• Robertson’s Farm Shop Beauly - Highland Cows, goats and Alpacas can be seen here. The farm shop is packed with a wide range of treats to tempt all tastes as well as gifts and goodies for all the family! Then, head on to Beauly Priory, a 5-minute drive away.

• Beauly Priory - We’ll start by traveling west past the town of Alness and over the Cromarty Firth towards Beauly, where we will arrive at Beauly Priory, a beautiful ancient monastery that now lies in ruins but retains an air of reverence and mystery. Beauly Priory was founded around 1230 by monks of the Valliscaulian order. They came from their mother house in Burgundy, in France, and settled beside the Beauly River, at the place where it enters the Beauly Firth. They were invited to do so by the lord, Sir John Bisset. And there their successors lived for the next 300 years, until the Protestant Reformation of 1560 brought their cloistered and contemplative life to an abrupt end. Today their legacy lives on, in their pretty, tree-fringed abbey church, roofless but otherwise largely intact. Then, head on to Loch Ness, a 30-minute drive away.

• Urquhart Castle - From there it’s on to Loch Ness, through the town of Drumnadrochit and towards the famous Urquhart Castle and its visitor center. The castle is a truly romantic ruin, perched on a rocky outcrop overlooking the loch. The castle is surrounded on all sides by waters over 600-feet deep, where the legendary Loch Ness Monster is said to make her home. Take your time wandering the historic ruins and learn more about its amazing history, before the tour picks up again, this time towards the City of Inverness, the capital of the Highlands. Then, head on to Inverness, a 20-minute drive away.

• Inverness - Inverness is a city on Scotland’s northeast coast, where the River Ness meets the Moray Firth. It’s the largest city and the cultural capital of the Scottish Highlands. Its Old Town features 19th-century Inverness Cathedral, the mostly 18th-century Old High Church and an indoor Victorian Market selling food, clothing and crafts. The contemporary Inverness Museum and Art Gallery traces local and Highland history.

• Inverness Cathedral, dedicated to St Andrew - St. Andrew’s Cathedral, also known as Inverness Cathedral, is our next destination - a beautiful cathedral church dating back to 1869 located near the center of Inverness. The Anglican Cathedral is the most northerly in the UK, and is an excellent example of local architecture and the Gothic style. Take some time to admire the beautiful stained glass windows and intricately carved stonework. Inverness Cathedral is a cathedral of the Scottish Episcopal Church close to the banks of the River Ness. Then, head on to Cawdor Castle, a 30-minute drive away.

• Cawdor Castle - From Clava Cairns, it is just a short drive towards Cawdor Castle. We will spend around 1 hour here. Take some time to wander the beautiful walled gardens and natural woodlands while taking in the castle’s extensive history dating back as far as 1180. The castle is a popular destination and a must-see, not least for its connection to the Shakespeare play Macbeth. Cawdor Castle was built as a private fortress by the Thanes of Cawdor. An ancient medieval tower built around the legendary holly tree. Uniquely for a Scottish Castle, Cawdor boasts three very different gardens. Each with their own history that generations of owners have over the years, transformed and extended. As a result, these ideas are represented today by the Walled Garden, the Flower Garden and the Wild Garden. Then, head on to Clava Cairns, a 20-minute drive away.

• Clava Cairns - Clava Cairns is a deeply sacred place within the landscape of the Highlands steeped in history, with the first usage of the site thought to date back over 4000 years. Set within a beautiful forested area, there is evidence that ancient peoples returned here again and again; there are even the ruins of a medieval chapel here. The Clava Cairns serves as the inspiration for the fictitious Craigh na Dun standing stones in the book and TV series Outlander, in fact, the famous “cleft stone” that transports the main character Claire back in time can be found here. Clava Cairns or the Prehistoric Burial Cairns of Balnuaran of Clava are a group of three Bronze Age cairns located near Inverness. A hugely significant and exceptionally well-preserved prehistoric site, Clava Cairns is a fantastic example of the distant history of Highland Scotland. Then, head on to Culloden Battlefield, a 20-minute drive away.

• Culloden Battlefield - The tour then takes us east towards Culloden Battlefield and Visitor Centre. Culloden famously played host to the bloody Battle of Culloden, the outcome of which had ramifications far outside the local area and is intensively documented at the visitor center. Get up close and personal with the history of the battle with artifacts, re-enactments, and talks by local historians. On 16 April 1746, the final Jacobite Rising came to a brutal head. Jacobite supporters, seeking to restore the Stuart monarchy to the British thrones, gathered to fight the Duke of Cumberland’s government troops. It was the last pitched battle on British soil and, in less than an hour, around 1,500 men were slain – more than 1,000 of them Jacobites. Then, head on to the Glen Ord Distillery, a 30-minute drive away.

• The Singleton Distillery - Glen Ord distillery is a whisky distillery in the Scottish Highlands and is the only remaining single malt scotch whisky distillery on the Black Isle. They produce a 12-year-old, 15-year-old, and an 18-year-old single malt The Singleton of Glen Ord that’s available for export only to Southeast Asia. We will then head back towards Invergordon, returning at least 1 hour prior to your ship’s departure.

• Bottled water provided
• Complimentary snacks included
• Air-conditioned vehicles for comfort
• Enjoy live commentary during the tour

• Urquhart Castle entry fee costs £13 -£14.50 per person
• cawdor castle entry fee cost £12 per person

HERITAGE AND PICTURESQUE JOURNEYS

Experience the best of Scotland in this day-long excursion from Invergordon to Loch Ness, showcasing the region’s most spectacular, historic and culturally rich landmarks. Your local host will greet you upon your arrival from your cruise vessel at Invergordon port to begin your unique Highlands exploration.

Embark on a journey through some of the most celebrated and historically rich sites in the Highlands, beginning with Beauly Priory, and then heading to the renowned, idyllic Urquhart Castle situated by Loch Ness. Witness the peaceful Ness Islands and St. Andrew’s Cathedral, before proceeding to the historic site of the Culloden Battlefield and the hallowed Clava Cairns, the setting of the noted Outlander “split rock”. The tour concludes with a visit to Cawdor Castle, taking in its beautiful gardens and grounds, followed by a return to Inverness.

Tours with a customized feel. We keep group sizes to 4, 6, and 8 participants to ensure you get the most out of the experience.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.