Invergordon questions

[cruisekf]

What excursions do you recommend in Invergordon?

[John Bull]

That rather depends on what excursions are being offered by the ship or local tour operators.

 

Top of my list would be Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle, mebbe a short diversion into Inverness on the way back.

78 miles, 2 hrs driving, 3 1/2 to 4 hrs total.

 

Or in a van west to Achnasheen, south to the Kyle of Lochalsh (but the Isle of Skye would be a little too far), and east to Loch Ness at Invermoriston then north alongside Loch Ness  and back to Invergordon. Certainly a stop at Urquhart Castle & maybe Eileen Donan castle.

180 miles, 4hrs 15 mins driving plus stops but this route for the scenery more than the destinations

 

Other places include the battle site of Culloden Moor  (a particularly bloody affair, Scots Jacobites defeated by the English army of the Duke of Cumberland), total tour time 3 to 4 hours.

Or the distilleries of Speyside.

Or mebbe the two combined.

 

Others can suggest other options

 

BTW, of interest to Brits, the  new reality (?) TV show "The Traitors"  was set in Ardross Castle, only 8 miles from Invergordon.  Not a proper "castle", more a 19th Century Baronial mansion - and it's a conference & wedding venue so sightseeing wouldn't be appreciated.

 

JB 🙂

 

 

 

[Thejuggler]

As above, what is on offer?

 

I suspect the lure of the Loch Ness monster will be popular and looking at one cruise company  5 of 7 trips include it (having been to Scotland many times its a place I am happy to avoid, there are nicer far less touristy lochs!).

 

Invergordon is very well located to see plenty more and a private smaller bus tour may be a better option.

 

I'd look for a trip heading west towards the Torridon ranges (including if possible Loch Maree which is stunning), or one which takes you to the many distilleries either in Speyside where they are around every corner, or ones around Invergordon, Dalmore and Glenmorangie being two.

[TheProfessionalTraveller]

Well I can tell you a little about the excursions that are offered by various cruise ship companies, and then you will have some ideas to choose from perhaps? (I work as a tour guide for the cruise ships)

 

I will start with the most popular excursions;

Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle - this is the most popular trip. Generally a 4.5 hour trip from Invergordon which gives around 1-1.5 hours at Urquhart castle which is midway along Loch Ness. There is a visitor centre and guests explore on their own. This involves 3 hours of coach travelling in total.

 

Loch Ness Cruises - again often a 4.5 hour trip from Invergordon with 3 hours on the coach and a 1 hour cruise on Loch Ness itself. The boat has sonar equipment and commentary.

 

Cawdor Castle - this is a very popular tour. Travel time is just over an hour each way and there is generally about 2-2.5 hours at Cawdor Castle. This is a beautiful castle, still in use by Lady Cawdor today. It has lovely gardens and sculpture set around it.

 

Dunrobin Castle - this is a grand castle with 365 rooms set beside the North Sea. It's North of Invergordon, and generally it's a half day tour too. The castle is full of interest, with wonderful gardens too. The building was designed by Charles Barry who designed the Houses of Parliament.

 

There are full day cruises which often combine things so Urquhart Castle and Cawdor Castle for example with a lunch in Inverness. 

 

Some cruise companies offer walking tours. The most popular walks are Rogie Falls and Silverbridge, usually done as a half day tour, or Glen Affric which is a longer tour.

 

Eilean Donan is a full day tour with a lot of travelling due to the distance and The Castle of Mey (the Queen Mother's castle) is also a full day

 

These tours are generally offered by the ship.

 

There are all sorts of excursions offered by private tour operators, who pick up outside of Invergordon Cruise Port itself - everything from small group tours, to big bus tours and private car tours.

 

There is definitely plenty of choice!

 

 

[John Bull]

10 hours ago, TheProfessionalTraveller said:

Well I can tell you a little about the excursions that are offered by various cruise ship companies, and then you will have some ideas to choose from perhaps? (I work as a tour guide for the cruise ships)

 

I will start with the most popular excursions;

Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle - this is the most popular trip. Generally a 4.5 hour trip from Invergordon which gives around 1-1.5 hours at Urquhart castle which is midway along Loch Ness. There is a visitor centre and guests explore on their own. This involves 3 hours of coach travelling in total.

 

Loch Ness Cruises - again often a 4.5 hour trip from Invergordon with 3 hours on the coach and a 1 hour cruise on Loch Ness itself. The boat has sonar equipment and commentary.

