Ah, Scotland! It’s impossible not to fall hard for this captivating country. The landscapes alone will take your breath away, along with the enchanting aura that surrounds them.
For geographical purposes, Scotland is the most northerly of the four sections of the United Kingdom and occupies about one-third of the island of Great Britain. It’s scenery is sublime with towering mountains and green hills, rugged highlands, deep glens, miles of beaches and sparkling lochs, 30,000 in total.
The country is small, 30,000 square miles, about the size of the state of Maine. As for population, it’s approximately five million. Most of the residents live in, around or between Glasgow (the biggest city) and Edinburgh (the capital).
But it’s not only Scotland’s natural beauty that makes it such an appealing destination. It’s also the country’s rich cultural heritage, vibrant traditions, legends and lore, and colorful history that captivates visitors. Not to mention the castles. These fairytale icons are scattered across the landscape and you can’t go very far without spying one of the 2,000 or so examples, whether it’s a well-preserved structure or a ruin.
There are many stunning areas of the country to explore. Among them is the Great Glen. Located between the historic city of Inverness, regarded as the capital of the Highlands, and the equally historic town of Fort William, this section of Scotland offers an array of scenic eye-candy.
One of the best ways to experience the Great Glen is on a European Waterways’ luxury hotel barge trip. You’ll cruise Scotland’s famed Caledonian Canal in leisurely fashion, while taking in the droolworthy landscape. Along the way, you’ll get off the boat at various junctures to visit several attractions and enjoy a number of unique experiences.
European Waterways is the largest barging company in Europe with eighteen vessels that ply the canals in nine countries across the continent. Each barge is an intimate hotel on water, offering exceptional service and expert staff that tend to all your needs, always with a smile.
If you’ve never been on one of these barges, you’re in for a special treat. This was my third trip with the company and it was equally as memorable as the first two. The company sets a high bar for excellence and continuously surpasses it with flying colors.
The barge I was on, Spirit of Scotland, is a handsome, spacious boat, with tasteful Scottish décor. It accommodates a max of twelve passengers in six staterooms. The cabins all have en-suite bathrooms with the necessary amenities, wardrobes, desks and bedside tables, and each has several portholes. Though cozy, size-wise, you’ll find the configuration of the cabin allows for enough storage space for all your belongings. Plus, you’re not going to be spending much time in your room, other than to sleep. All the action is upstairs.
Guests typically congregate in the dining room and saloon area where there’s plenty of comfy seating available, along with maps, books, board games, binoculars and a well-stocked bar – the latter which gets a good workout! The wheelhouse is in front of the saloon, where you can watch the pilot navigate the barge through the waterways.
There are also three outdoor areas on board the barge. The whole of the upper deck has an ample sun canopy for shade and here’s where you’ll find folks lounging, weather permitting. There’s also a smaller forward deck for viewing and at the rear, another sundeck, partially covered, and a heated jacuzzi. Picture soaking in a tub as you soak in the scenery!
During the cruise, depending on the terrain, there are opportunities to cycle (there are bikes on board) and walk along the tow paths. The boat moves ever so slowly, which means you’ll typically be ahead of it at all times and often need to wait for it to catch up with you. Or you can opt to get your exercise when the barge is stationary.
The barge’s crew of six included Captain Olivia, pilot Sandy, Chef Jim, deckhand Tom and two hostesses, Robin and Lauren. The hostesses wear several hats, as they are responsible for refreshing the cabins each day and cleaning the interior public areas on the barge, assisting with meal service and tending bar, which includes crafting an assortment of creative cocktails for happy hour.
This delightful, experienced crew hailed from England and Scotland. Their energy, hard work and efforts to make the trip run smoothly on all levels did not go unnoticed. They were engaging, knowledgeable, upbeat and each had a good sense of humor – a quality that is always an asset!
Each day, we took an excursion off the boat. One day, we visited Dalwhinnie Distillery. Built in 1897, it’s the highest and coldest working distillery in Scotland. It produces 1.5 million liters (nearly 400,000 gallons) a year of single malt whisky.
Scotland is home to over 130 different whisky distilleries, giving it the distinction of having the highest concentration of whisky production in the world. Known as the “water of life,” when translated from Gaelic, it’s no surprise that whisky is one of the best-known traditional Scottish products and an integral part of the country’s identity.
During the tour of the distillery, our group received a crash course in the company’s whisky production process. And we got to see the various equipment used in each of the steps. This was followed by a tasting session.
I confess I’m not a whisky drinker, but I found the tour fascinating. I learned that the principal ingredients for whisky are water, barley and yeast. Water is foremost and the distillery uses water from a loch located at 2000 feet. It’s the only distillery allowed to use this water, which is a combination of pure snowmelt and rainwater high in the hills. Barley is second in importance and then comes yeast, which is used in the sixty-hour fermentation process.
In the tasting session, I found it hard to distinguish the nuanced flavors of the trio of whiskies we sampled, whether they had smokey, fruity or spicy notes, but I gave it my best effort. Our guide instructed us to first smell the whisky, what she called “nosing it,” then sip it once. Next, eat the accompanying artisan chocolate, which is supposed to mellow the whisky.
