A DAY ON THE BANKS OF LOCH NESS

In a nutshell

The tour involves a day-long trip along the banks of Loch Ness, the most famous lake in Scotland, in search of the mythical monster Nessie who has made it famous across the world.

Main stops

• Loch Ness
• Urquhart Castle
• Fort Augustus
• Caledonian Canal
• The wild, barren landscape of the east bank
• Foyers and its falls
• Dores
• Inverness

The programme

• We leave Invergordon by coach and head in a south-westerly direction, skirting the Cromarty Firth and passing through the villages of Muir of Ord and Beauly - with its evocative ruined Priory - to reach our final destination, the stunning Loch Ness, the deepest freshwater lake in Great Britain. Its dark abysses bring terrible stories to mind and visions of strange creatures, particularly the legendary Loch Ness monster.
• Located in an enviable setting on the edge of the loch sits the 14th-century Urquhart Castle, which we can admire as we pass by.
• We continue south, along the tree-lined banks of the loch, to Fort Augustus, a village with approximately 700 inhabitants located at the southern tip of Loch Ness. It was originally built to control the Scottish rebels of the North during the Jacobite Wars.
• During our free time at Fort Augustus we can walk along the banks of the 100 km-long Caledonian Canal, which was constructed to connect the North Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. The canal system is not entirely man-made, as three lakes in the valley around Loch Ness make up two thirds of its length. A series of locks were built to enable navigation between the different water levels in the Canal.
• Having visited Fort Augustus, we continue our tour, skirting the east bank of the loch in a northerly direction. The first part of the journey takes us through wild, barren landscapes that offer breath taking views.
• We reach the village of Foyers, where we will stop to admire the frothing falls, immersed in a Caledonian pine forest.
• Continuing north along the lochside, we catch another glimpse of Urquhart Castle on the opposite bank before reaching Dores, which boasts the loch's only beach, where we have the perfect opportunity to take photos thanks to its spectacular panoramic position at the edge of the waters. Camera at the ready as this is a last chance to spot Nessie.
• The final stop on our trip is Inverness, capital of The Highlands, where we will enjoy a brief city tour. This is an ancient city, but one that was almost entirely rebuilt during the 19th century. It is very pleasant to wander through its streets and along the tree-lined boulevards that flank the River Ness.
• At the end of the visit, we will return to the ship at Invergordon.

Good to know