Overview
HISTORIC AND SCENIC TOURS .
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.
- Recommended by 98% of travelers
- Badge of Excellence
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Mobile ticket
What's included
Bottled water
Snacks
In-vehicle air conditioning
Live commentary on board
Urquhart Castle entry fee costs £13 -£14.50 per person
cawdor castle entry fee cost £12 per person
Meeting and pickup
Travelers meet at the meeting point.
Meeting point
PICK UP FROM INVERGORDON PORT WE WILL BE STANDING ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THE PORT EXIT , WITH A HISTORIC AND SCENIC BOARD WITH YOUR NAME ON IT , WERE WE WILL MEET AND WELCOME YOU
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.
What to expect
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Robertson’s Farm Shop Beauly
15 min
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 -
Beauly Priory
20 min
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 -
1 hour
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 -
Inverness
30 min
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.
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10 min
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 -
Cawdor Castle
1 hour 15 min
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 -
Clava Cairns
30 min
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 -
Culloden Battlefield
30 min
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 -
The Singleton Distillery
30 min
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.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the start time.
Times are local to the experience (Europe/London).
Additional Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Up to 8 travelers per booking
FAQs about Loch Ness,cawdor castle,inverness,Culloden battlefield,& more from invergordon
Can I cancel Loch Ness,cawdor castle,inverness,Culloden battlefield,& more from invergordon for free?
Yes. For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the start time.
How long does it take?
It takes about 7–8 hours.
Where does it start?
PICK UP FROM INVERGORDON PORT WE WILL BE STANDING ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THE PORT EXIT , WITH A HISTORIC AND SCENIC BOARD WITH YOUR NAME ON IT , WERE…
What's included?
- Bottled water
- Snacks
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Live commentary on board
What's not included?
- Urquhart Castle entry fee costs £13 -£14.50 per person
- cawdor castle entry fee cost £12 per person
Which places does it visit?
It visits Robertson’s Farm Shop Beauly, Beauly Priory, Inverness, Cawdor Castle, Clava Cairns, Culloden Battlefield, The Singleton Distillery.
Which languages is it offered in?
It is offered in English.
What fitness level is needed?
It is suitable for all physical fitness levels.
Operated by Historic and Scenic Tours Inverness















