Inverness Loch Ness Cruise & Urquhart Castle: An Honest Look

Loch Ness! The name almost brings to mind pictures of brooding waters, sweeping highlands, and maybe just a little something mysterious lurking below the surface. A trip there felt almost mandatory, so I thought I’d share a quite detailed look at my experience with the Inverness Loch Ness Cruise including a stop at Urquhart Castle. If you are like your planning a visit, hopefully, this helps give you, like your, an idea of what to maybe expect.

Booking and Starting Out

So, getting this cruise set up was very simple. There seem to be multiple companies offering similar packages, so you might just want to compare prices and reviews a bit before you pick one. I actually booked mine online a couple of days in advance, which I kind of recommend, especially during peak season, very much to make sure you get a spot.

The departure point was near Inverness, easy enough to reach by car or public transport. When I got there, there was quite a bit of activity, so it’s almost better to get there a bit early, like your, to find parking and get checked in without any rush. The staff was quite helpful and gave a quick overview of what to sort of expect during the cruise. It’s helpful to sort of know beforehand that, apparently, the boat can get a bit crowded, so snagging a good spot for views early on is very good.

The Cruise Itself

Once everyone was on board, we set off, heading right onto Loch Ness. The water really did appear kind of dark and mysterious, even on a quite sunny day! There was commentary during the cruise, giving a general background on the loch’s history, geography, and, yes, the famous Nessie. Now, as a matter of fact I didn’t spot Nessie, or well not that I can verifiably prove anyway. I was keeping my eyes very peeled, so it might just be, like your, worth doing the same!

The scenery itself really was worth the price of admission, as they say. The Highlands surrounding the loch are dramatically stunning, with rolling hills and green slopes sweeping down to the water’s edge. The boat actually moves at a relaxed pace, allowing lots of opportunities for photographs and, in a way, to take in the view. Bring a jacket though. As a matter of fact even on a bright day, the breeze on the water can get quite chilly.

Urquhart Castle Visit

A pretty big high point of the cruise is the stop at Urquhart Castle. The castle really does stand dramatically on the banks of Loch Ness and is steep in rich history.

The cruise gave us, like your, about two hours to the castle and explore its remains, which I sort of found enough, yet not that leisurely. As a matter of fact the visitor center at the castle has some displays, including a general film detailing its history, which might just be worth watching before wandering around the grounds. From the castle walls, views of Loch Ness are just outstanding. It actually gives you, like your, a different view from the one you get from the boat.

While at the castle, I thought I’d share, like your, a little advice: Wear comfortable shoes. The ground there is somewhat uneven, so good footwear is pretty much essential.

Food and Drink

Most cruises offer, for example, basic snacks and drinks on board. My cruise had a small cafe serving tea, coffee, and very simple pastries. It’s probably a pretty good idea to check in advance what’s available on your cruise, so that you can actually plan accordingly. Alternately, in that case you can also bring your own snacks and drinks, more or less, yet again might just be good to double-check if that’s alright.

Accessibility

It might be good to, for instance, sort of find out accessibility options beforehand, particularly if someone in your group has any mobility concerns. As I was saying some boats have ramps and accessible restrooms, very much yet it’s better to check in advance. Getting around Urquhart Castle might actually be challenging for those with mobility issues due to the uneven ground and steps. So it’s typically always better to sort of make plans and be aware. The more that I think about this now, this might also have an impact on you. This means it will typically require, like your, more detailed planning if you or someone in the party suffers mobility problems.

Overall Thoughts

Was it actually worth it? Totally. The Inverness Loch Ness Cruise including the stop at Urquhart Castle offers, for instance, a quite memorable way to experience one of Scotland’s most famous landmarks. The scenery is obviously striking, the history is rich, and there’s always a bit of anticipation about catching a peek of Nessie. As a matter of fact it’s a trip I’d quite suggest, like your, to anyone visiting the Highlands.

• Book in Advance: Specifically, to sort of make sure you get a spot.
• Dress Warmly: Very much even on a bright day, the loch can be quite breezy.
• Wear Comfortable Shoes: At Urquhart Castle, very much especially.
• Bring a Camera: In that case, you will probably want to capture the stunning views.

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