If we wanted to take down the alcoholic content and raise the flavor notes, we were encouraged to add a drop or two of water to the whisky. Though I will never be a whisky aficionado, I sure liked those chocolates!
Another day, we drove to one of the most photogenic castles in the country, Eilean Donan. The castle overlooks three scenic lochs and appears as a stalwart bastion surveying its glorious surrounds. You might recognize it, as it was featured in movies like “Highlander” and James Bond’s “The World Is Not Enough.”
The castle was originally built in the 13th century, but over the years, as the history of Scotland transpired, it has gone through at least four different versions. It was partially destroyed during an uprising in 1719, then lay in ruins for the next 200 years. Enter Lieutenant Colonel John MacRae-Gilstrap, a Scotsman who bought the island in which the castle was situated on and proceeded to restore the castle to its former glory. It was a labor of love that took him twenty years.
Within Eilean Donan, there’s plenty of local historic artifacts, period furniture, tea sets, dueling pistols, weaponry, family crests, royal trinkets, artwork and more. The re-created kitchen, though, is a delight with life-size figures of servants involved in various food-prep actions. There’s even kitchen noises piped into the room.
On the grounds of a former 19th century Benedictine Monastery, we were treated to another special experience, a falconry and birds of prey demonstration. It was a treat to be able to watch these majestic birds in action. And when they landed on my arm to retrieve food, I felt privileged to have this rare opportunity to get up close and personal with these creatures.
The first was Bramble, a 30-year-old Eagle Owl. This breed is a relative of the Great Horned Owl and is one of the largest owls, boasting a wingspan of 5-6 feet. It’s notable for its sizeable ear tuffs and orange eyes. Though we associate the owl with wisdom, in reality, this bird hasn’t been shown to possess above average intelligence. But when Bramble turned his head to stare at me with his big eyes, he gave the impression of undivided attention. It was hard not to connect this behavior with intelligence.
Then came Angus, a 3-year-old Harris Hawk, one of the smartest birds in nature. These hawks are known to be very social and demonstrate cooperative behavior when it comes to breeding, hunting and protection.
Cochise, a 24-year-old American bald eagle followed him. This eagle, as most people know, is the national emblem of the U.S. It’s an incredibly powerful bird with strong talons, capable of carrying prey that weighs four times its own body weight. When Cochise spread his wings in regal fashion, and surveyed us with his sharp eyes, you could tell he was ready for the paparazzi!
Last, but not least, was Florence, a 5-year-old barn owl. I was instantly smitten with her cute, heart-shaped face and intense dark eyes.
The following day, we headed to Fort Augustus, the entrance to fabled Loch Ness. To get to the loch, we had to go through a series of five locks at Fort Augustus. Depending on how many boats need to go through all the locks, it can take over an hour or more to complete.
We got quite familiar with the lock system during the cruise, as the boat went through 21 locks during the 19-mile-long trip. A lock is an enclosure in a canal that has gates at each end, within which the water level may be varied to raise or lower boats. The frequency of these locks depends on the grade to ascend or descend.
Loch Ness is purportedly home to the Loch Ness Monster, one of the most infamous and disputed legendary creatures. “Nessie” has been described as being long and thin, usually green with black humps, a tail and snakelike head.
Believers point to the over 1,000 eyewitness accounts as proof of Nessie’s existence. These accounts date as far back as 1,500 years. Several British universities even launched expeditions for Nessie in the loch, using sonar. They didn’t come to any conclusions, but each time, they detected large, moving underwater objects they couldn’t explain.
Some postulate that the creature is a survivor of the extinct plesiosaurs. Others suggest that it is a primitive whale, also thought to be extinct for millions of years.
Public interest in Nessie remains strong today, as noted by the numbers of hopefuls who come to Loch Ness and wait expectantly for a sighting of the beast. Though I kept my eyes peeled to the water, alas, Nessie was a no-show.
On Loch Ness, we passed by the ruins of Urquhart Castle. This 13th century garrison was once a medieval stronghold and saw much military action. It featured prominently in the Scot’s struggle for independence and changed hands many times. When the last soldiers left the castle in 1692, they blew it up and it soon fell into decay due to a violent storm. Today, it is in the care of the state and viewed as a noble ruin, perched on a rocky point and surrounded by a picture-perfect setting.
At Culloden Moor, we took a guided tour of the site of the last major battle on British soil, where English Government troops faced the Highlanders of “Bonnie Prince Charlie” in 1746. The latter were Jacobite supporters, who wanted to restore the Stuart monarchy to the British thrones. This was one of the most brutal and bloody battles in British history. In less than an hour, over 1,600 men were killed, 1,500 who were Jacobites. The latter thought they would succeed, having won previous battles. However, they were outnumbered, underprepared and exhausted, and no competition for their well-organized and well-supplied competition.
The Culloden Visitor Center, which is next to the battlefield, has a variety of displays and artifacts that tell the story of the conflict from both sides’ perspectives. A theater puts you in the heart of the action with a 360-degree battle immersion presentation that doesn’t hold back when it comes to showing the gory details.
