A cruise around the Hebrides on the Lord of the Highlands took in some of Scotland's most striking landscapes, including a stop at Britain's most remote pub, a crossing of Loch Ness and a visit to Culloden battlefield.
The voyage began at Kyle of Lochalsh, opposite the Isle of Skye, where the writer and 32 other passengers joined the converted Turkish ferry. With an extra deck fitted, the ship can carry a maximum of 38 guests in its wooden cabins, dining room and lounge.
Castle sail-past and Skye stop
After an evening in port, passengers set off by coach the next morning for the short drive down the coast to Eilean Donan castle. On returning to the ship, Captain Jim Wright performed the vessel's first ever sail-past of the fortification, offering a seabound view of its walls.
The ship then crossed to Skye, docking at Armadale to visit the town's ruined country house, where abandoned staircases lead to nowhere amid beautiful gardens. The day ended with a pod of dolphins joining the ship as it cruised back to the mainland, where passengers enjoyed a pint at The Old Forge at Inverie, the most remote pub in Britain, accessible only by boat or a long hike across mountains.
Islands and sacred Iona
The following morning, the ship rounded the most westerly point of mainland UK near Ardnamurchan lighthouse and passed the small isles of Rum, Muck and Eigg. It then arrived at Tobermory, the capital of Mull, known to young TV viewers as the setting for children's series Balamory.
After sailing down the island to Craignure, passengers took a 90-minute coach ride along single-track roads to Fionnphort on the western coast. A short ferry ride followed to the sacred isle of Iona, where in 563 Saint Columba arrived with 12 monks and established a community that grew to include an abbey and a nunnery.
Canal crossing and Jacobite history
The next day brought the ship to Oban, topped by McCaig's Tower, a folly commissioned by a wealthy banker in 1897 to resemble the Colosseum of Rome but left unfinished at his death in 1902. Sailing up Loch Linnhe to Fort William, passengers stopped at Corpach for a coach ride to Glenfinnan Viaduct and the nearby 18-metre-high monument to the Jacobite uprising.
The following morning, the ship began the 60-mile journey along the Caledonian Canal, which can accept ships up to 45.72m long and 10.67m wide. The Lord of the Highlands is 45m by 10.5m. The first challenge was Neptune's Staircase, a series of eight locks carrying boats up a height of 20 metres, giving a second sighting of the Jacobite steam train as it crossed the canal on its morning run from Fort William to Mallaig.
After stopping in Fort Augustus, the ship crossed Loch Ness, sailing close to medieval Urquhart Castle. Docking for the final stop near Inverness, passengers visited Culloden, the final chapter in the Jacobite uprising, where the last pitched battle on UK soil is reenacted in a 360-degree film in the visitor centre.
The final visit took passengers 4,000 years back in time to Clava Cairns, a burial site whose standing stones inspired the Outlander books and TV series.
Onboard experience and pricing
Sailing on Lord of the Highlands mixes exploration with relaxation, food and company. The dress code is smart casual, though two gala nights on a seven-day voyage offer a chance for more formal attire. Everything is included - tips, food, drink and even snacks ashore, with tour guide Colin Wilson setting up tabs in local cafes and bars. The voyage featured guest speaker Michael Buerk, the former BBC newsreader, who gave three lectures.
For the final night, there was a bagpipe player, a serenade of the haggis, a whisky toast and a ceilidh into the late hours. A seven-night Gems of the Inner Isles and Great Glen cruise on Lord of the Highlands starts from £5,130.