 

Cawdor Castle - this is a very popular tour. Travel time is just over an hour each way and there is generally about 2-2.5 hours at Cawdor Castle. This is a beautiful castle, still in use by Lady Cawdor today. It has lovely gardens and sculpture set around it.

 

Dunrobin Castle - this is a grand castle with 365 rooms set beside the North Sea. It's North of Invergordon, and generally it's a half day tour too. The castle is full of interest, with wonderful gardens too. The building was designed by Charles Barry who designed the Houses of Parliament.

 

There are full day cruises which often combine things so Urquhart Castle and Cawdor Castle for example with a lunch in Inverness. 

 

Some cruise companies offer walking tours. The most popular walks are Rogie Falls and Silverbridge, usually done as a half day tour, or Glen Affric which is a longer tour.

 

Eilean Donan is a full day tour with a lot of travelling due to the distance and The Castle of Mey (the Queen Mother's castle) is also a full day

 

These tours are generally offered by the ship.

 

There are all sorts of excursions offered by private tour operators, who pick up outside of Invergordon Cruise Port itself - everything from small group tours, to big bus tours and private car tours.

 

There is definitely plenty of choice!

 

 

 

Hi, and welcome to Cruise Critic - good to have a local professional on-board.

 

Folk are struggling to find local tour operators, both coaches & minibuses(vans) for this port -  it' be very useful if you can drop a few names & websites. (Cruise Critic rules say no unsolicited recommendations, - regarded as advertising - so best not to enthuse too much over one or two in particular) 

 

And Ardross Castle, just a few short miles from Invergordon, has come to the forefront in the past few weeks due to both the UK & US versions of "The Traitor" (we're hooked on both 🙄).

Its role as also being a conference & wedding venue probably means no tour parties .................... or does it? 🤔

 

JB 🙂

[Bostonjetset]

On 1/31/2023 at 4:54 PM, TheProfessionalTraveller said:

Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle - this is the most popular trip. Generally a 4.5 hour trip from Invergordon which gives around 1-1.5 hours at Urquhart castle which is midway along Loch Ness. There is a visitor centre and guests explore on their own. This involves 3 hours of coach travelling in total.

 

Loch Ness Cruises - again often a 4.5 hour trip from Invergordon with 3 hours on the coach and a 1 hour cruise on Loch Ness itself. The boat has sonar equipment and commentary.

I’m trying to decide between these for April. HAL offers both. The Loch Ness cruise is about $50 cheaper and is the only one that is actually on the water. Would you recommend one over the other or are both good options? Is going in the castle worth missing a chance to experience the Loch from the water? 

[fruitmachine]

7 minutes ago, Bostonjetset said:

I’m trying to decide between these for April. HAL offers both. The Loch Ness cruise is about $50 cheaper and is the only one that is actually on the water. Would you recommend one over the other or are both good options? Is going in the castle worth missing a chance to experience the Loch from the water? 

I'm a Scot, and was underwhelmed when I drove (for the first time in many years) from Inverness to Fort William, along the side of Loch Ness.  In part, that will be because I was the driver and having to watch the road, but I felt the roadside trees and bushes cut a huge amount of the view.  In a coach you'll be higher up, but equally will have a predominantly sideways view.

 

From the water, even on a short trip, you're likely to get a much more immersive experience of the landscape.

[Bostonjetset]

1 hour ago, fruitmachine said:

I'm a Scot, and was underwhelmed when I drove (for the first time in many years) from Inverness to Fort William, along the side of Loch Ness.  In part, that will be because I was the driver and having to watch the road, but I felt the roadside trees and bushes cut a huge amount of the view.  In a coach you'll be higher up, but equally will have a predominantly sideways view.

 

From the water, even on a short trip, you're likely to get a much more immersive experience of the landscape.

Great to know. Thanks!  I’m leaning towards the water excursion. Part of my apprehension was that it’s less expensive so was wondering why it costs less if it’s better haha. 

[fruitmachine]

11 minutes ago, Bostonjetset said:

Great to know. Thanks!  I’m leaning towards the water excursion. Part of my apprehension was that it’s less expensive so was wondering why it costs less if it’s better haha. 

I've just seen that Google streetview has a parallel "road" on the water, so check out the difference between that and a few places on the A82 road (and notice what happens to the yellow streetview man icon when you're in the area!)

