enjoy an interesting walk to a nearby settlement and pay a visit to a unique floating pub. (B,L,D)

After making our way through Laggan Locks we enter Loch Lochy - Scotland's third deepest loch. We cruise across the entire length of the loch to Gairlochy Locks. We continue through the village of Gairlochy to the town of Banavie, which lies in the shadow of mighty Ben Nevis. Those who wish can walk the final section of today's journey from Gairlochy to Banavie - a pleasant stroll of approximately six miles along the canal towpath. After enjoying lunch on board we take an excursion by coach to Glencoe. Set in this incredibly scenic location is the Glencoe Visitor Centre, an exciting, interactive visitor experience exploring the history, wildlife and scenery of Glencoe. We return to Banavie this evening, where we remain moored for the night. (B,L,D)

This morning we make our way through Neptune's Staircase - an incredible flight of eight inter-connected locks operated by a team of at least three lock keepers. After two further locks we reach sea level at Corpach before continuing across Loch Linnhe to Lismore Island, which guards the mouth of Loch Creran. One of Scotland's best-kept secrets, Loch Creran is incredibly picturesque and is home to an abundance of wildlife, including seals and dolphins that have made the loch their home. We cruise to the small marina of Barcaldine, located at the mid-point of the loch, where we disembark for a visit to the beautiful gardens at nearby Ardchattan Priory. We moor for the night at Barcaldine. (B,L,D)

Early this morning we sail back into Loch Linnhe before crossing the Sound of Mull to Craignure on the delightful Isle of Mull, the second largest of the Inner Hebrides. As we head through small islands and across to Mull, the incredible picture-postcard views are simply awe-inspiring; rugged coastline, hills rising sharply from the water's edge, endless greens, purples and browns of the moorland and jagged, exposed rock faces - this is Scotland's stunning west coast just as you had imagined it to be. From here we have an excursion to the equally beautiful Isle of Iona. Hidden from the mainland and only accessible from Mull, Iona is an unspoilt island of pristine beaches and wild terrain. Steep, rocky hills rise steeply behind the few houses that comprise Iona's main settlement, Baile Mor 'big town' in Gaelic - really no more than a small village or hamlet. Later we return to the Isle of Mull, where we moor for the night. (B,L,D)

This morning we visit Duart Castle, the ancestral home of the Maclean Clan. We leave our mooring at Craignure later in the day, sailing along the Sound of Mull to Tobermory, the capital of the Isle of Mull in the north of the island. The fishing port is most recognisable for the gaily painted houses which line the waterfront. You have time to explore Tobermory, where we moor for the night. (B,L,D)

Today we sail around Ardnamurchan Point, which has the distinction of being the most westerly point of mainland Britain. We continue to the Hebridean Isle of Rum, an island which is one of Scotland's finest nature reserves. The island was the site chosen for the reintroduction of sea eagles to Scotland and is also home to a huge variety of birds and mammals, including deer, otters and seals. The island was known to many as "Forbidden Island" thanks to the inhospitable island owners, the Bullough family, who would fire guns towards approaching ships to discourage them from coming too close. The family occupied Kinloch Castle, a beautiful red sandstone fort which is in superb condition. We visit Kinloch Castle and remain moored on Rum overnight. (B,L,D)

An early morning sailing takes us across the Sound of Sleet to the Isle of Skye. The majestic, rocky Cuillin Mountains, rising steeply from the sea, are the feature for which the island is possibly most famous. The jagged bare rock mountains tower over the smaller settlements along the coastline. We arrive at the small town of Armadale, from where we enjoy an excursion to Armadale Castle, home of the Clan Donald Centre. Later we sail back to the mainland, entering beautiful Loch Nevis. Here we moor at the remote community of Inverie, which has no roads in or out and which has, according to records, the 'remotest pub in Great Britain' - the Old Forge. We spend the night moored at Inverie. (B,L,D)

This morning we sail along the Sound of Sleat and past Kyle Rhea before entering the Kyle of Lochalsh. Our excursion this afternoon takes us on a scenic drive to Attadale Gardens, which were specially designed to frame the terrific views across to the Isle of Skye and surrounding hills. We continue the excursion to Eilean Donan Castle, which is one of the most iconic images of Scotland and has been used in several major films, including Highlander and Braveheart. The castle, located on an island at the point where three great sea lochs meet, is recognised all over the world and is one of the most popular attractions in the Scottish Highlands. We return to the ship this evening for the Captain's Farewell Reception and Dinner, mooring overnight at Kyle of Lochalsh. (B,L,D)

After breakfast on board the MV Lord of the Glens, we disembark the ship for the final time and transfer to Kyle of Lochalsh railway station, where we board the train for a journey on the Kyle Line to Inverness. This is one of the most scenic railway lines in Europe, climbing over the highlands and passing numerous lochs as we traverse from west coast to east coast. Finally, we cross the Caledonian Canal and arrive at Inverness Station. We spend the night at the Hotel Columba, located on the banks of the River Ness in the heart of Inverness. (B,L,D)

Today we leave Inverness, boarding the East Coast rail service for a journey south through the Cairngorms, via Aviemore, Pitlochry and Kingussie, to arrive back in Edinburgh for the final night of the holiday at the Radisson Blu Hotel. We enjoy a final dinner together in the hotel's restaurant tonight. (B,D)

Your Tour Manager bids you farewell and a safe journey home after breakfast. For those wishing to stay a little longer, Edinburgh has many attractions to tempt you, such as museums, galleries and the Royal Yacht Britannia. (B)

B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
These meals, where shown, are included in the price of your holiday