Lord of the Highlands, Caledonian Springtime ex Oban to Inverness

6 Night Cruise sailing from Oban to Inverness aboard Lord of the Highlands.

Guest Speaker Cruise.

After exploring the delights of Mull and Iona, transit the tranquil inland waters of the Caledonian Canal, lured to the powerfully moving site of the final Jacobite rising at Culloden where 1,500 men were slain in less than an hour. A voyage of discovery through the Heart of Scotland.

Steaming from Oban, our first port of call is Mull, where you can wander at will through the colour-washed shops around the harbour at Tobermory, and discover the traditional, award-winning Scottish farmhouse cheeses produced at the Isle of Mull Cheese farm.

Ashore on the sacred isle of Iona, take time to reflect on the influence of the religious colonists who landed here and established a seat of Christianity in 563, before touring Duart Castle, seat of the Clan Maclean for over 700 years. Proudly guarding the sea cliffs on the Isle of Mull, Duart was brought back from ruin in 1911.

Visit the 18 metre high monument at Glenfinnan, with the lone, kilted highlander at the top providing a poignant reminder of the clansmen who gave their lives to the Jacobite cause. Relax on board as we ascend the series of eight locks at Neptune’s Staircase to Banavie, an amazing feat of engineering which raises the canal by 19 metres over a quarter of a mile.

After a relaxing sail of the Caledonian Canal and scenic Loch Ness, we visit the site of the last and most harrowing battle to be fought on British soil at Culloden where headstones mark the graves of hundreds of clansmen who gave their lives for the Jacobite cause, and the 4,000 year old sacred cemetery of Clava Cairns.

The challenge as with her sister vessel ‘Lord of the Glens’ was to craft a vessel that could both transit the intricate waters of the Caledonian Canal as well as navigate the sheltered waters around Scotland’s hauntingly beautiful fretted west coast, the result being the splendid ‘Lord of the Highlands’. Its elegance calls to mind that of a luxury yacht.

There are 19 outward facing state cabins spread over two decks each named with references to John Buchan’s “THIRTY-NINE STEPS”. Each cabin is finished in hardwood finishes, plush carpeting, dressing table, stool, wardrobe, satellite tv, and en suite facilities with shower, wc and washbasin. All state cabins are air conditioned and heated with an internal telephone and picture windows.

All sailings are made during daylight hours and overnight moorings are alongside with no tendering required. At each port of call there is time to independently explore as well as a programme of included shore visits. Dependent on the itinerary these include Culloden & Clava Cairns, West Highline Line to Glenfinnan, Isle of Iona, Clan Donald Centre on Skye and Eilean Donan Castle.

The cuisine is excellent, freshly prepared onboard by a loyal and long serving brigade of chefs, drawing on the rich bounty of locally sourced produce. What could be more delightful than to awake to the prospect of a full scottish breakfast and for early risers to take advantage of the complimentary hot beverages that await in the lounge and for that matter for the rest of the day as well?

Lord of the Highlands was constructed by Spanish craftsmen in Vigo for completion in July 2019 but will only enter passenger service in May 2020.

Hebridean Island Cruises has been setting the benchmark for luxury cruising since 1989. Featuring some of the finest Privately Escorted Tours, our small, five star luxury cruise ship – Hebridean Princess – affords our guests the highest standards of luxury cruise ship accommodation, together with a level of service from an almost forgotten era.

Each all-inclusive cruise is carefully planned by our own highly experienced researchers, whose brief is to capture the cultural essence and historical significance of each port of call.

Hebridean Princess, the small cruise ship which re-introduced the ‘Golden Age of Cruising’ nineteen years ago, will show you the dramatic coast of Scotland and the Western Isles and Norway from the best possible vantage point.

Outstanding service, fine cuisine, unusually spacious cabins and some of the most elegant public rooms afloat, the Hebridean Experience offers you the most relaxing luxury holiday you could wish for. An all-inclusive tariff, the very best in personal service, and some of the finest Privately Escorted Tours all tailored to be as individual as you are.