Loch Ness and the Caledonian Canal Cruise (east to west)

Loch Ness and the Caledonian Canal Cruise (east to west)

One of the best ways to have a true Scottish Experience is to cruise Scotland’s Great Glen in a wee ship, sailing through Loch Ness and along the incredible Caledonian Canal. The Great Glen cuts the Scottish Highlands in half and the Caledonian Canal is an extraordinary feast of Victorian engineering that was devised by Thomas Telford to connect the east and west Scottish coasts and to allow ships to avoid the northern stormy water of the Pentland Firth and Cape Wrath.

This six night Scottish cruise departs from Seaport Marina, near Inverness. Drop-off at the west end is at Dunstaffnage Marina, near Oban.  Guests will travel through the Canal which connects Inverness on the east coast of Scotland and the capital of the Highlands, situated on the Moray Firth to Fort William on the west coast, situated at the top of Loch Linnhe.

The Caledonian canal is some 60 miles long  and its 29 locks, 10 bridges and 4 aqueducts link the lochs of Dochfour, Ness, Oich, and  Lochy. These spectacular sea and fresh water lochs are all located in the Great Glen. Throughout the cruises there are great walks, stunning wildlife, amazing sea and fresh water lochs and picturesque Highland villages and towns and, perhaps, even a chance of seeing the elusive Loch Ness monster!

Included in the price is the Caledonian Canal’s transit fee and the transport on the day of departure from Oban (Dunstaffanage Marina) to Inverness (Seaport Marina).

Please note that your voyage is weather dependent. Weather doesn't just mean good or bad weather. There are many considerations such as tidal gates, wind direction and strength, the strength and direction of currents, overfalls, and fetch. Depending upon the weather and nature’s conditions, wildlife viewing varies.  

If you wish to visit a specific place or have a specific experience, such as whisky tasting, then please do let your skipper know and he will endeavour to meet your request. Excursions and visits ashore are at your own cost.

Some of the places we may visit are:

Inverness: Inverness is a beautiful historic city, capital of the Highlands, and not far from the site of the famous Battle of Culloden. For the active there is the Ness Island Trail, which follows the River Ness, and you can even walk the towpath to the Canal’s end at Clachnaharry, where it enters the sea. We embark our vessels at 1330 at Seaport Marina, near Inverness.

Loch Ness, Drumnadrochit and Urquhart Castle: Loch Ness is a large, long (23 miles) very deep loch and is famous for golden eagles, ospreys and of course “Nessie”! We can visit the pretty village of Drumnadrochit, home to the Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition, and surrounded by Glen Moriston and Glen Urquhart. We can anchor off the fabulous, historical Urquhart Castle for an incredibly scenic night. 

Fort Augustus:  We leave Loch Ness we begin our climb through the locks to Fort Augustus. We can visit the bustling town of Fort Augustus with its canal side pubs, Clansman Centre and Caledonian Canal Heritage Centre.

Loch Oich and Loch Lochy: We cruise on through beautiful Loch Oich and on to the long and narrow Loch Lochy to Gairlochy. In the autumn, the surrounding hills are alive to the bellows of the rutting stags and the tree-lined parts of the canal are truly magnificent in their autumn colours. 

Neptune's Staircase: We descend, almost 70 feet down to sea level, through the eight locks of “Neptune’s Staircase”. You can walk along the towpath or stay on board as we descend.

Loch Linnhe: After exiting the Caledonian Canal and carefully navigating the Corran Narrows we cruise down Loch Linnhe. In this stunning sea loch you will have the opportunity to see many types of sea birds, including sea eagles, as well as dolphinsa and seals. We are surrounded with fantastic scenery including the impressive Ben Nevis mountain. 

Castle Stalker:  We will anchor off lovely Shuna Island near the famous Castle Stalker located on a small tidal loch. We can go ashore and visit the local nature reserve on the mainland and admire the famous Castle Stalker. There are lovely walks across the causeway bridge to Port Appin

Oban: We continue down the beautiful Loch Linnhe and cruise along the east side of the picturesque Isle of Lismore. We disembark your vessel at Dunstaffnage Marina, near Oban, the gateway to the Hebridean isles.

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Reasons to book

  • Extraordinary wildlife cruises
  • Skipper & chef included
  • Hoist the sails
  • Great value for money
  • Cruises through Scottish Canals
  • Maximum of 11 guests per cruise
  • Breakfast, snacks, lunch & dinner
  • Organised whisky tours for free
  • A perfect adventure for all ages
  • Art & photography cruises with free specialist tutors
  • Cruises with wildlife guide for free
Holiday Tips

This fantastic cruise exceeded our expectations.

Caron & Gerald, September 2022