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Cruise Itinerary

Date	Port	Arrive	Depart
12 May 2025	Inverness, Scotland	Embark
13 May 2025	Inverness, Scotland
13 May 2025	Fort Augustus, Scotland
14 May 2025	River Cruising	Caledonian Canal & Neptune's Staircase
14 May 2025	Corpach, Scotland
15 May 2025	Loch Linnhe, Scotland
15 May 2025	Oban, Scotland
16 May 2025	Craignure, Scotland
16 May 2025	Tobermory, Scotland
17 May 2025	Gairloch, Scotland
18 May 2025	Kyle of Lochalsh, Scotland
19 May 2025	Kyle of Lochalsh, Scotland	Disembark

Garden Themed Cruise

Guest Speaker: Chris Wardle - Chris initially trained in Horticulture, Forestry and Conservation at Capel Manor College in North London before moving to continue his studies in Amenity Horticulture at Askham Bryan College where he met his wife Ruth. He worked in private gardens in Surrey and Sussex before moving to the National Trust for Scotland in early 2000. Chris has held roles from assistant Head Gardener to Head Gardener at Crathes Castle until 2018. His career has continued into garden advisory roles, education and plant curation and his specialism is in trees and woodland management.

Scotland boasts a diverse collection of gardens which are home to a vast collection of plants from around the world, in spectacular natural settings. Experience the rich diversity of Scotland’s west coast gardens and explore botanic beauty on this horticultural extravaganza. Visit some of the area’s best kept secrets including Attadale in Wester Ross and An Cala.

Forever immortalised in Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth,’ Cawdor Castle boasts three very different gardens each with their own unique history and appearance. Displaying a wealth of flora and fauna, they are ever changing with the seasons. After a scenic sail of the Caledonian Canal and a transit of the spectacular series of eight locks at Neptune’s Staircase, head to the Glenfinnan Monument Visitor Centre to discover the story of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the moving tribute to those who died fighting for the Jacobite cause. A wonderful example of a 1930s designed garden, An Cala sits snugly in its horseshoe shelter of surrounding cliffs. A spectacular and very pretty garden with streams, waterfall, ponds, many herbaceous plants. The remote, hidden gem of Lip na Cloiche Garden is situated on a steep hillside on the north west coast of Mull with views of Ulva, the Treshnish Isles and Ben More. Then sail the coast of Sutherland to Gairloch to visit Sir Osgood Mackenzie’s masterpiece, Inverewe Garden, home to over 2,500 exotic and tropical species of plant and shrub. Atttadale Gardens were skilfully restored by their owner Nick MacPherson as an artist’s garden after the 1980 storm, with an impressive sculpture collection scattered throughout the 20 acre site.

Itinerary:

Day 1:
Inverness – Embarkation

Day 2:
Inverness – Cawdor Castle Gardens.
Cruise the Caledonian Canal and Loch Ness to Fort Augustus.

Day 3:
Cruise the Caledonian Canal and transit Neptune’s Staircase to Corpach.
Corpach – Glenfinnan Monument Visitor Centre.

Day 4:
Sail Loch Linnhe to Oban.
Oban – An Cala Garden.

Day 5:
Craignure, Mull – Lip na Cloiche Garden.
Tobermory, Mull – Guests rejoin ship.

Day 6:
Sail to Gairloch.
Gairloch – Inverewe Garden.

Day 7:
Sail to Kyle of Lochalsh.
Kyle of Lochalsh – Attadale Gardens.

Day 8:
Kyle of Lochalsh – Disembarkation.

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.