We also stopped at Clava Cairns, a prehistoric clan chieftain burial site dating back to 2,000 B.C. This was an important place for ritual activity and is considered sacred. The well-preserved trio of Bronze Age cairns stands as an example of the ancient history of Highland Scotland. predating Stonehenge. And for fans of the “Outlander” TV series, this was one of the most significant settings of the show, serving as the mystical spot for the Standing Stones.
The site had an eerie aura, which felt unsettling to me. It was lightly drizzling, the skies were gray and it was late in the day, creating a moody atmosphere. Plus, there was only a handful of people present. I imagined that if only these stones could talk, the tales they would tell.
Touring Cawdor Castle was another highlight. Eternally immortalized in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” the castle dates back to the 14th century when it was built as a private fortress for the Thanes of Cawdor. It has been inhabited by the Cawdor family for over 600 years and is one of the homes used today by the Dowager Countess of Cawdor.
This traditional Scottish castle boasts a drawbridge, moat, turrets, a latticed iron gate and an ancient medieval tower constructed around a legendary holly tree. The legendary tale tells how the Thane of Cawdor chose the location for his castle. Story has it that following the instructions he received in a dream, the Thane loaded a box of gold on to the back of a donkey and let it roam about the area for a day. Wherever the animal lay down to rest in the evening would be where the castle would be built. The donkey lay down under a tree, which is now petrified at the base of the old tower in the castle.
Inside the castle, you’ll find collections of rare Flemish tapestries, fine art, furniture, ceramics and sculpture spanning several thousand years.
The gardens are especially notable. There are three: the Flower Garden, Walled Garden and Wild Garden. The Flower Garden has a formal design with a French influence, while the Walled Garden is the original kitchen garden and the oldest garden at Cawdor. I loved the sculptural maze in this garden, which contains over a thousand holly plants.
Access to the Wild Garden is through a discreet door in the wall of the Flower Garden, giving it that Secret Garden vibe. You can easily wander for hours on the many trails throughout the Big Wood, an area full of majestic and ancient Sequoia and Spanish chestnut trees.
Food is always an integral part of the cruise and I quickly discovered that Chef Jim is a magician in the kitchen. In the morning, we were treated to a Continental-style buffet of fruit, cereals, yogurts, homemade pastries, etc. We also had the opportunity to order hot dishes, like eggs and porridge.
Lunch consisted of a main dish and either cheese or a sweet treat for dessert, accompanied by a selection of quality wines. One of my favorite lunches was grilled lemon sole with roast veggies and cous cous. And the dessert was scones with jam and cream – heavenly!
Dinner was a gastronomic adventure, with an emphasis on regional cuisine, fine wines and cheeses. It was a multi-course affair, which showed off Chef Jim’s talents. On the last night, for the Captain’s dinner, he pulled out all the stops. We feasted on dived scallops with sweet chili sauce, Scotch fillet steak fondant potato, portabello mushrooms, roast vine tomato, parsnip and pink peppercorn sauce. And for dessert, apple tarte tatin with vanilla bean ice cream.
If you have dietary restrictions, don’t worry, as the chef on your barge will ensure you have options/alternatives to the established menu. Being a pescatarian, I had my fill of tasty fish whenever the menu featured a meat dish.
We ate all meals aboard the barge with the exception of one dinner, which was at Station Road at The Lovat. Here we dined on cheese pancakes, Scottish Bannock, local sea trout and a choice of either lamb or poached cod.
European Waterways is also known for offering local entertainment aboard its barges. One evening, we enjoyed hearing from Alan, a piper, who was also a kilt maker. Alan explained all about the kilt and its accessories. “Kilt” is a Viking word meaning “to fold,” which makes perfect sense, as there are 21-33 pleats in a kilt. It was mindboggling to learn there are over five thousand different tartans when it comes kilt patterns.
Alan also taught us about the bagpipe, which is a one-volume instrument, and uses reeds to produce sound. And of course he played his bagpipe for us. The music was haunting and stirring, and yes, it was loud!
Another time, we had Ian, an historian and storyteller, do a presentation on Scottish traditional clothing and weapons. He proceeded to demonstrate how you would dress in medieval times, by using two members of our group as models. The clothing consisted of one very long piece of cloth that could be folded and wrapped in certain ways. Very practical!
Then there was a gifted duo that came and performed Scottish and Irish folk music. One of the men played the accordion and the other, the guitar. The accordionist also sang and his voice, and facial expressions, were beautifully emotive.
On my cruise, there were eight passengers. We came from the U.S. and the U.K. Some of us had been to Scotland in the past; others were first timers to the country. And though the trip was only a weeklong, you’d be amazed at how quickly camaraderie developed among us. This is most likely due to the intimate nature of this style of cruising and the fact that shared experiences help create amity.
http://www.europeanwaterways.com
2025 prices for a 6-night/7-day cruise aboard the 12-passenger Spirit of Scotland start at $6,550per person (based on 2 people sharing a cabin) and include all gourmet meals, fine wines, an open bar for the duration of the cruise, daily escorted excursions, admissions, and private transfers at either end of the cruise. Full barge charters are also available for families and groups, with prices starting from $73,000 ($6,083pp) based on 12 passengers travelling.
