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Invergorden/Lock Ness excursion?


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Hi- My husband and I will be on the Regal Princess this July 26th, and are trying to book excursions as we just booked the cruise last week.  I've gotten a few tips in other posts but haven't found what I'm really looking for.

 

If any of you know from experience or live in the area, maybe you could suggest something?  We'd like to do an excursion from Invergordon that has this:  a cruise on Lock Ness along with sightseeing that preferably includes Cawdor Castle.  It would be great to see the castle belonging to the thane of Cawdor from Macbeth 🙂 .  Just about all the tours I find that include several interesting sights, only include a drive around Lock Ness (with maybe a stop to take pictures.)  I can't find any that include Cawdor castle, plus a cruise on Lock Ness.  Urquardt (sp?) castle is included with a lot of the tours and w/o knowing a lot about it doesn't sound super interesting.

 

I have found one or two that include Lock Ness cruise and either a distillery, and/or Inverness Castle.  Is Cawdor castle and the gardens worth seeing?  I could just pick the tour I just mentioned.  Or,

 

Do any of you recommend taking the train/bus into town from the ship, doing a single one-hour Lock Ness cruise and follow it with a hop on hop off bus just to see the area and a few sights?  Thanks so much, in advance!  I've been to a lot of Western Europe, but it will be a first time for both of us to Scotland.  Yay.

Edited by smilesntravels
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1 hour ago, smilesntravels said:

Hi- My husband and I will be on the Regal Princess this July 26th, and are trying to book excursions as we just booked the cruise last week.  I've gotten a few tips in other posts but haven't found what I'm really looking for.

 

If any of you know from experience or live in the area, maybe you could suggest something?  We'd like to do an excursion from Invergordon that has this:  a cruise on Lock Ness along with sightseeing that preferably includes Cawdor Castle.  It would be great to see the castle belonging to the thane of Cawdor from Macbeth 🙂 .  Just about all the tours I find that include several interesting sights, only include a drive around Lock Ness (with maybe a stop to take pictures.)  I can't find any that include Cawdor castle, plus a cruise on Lock Ness.  Urquardt (sp?) castle is included with a lot of the tours and w/o knowing a lot about it doesn't sound super interesting.

 

I have found one or two that include Lock Ness cruise and either a distillery, and/or Inverness Castle.  Is Cawdor castle and the gardens worth seeing?  I could just pick the tour I just mentioned.  Or,

 

Do any of you recommend taking the train/bus into town from the ship, doing a single one-hour Lock Ness cruise and follow it with a hop on hop off bus just to see the area and a few sights?  Thanks so much, in advance!  I've been to a lot of Western Europe, but it will be a first time for both of us to Scotland.  Yay.

If you want to try a search, you will need to spell your place names correctly. It is Loch Ness, and the castle is Urquhart Castle. Urquhart Castle may be a ruin, but it is very scenic right on the shore of Loch Ness. Personally, I found it very interesting.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g551809-d189551-Reviews-Urquhart_Castle-Drumnadrochit_Loch_Ness_Region_Scottish_Highlands_Scotland.html

 

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In a day its a lot to fit in, but a private tour is available which covers Cawdor, Castle Urquhart and a Loch cruise.  Invergordon Tours are the operator.

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I'd be interested to see what those that have been along the shores of Loch Ness in a coach think, but - having driven this more than once in a car - I noted just how little you can see from the road.  Trees and bushes obscure the view for most of the route.

 

If you want to get a good view of the hills and scenery, then a cruise on the loch is going to be much better.

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3 hours ago, fruitmachine said:

I'd be interested to see what those that have been along the shores of Loch Ness in a coach think, but - having driven this more than once in a car - I noted just how little you can see from the road.  Trees and bushes obscure the view for most of the route.

 

If you want to get a good view of the hills and scenery, then a cruise on the loch is going to be much better.

You can see very little, that is true!  Even from the gift shop/comfort break/hotel obligatory stop you can see very little from upstairs area and the price of the tea/coffee/scones makes your eyes water so much that you can see even less. 

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2 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

You can see very little, that is true!  Even from the gift shop/comfort break/hotel obligatory stop you can see very little from upstairs area and the price of the tea/coffee/scones makes your eyes water so much that you can see even less. 

Early candidate for Post of the Month 🤣

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Thank you for the responses.  Yes, it is Loch Ness.  I guess I'll just go with the Loch Ness cruise, along with a couple of sights, minus Cawdor Castle.

 

Does anyone know, or have an opinion if we'd be rushed for time doing the one hour cruise plus the HOHO bus?  Or, if it would be scenic taking the bus after the cruise?  Thanks again.

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12 hours ago, fruitmachine said:

I'd be interested to see what those that have been along the shores of Loch Ness in a coach think, but - having driven this more than once in a car - I noted just how little you can see from the road.  Trees and bushes obscure the view for most of the route.

 

If you want to get a good view of the hills and scenery, then a cruise on the loch is going to be much better.

Thank you, fruit.  We thought it would be much better going on the lake itself.  So many of the tours/excursions include just a drive by or a stop to view it.

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5 hours ago, smilesntravels said:

Thank you, fruit.  We thought it would be much better going on the lake itself.  So many of the tours/excursions include just a drive by or a stop to view it.

Just don't call it a lake!  It's a loch. 😉

For some reason, there is one lake in Scotland.  The Lake of Menteith.

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7 hours ago, fruitmachine said:

Just don't call it a lake!  It's a loch. 😉

For some reason, there is one lake in Scotland.  The Lake of Menteith.

Alright!  I think my fingers typed the word 'lake' without giving it a second thought. 🙂 

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