Loch Ness,cawdor castle,inverness,Culloden battlefield,& more from invergordon

based on 58 reviews

Duration:7 hours to 8 hours (approx.)
Location: Invergordon, The Scottish Highlands

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This is the ultimate day tour from Invergordon to Loch Ness, taking in some of the most breathtaking, historic and culturally significant sights available anywhere in Scotland. Our local guide will meet you as you disembark from your cruise ship at the port of Invergordon and take you on your own personal Highland adventure.

Visit some of the most historic and cultural sites in the Highlands starting with Beauly Priory, before moving onto the famous and romantic Urquhart Castle at Loch Ness. See the tranquil Ness Islands and St. Andrew’s Cathedral, before moving onto the historic Culloden Battlefield and the sacred site of Clava Cairns, home of the famous Outlander “cleft stone”. Finally, take in Cawdor Castle, it’s gardens and grounds, before returning to Inverness.

Tours with that personal touch. We only take small groups of 4, 6 and 8 on our tours, which means you always get the very best experience.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

WHAT TO EXPECT

1.
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! and then on to beauly priory 5 min drive
2. Beauly Priory
We’ll start by travelling 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. and on to loch ness 30 min drive
3.
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 on to inverness 20 min drive
4. 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.
5.
St. Andrew’s Cathedral, also known as Inverness Cathedral, is our next destination - a beautiful cathedral church dating back to 1869 located near the centre 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 on to cawdor castle 30 min drive
6. Cawdor Castle
THE CASTLE WILL BE CLOSED FROM 2ND OCTOBER 2023 / TILL MID APRIL 2024. WE WILL GO TO FORT GEORGE INSTEAD . 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 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. and then on to clava cairns 20 min drive
7. Clava Cairns
Clava Cairns is a deeply sacred place within the landscape of the Highlands is 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. and then on to culloden battlefield 20 min drive
8. 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 centre. Get up close and personal with the history of the battle with artefacts, 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. and on to the glen ord distillery 30 min drive
9.
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. only for a tasting We will then head back towards Invergordon, returning at least 1 hour prior to your ship’s departure.

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Posted By : Kent_H
We had a great time and saw so much. Gene was our tour guide. He was so knowledgeable and considerate. He first asked us what was important to us to make sure he covered that. We covered everything. His vehicle was clean and had plenty of room for the four of us and our backpacks. He also had water for us. Definitely recommend this tour. Thanks
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-30 03:01:44

Posted By : Christy_P
We were traveling on a cruise with a family/friends group of six, including four young adults (19-23). Roy was a pleasure to spend the day with! Before the trip, Mike was very communicative and answered all our questions. Roy showed us some off the path spots that took our breath away. Inverness was quite crowded with 3 ships in port that day, so we were thrilled to be out in the countryside taking in the area's beauty. Roy had lots of great info to share, but we never felt like we were in a lecture. We made it back to the ship with plenty of time to board. He didn't provide "Jamie Fraser" there in person (only a picture where he visited the same spot as we were standing) alas, I will forgive him! :-)
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Posted On : 2024-06-25 15:56:38

Posted By : DAVID_D
Great tour guide. Very imformative and made the whole tour very special. Only complaint was room space tight in a car for 4 people
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Posted On : 2024-06-25 09:10:15

Posted By : Robert_L
My wife and I had the pleasure of touring Scotland with Kate as our guide, and I cannot recommend her highly enough. Kate's extensive knowledge and expertise allowed us to discover many hidden gems that we would have never found on our own. Touring with her was an absolute delight. She was not only highly professional but also brought a great sense of humor and attentiveness to the experience. Her ability to engage and entertain us while providing insightful information made the trip truly memorable. We loved every moment with Kate and would happily tour with her again!
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Posted On : 2024-06-20 04:16:17

Posted By : Susan_G
Susan was a wonderful guide. She was very knowledgeable of the area and sites we visited. Even though the weather was quite cold and rainy we got to see everything we wanted and two extra stops!!! Thank you Susan for a great tour.
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Posted On : 2024-06-19 18:02:13

Posted By : Sanay_B
This was a fantastic experience for our two families of 4 each with teens. Mike/Iqbal was such a knowledgeable, friendly and caring guide. He really tailored the excursion to our preferences, and we felt that we got to see the best of the area at a comfortable pace. There was something for everyone in our group!
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Posted On : 2024-06-18 08:04:56

Posted By : erin a
Our guide was so nice! He was friendly and informative and didn't waste our time doing things that weren't the best bang for our buck. We loved the whole day!
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Posted On : 2024-06-15 14:07:12

Posted By : 479tammiej
From the time we hopped off the boat, Tony met us, had a baby seat ready for us, and made us welcomed to the area with great information at every stop. Our tour included Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle, Cawdor Castle, Calva Cairns, Inverness, and a few more stops for photos. Tony personalized our tour to accommodate a 1 YO baby, and because she was easily totable, we enjoyed some nice walks in the two castle gardens and lunch in Inverness. While we had a full agenda, we never felt rushed. The weather was lovely which made for an overall fabulous day. Having a private car (a nice Mercedes van) for our family was a great decision and worth the price for a personalized and unique experience. Messaging prior to the cruise allowed us to ask questions and secure a baby seat for our little Lucy. We were also informed to book entrance to Urquhart castle online/prior so as to secure entrance, as tickets sell out. This tour was proof positive to book a non-cruise tour!
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Posted On : 2024-05-22 05:33:15

Posted By : claire_c
MIKE/IQBAL was ou guide. Oh my this was the best tour of our cruise.. at the beginning we told him what we were interested in and he tailored the trip to our wishes. He's so knowledgeable and everything was comfortable and perfect. You should do the private tour if you are like us and want our own schedule and limited crowds.
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Posted On : 2024-05-20 15:49:16

Posted By : Stephen_G
Perfect one-day tour. The drive through the countryside offers fantastic views. Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness is a wonderful site. Interesting and beautiful. Culloden battlefield offered an opportunity to learn about a tragic battle in Scotland's history. The standing stone site was great, and finishing off with a whiskey tasting was perfect. Our guide, Stuart, was knowledgeable, friendly, pleasant, and flexible. He was great! Highly recommend this tour. We were picked up and dropped off at the cruise ship dock. Could not have been any more convenient.
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Posted On : 2024-05-20 11:22:11