Full-Day Private Tour to Urquhart Castle Loch Ness and Inverness
Description
Collecting you from the Port gate we travel along the shore of the Cromarty Firth and cross the Cromarty bridge to the Black Isle and make our way to Beauly Priory , the 13th century Monastery built for an order of Valliscaulian monks from Dijon in France and destroyed by Cromwells forces in the 16th Century. We will then make a brief stop to see some Highland Cattle ( see photo ) before we carry on over Culnakirk Hill to Drumnadrochit and visit Urquhart Castle which sits on a promontory jutting out in to Loch Ness , the views of the Loch are fantastic from here and it was near here where St Columba is reputed to have seen the Loch Ness Monster. We then head towards Inverness and as we come in to Inverness we pass the Hill of the Fairies. We stop to see the Cathedral and The Old High Church and we pass Inverness Castle and the statue of Flora Macdonald before we travel out to Clava Cairns and have lunch at Cawdor Castle before concluding our tour at Culloden Battlefield.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Beauly Priory is currently closed due to recent high winds causing masonry to fall , we do not know yet when it will reopen. We will still visit Beauly where you can see it from the gate. Beauly Priory was founded in the 13th Century as a Monastery for Valliscaulian order of monks from Dijon in France , Oliver Cromwells forces were responsible for destroying the Priory in the 16th Century. For centuries this was a Burial place for the chiefs of Clan Fraser and Mackenzie and their families. Their is an Outlander connection because it was here that Claire met the Seer.
Urquhart Castle sits on a promontory jutting out in to Loch Ness and has been fought over many times through the years. The views of Loch Ness from the castle are fantastic and during the visit you can go and explore the ruins of this 1000 year old castle and you can go down to the water side of Loch Ness. Keep your eyes peeled in case Nessie makes an appearance.
The Battle of Culloden in 1746 was the last battle fought on British soil . Visit the Museum and we walk around the main areas of the Battlefield where the heaviest fighting took place , you will see the memorial cairn , the well of the dead and the gravestones of the clans as well as Leanach cottage. This visit is top of the list for Outlander fans.
We will visit Clava Cairns and you can enter 2 of the 3 Cairns , this 4000 year old Bronze age cemetery is where Diana Gabaldon took inspiration for her outlander series and you will see the Cleft stone and the stone circles around the Cairns.
One of the oldest streets in Inverness is Church street and the first place we see is Leakeys bookshop , this was a Government Hospital after the battle of Culloden.
Behind Leakeys bookshop stands the Old High Church / St Stephens where the Jacobite prisoners were taken after the Battle of Culloden , you can still see the musket holes in the church wall where the Jacobite prisoners were executed. Looking over the river from the graveyard we will see Balnain House which was also a Government Hospital after Culloden and St Marys Church which has Outlander connections.
Further up Church street we pass Abertarff House .This is the oldest house in Inverness and was once the town house for the Fraser Chiefs.
Cawdor Castle re-opens on the 27th April 2024 Cawdor Castle with its Macbeth connections is one of the few castles in the Highland area that has been unaffected by the Jacobite uprisings. Home to the Thanes of Cawdor for centuries , you can tour the castle and visit the magnificent gardens and you meet the Dowager Countess of Cawdor who still lives in the Castle.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We pick up all travellers from the port gate and we return the travellers to the gate within the time specified. We will be waiting outside the gate for you to disembark and we will have a board displaying your name.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(76)
Amazing experience with this Highland Tour exceeded all of our expectations. Our drivers were kind, helpful, and brought us lots of snacks and waters. They recommended different family friendly places. Farm Ness is a must do for families. Thank you for a great day in the Highlands.
Hi Cory Thanks for this great review and we are so glad that both families enjoyed there day with us Kind regards Billy & Ken
We had a wonderful tour with Billy. He was so knowledgeable and fun, we even had some silly requests like hitting golf ball and petting a coo (cow). He was able to do everything.
Hi Dave Thanks for this kind review and it was a pleasure taking you to feed the coos and get some golf in at the home of Golf and I’m glad you both had a great day Hopefully see you back one day Kind regards Billy
Great day. Saw parts i never would have seen on my own. Great guides and timed well. Would book again.
I had a lovely day with Lawrence! Everything was smooth and taken care of all day. He worked with me ahead of time & let me customize the tour a little bit. It was my birthday and I wanted to see some hairy coos and he came through! Seeing Loch Ness & the castle was wonderful, we did that first so we beat the crowds a bit. We saw Beauly Priory, Culloden Battlefield & Clava Cairns. We stopped for lunch at a cute little cafe & it was great. He was nice to talk to and I had a great time. Would definitely recommend & will use again when I return! Wishing I had booked a Whiskey tour too!
Hello Liz , Thank you for this lovely review , it was my pleasure taking you around on your birthday and I am delighted we ticked all the boxes and you enjoyed the day. Hopefully we will see you again in the Highlands some day. Keep well and all the best Lawrence
Super good guide! We loved the trip to Loch Ness with the castle. The guide knew some quieter areas around Loch Ness and knew a lot about the history of the clans and Scotland as well as the local area. We could plan our trip individually with the guide, who was good at making it fit with time. Can definitely be recommended.
Excellent Trip would highly recommend this group!! our driver was Ken and he was great, but so was the Mclean’s. their recommendation to go through The CAstle was spot on.
Hi Nancy Thanks for this kind review of your trip with Ken who is a great person & guide and I'm glad you all enjoyed Cawdor Castle Kind regards Billy
Our tour guide, Bill, was so knowledgeable and interesting. He shared a lot of great information and history. Bill was so kind and went out of his way to find opportunities for pictures with the hairy coos. When it started to rain, he made sure we had rain jackets. Absolutely outstanding tour and guide!
Hello Jennifer , Thank you for your kind review , Bill is an excellent guide and a lovely person , I am delighted you enjoyed your day with him. Keep well and all the best. Lawrence
Shamus was a great tour guide and customized our tour to enable us to see as much as possible in the short time we had available for our shore excursion.
We had an incredible day touring with Kevin, whose expertise, professionalism, and humor made the experience truly unforgettable. From the very start, he made us feel welcome and somehow managed to tailor the itinerary perfectly to our interests; all without being the slightest bit pushy or rushed. His ability to read the group and pace the day just right was impressive. The tour included a fantastic variety of stops: Highland cows at Robinsons Farm, whiskey tastings at Glen Ord and Urquhart Castle, tartan weaving at James Pringle Weavers, gift shopping at Holm Mills, a scenic drive through Inverness, the atmospheric Clava Cairns (complete with Harry Potter and Outlander lore), and the moving Culloden Battlefield. At every stop, Kevin shared fascinating stories and historical insights that brought each location to life. Throughout the day, Kevin kept us comfortable and entertained; his clean, well-stocked vehicle (ice-cold water and chocolates were a lovely touch), responsible driving, and great conversation made the time fly by. His mix of knowledge, charm, and humor made for one of the best tours we’ve ever taken. We can’t recommend him highly enough!
Hello Jashe , Thank you for your lovely review , kevin is an excellent guide and always gives his passengers a lovely time. We are delighted you enjoyed your tour with him. Keep well and all the best Lawrence
Billy our guide was excellent. He had extensive historical knowledge and presented it in an entertaining manner. He was very considerate and extremely helpful. We unfortunately had an interruption in our planned itinerary due to a major road closure due to an accident. Billy found alternate routes and managed to get us to all sites detailed in advertisement. Definitely would recommend him to other travelers.
Hi David Thanks for this kind review and I'm glad your group enjoyed the day even with a diversion Regards Billy
