Scottish Islands & Lochs Cruise
Navigate Scottish lochs on this relaxing cruise
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Take advantage of our latest saving of up to £100 per person when booking your Cruise 2018 holiday on or before 31st October 2017.
The Award Winning Leader in Escorted Worldwide Rail Holidays
Take advantage of our latest saving of up to £100 per person when booking your Cruise 2018 holiday on or before 31st October 2017.
Take advantage of our latest saving of up to £100 per person when booking your Cruise 2018 holiday on or before 31st October 2017.
This fantastic five-night cruise through the heart of the Highlands begins and ends with a night in Edinburgh before we board our ship for a journey through the rugged coastline of Scotland's west coast to the unspoilt beauty of the Isle of Mull, up Neptune's Staircase, along the Caledonian Canal and across Loch Ness.
Following your individual travel to Edinburgh, your Tour Manager meets you at your hotel. After arriving, you are at leisure in Edinburgh, perhaps to explore its historic centre, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
As you wander through the narrow streets of the medieval Old Town and the elegant terraces of the Georgian New Town, it is easy to see why the city was awarded this accolade. Stroll past award-winning modern architecture and majestic old buildings, built in the area's typical grey stone, or amble down the winding alleyways which fan out from the beautiful Royal Mile, named because it runs between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace.
Edinburgh Castle itself might be an excellent place to explore. The building serves a mighty symbol of Scotland's turbulent past, and overlooks the city from its perch on an extinct volcano.
This morning we transfer to Waverley Station for a journey via Glasgow to the fishing village of Oban on the Scottish mainland's west coast. This quaint little town is known as the 'seafood capital of Scotland'. On arrival, we transfer to the North Pier, where we board our floating hotel for 5 nights, the luxury MV Lord of the Glens.
After settling in to your cabin, you are free to explore the delights that Oban has to offer, before a welcome reception and dinner on board. We moor in Oban overnight.
After enjoying our first sumptuous breakfast on board, we enjoy a walking tour this morning that includes a trip to a local whisky distillery. Here, we take a tour and enjoy a sample of one of Scotland's most famous exports, before we visit McCaig's Tower. This circular folly overlooks the town, and was based on the Colosseum in Rome. Following our excursion, we set sail for the first time. Take the time to relax on board, enjoying the facilities, as the spectacular coastal scenery of Oban Bay and Loch Linnhe pass effortlessly by, before we enter the Sound of Mull.
As we head through small islands and across to Mull, the incredible views are simply awe inspiring; the rugged coastline, the hills that rise sharply from the water's edge, all painted in the breathtaking greens, purples, and browns of the moorland and rock faces. We arrive at Craignure on the Isle of Mull for a visit to Duart Castle, the ancestral home of the MacLean Clan. Leaving Duart Castle, we cross Mull by coach to Tobermory, the capital of the island.
The fishing port of Tobermory is most recognisable for the gaily painted houses that line the waterfront. This morning, you are free to explore the town before we leave Mull and sail to the mainland. Our journey takes us along the length of the Sound of Mull and along Loch Linnhe to Corpach. We disembark our vessel for a fantastic excursion on the West Highland Line to Glenfinnan, a glorious journey that travels over the famous Glenfinnan viaduct, and provides a breathtaking snapshot of the stunning highland region. This evening, we remain moored in Corpach.
Today, we begin by ascending through the incredible feat of engineering that is Neptune's Staircase, which raises the vessel to Banavie. From here, we sail through Loch Lochy and Loch Oich, as well as the tree-lined Laggan Avenue, before travelling through Fort Augustus in preparation of our final destination of Loch Ness. We have time to explore Fort Augustus this evening, as the boat docks here overnight.
On Day 6, we set sail across mystical Loch Ness, famed for its 'monster' as well as its indescribable beauty. We cruise past the dramatic ruins of Urquhart Castle, that sits on the shore of the Loch, and pass Loch Dochfour on our way into Inverness. It is here that our journey on the MV Lord of the Glens concludes, and tonight we enjoy a farewell reception and dinner.
After breakfast, we disembark the MV Lord of the Glens, and travel to Edinburgh, passing through rolling countryside and verdant forests of the brooding Cairngorms National Park before arriving for a final afternoon at leisure in the Scottish capital.
After breakfast, you are free to leave Edinburgh at your leisure.
Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We write to all booked customers approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise the exact departure and return time for their particular group.
An escorted experience and all travel arrangements
Comfortable accommodation in your destination
Delicious meals included
Exciting excursions and free time to explore
Enhancing your tour
Just to let you know what a superb holiday we had aboard the 'Lord of the Glens'.
The beautiful scenery combined with fantastic weather and the care we received both from Jan, our tour manager, and the boat crew made for a very memorable holiday. The atmosphere aboard the ship was very peaceful and relaxed and the contrasts between sea, canal and lock cruising made for a very interesting voyage.
We octogenarians have recently returned from our holiday on the Lord of the Glens. We had worried in case we found the handling of cases and the train journeys too much, but Gordon, our Tour Manager, made it all so easy for us. It was a pleasure.
Our cabin was excellent with lots of storage space and a shower that, despite it size, worked very well. Our large bed was very comfortable and we did not find the stairs too difficult.
The food was very good and meal times were a lovely, sociable occasion with good conversation and no rushing around. The staff were all friendly and helpful, and it was nice to be able to get a cup of tea at any time of the day or night!
The bar prices did seem high but as we only wanted one drink in the evening this did not worry us, if we had wished we could have gone ashore and visited a local pub after dinner.
A wonderful holiday which we would happily do again.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. What a fabulous time we had.
Weather was not very good but the company, the crew, the
scenery, and not forgetting the food, absolutely made the
holiday. The food was magnificent. The staff waiting at the
tables were so friendly and obliging, it was a pleasure to be
served by them.
All in all a good time was had by all! We are now looking through
the brochures to see where we can go next year. Again, thank
you, thank you, thank you.
We had a truly great time.
Our ship - MV Lord of the Glens - was very comfortable, and the crew were fantastic. Nothing was too much trouble for any of them. Especially Brian, our Ship Manager. The food also was truly amazing, when you consider the small space in which it was prepared.
Fantastic! The scenery was stunning, as you would doubtless expect in such a beautiful part of the country as the Hebrides.
We have done quite a few cruises before but nothing quite like this. The size of the ship made all the difference, and especially the personal touch of all the staff that you don't find on bigger ships. Our cabin was very nice with more than enough storage space.
We did a lot more sailing than I expected and the scenery was
wonderful. We saw seals and dolphins and the captain turned the
ship around so we could have a good look at them. We had time for
nice, long walks when we docked, and visited castles and
gardens.
The hotel in Inverness had nice views of the River Ness. One man
in our group said he was meant to be a Victor Meldrew by nature but
that he just couldn't find anything to complain about - a view I
think that was felt by everyone on board.
Navigate Scottish lochs on this relaxing cruise
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I lost my husband four years ago after 52 years. I was very reluctant to go on holiday on my own but decided to book a cruise around the islands and lochs of Scotland. I need not have worried - on arrival at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Edinburgh I was greeted by a kind and thoughtful team leader and introduced to the rest of the party, who welcomed me. After a drink in the bar we had a delicious dinner in the restaurant.
Next morning the view was spectacular as the train took us to Oban where the Lord of the Glens awaited us. My cabin was comfortable and beautifully serviced. The crew and the staff on the ship made the holiday a treat. The food was stunning and the scenery amazing, although it rained a lot it didn't spoil a wonderful holiday. Thank you Great Rail Journeys.