[TheProfessionalTraveller]

On 2/1/2023 at 8:30 AM, John Bull said:

 

Hi, and welcome to Cruise Critic - good to have a local professional on-board.

 

Folk are struggling to find local tour operators, both coaches & minibuses(vans) for this port -  it' be very useful if you can drop a few names & websites. (Cruise Critic rules say no unsolicited recommendations, - regarded as advertising - so best not to enthuse too much over one or two in particular) 

 

And Ardross Castle, just a few short miles from Invergordon, has come to the forefront in the past few weeks due to both the UK & US versions of "The Traitor" (we're hooked on both 🙄).

Its role as also being a conference & wedding venue probably means no tour parties .................... or does it? 🤔

 

JB 🙂

 

Okey dokey - I will start with local tour operators and transport options. These are people I know and have used either personally or when organising transport options for cruise ship guests.

 

Invergordon Bus Tours - these are larger bus tours for up to 53 people with local guides. They offer 4 different tour options from Invergordon. 

 

WOW Scotland Tours - One tour from Invergordon offered covering Inverness, Loch Ness photo stop. Mid to larger sized buses.

 

Happy Tours - they offer tailor made tours from Invergordon in smaller vehicles. Minibuses or Land Rovers

 

Taxis

Ross-Shire Taxis - they mainly do commercial work with cruise ships but might have some availability

 

A9 Taxis - local taxis that operate in the evenings too. I think they have a people carrier type car.

 

Alans Taxis - from the neighbouring town of Alness but they do cover Invergordon. They have an 8 seater minibus as well

 

Highland Chauffeur Drive - they do tailormade tours and have cars or people carriers

 

Minibus Hire - MB Plant have some minibuses. They are located on the industrial estate in Invergordon

 

Car hire is going to be an issue in 2023. The nearest car dealership has stopped doing car hire locally so actually not sure who supplies cars now 😞

 

Lots of cruise ship guests make their own way to Inverness. There is a regular bus service from Invergordon High Street and there is also a train service. It takes around an hour on the bus or the train.

 

Hope that's helpful 

[TheProfessionalTraveller]

3 hours ago, Bostonjetset said:

I’m trying to decide between these for April. HAL offers both. The Loch Ness cruise is about $50 cheaper and is the only one that is actually on the water. Would you recommend one over the other or are both good options? Is going in the castle worth missing a chance to experience the Loch from the water? 

The cruise on Loch Ness will most likely be on a Jacobite cruise ship. These generally depart from The Clansman Hotel and take a 1 hour cruise on Loch Ness. You cruise down to Urquhart Castle and the boat swings round so that all guests on board get a great view of Urquhart Castle. In my view this is the best view of Urquhart Castle, from Loch Ness. It takes around 30 minutes to cruise each way. On board the boat there is a snack bar, toilets, outside and inside viewing area and sonar which shows you what is happening under the water. There is also a commentary.

 

Sometimes it can be quite busy on the boat which can make it difficult to see everything. However, in April you should be OK as it is generally a little quieter.

 

The castle is interesting but if it's Loch Ness you want to see then the boat is definitely the better option.

 

Hope that helps you with your decision making and that you have a great trip when you get here 🙂

[TheProfessionalTraveller]

3 hours ago, fruitmachine said:

I'm a Scot, and was underwhelmed when I drove (for the first time in many years) from Inverness to Fort William, along the side of Loch Ness.  In part, that will be because I was the driver and having to watch the road, but I felt the roadside trees and bushes cut a huge amount of the view.  In a coach you'll be higher up, but equally will have a predominantly sideways view.

 

From the water, even on a short trip, you're likely to get a much more immersive experience of the landscape.

Totally agree. If you are ever back in the area then I would really recommend the Eastern side of Loch Ness. It's much quieter and you get some great views of Loch Ness, from the shore to beautiful viewpoints and of course from the beach!

[John Bull]

44 minutes ago, TheProfessionalTraveller said:

Totally agree. If you are ever back in the area then I would really recommend the Eastern side of Loch Ness. It's much quieter and you get some great views of Loch Ness, from the shore to beautiful viewpoints and of course from the beach!

 

 We've driven that little lane on the eastern side.

Yes, I agree - good views, very quiet, very leisurely, opportunities to pull over - even to just stop in the middle of the road - which can't be done on the A82 without causing a pile-up .

In fact a great way to drive a circular tour of the loch rather than out-and-back.

 

But too time-consuming for a port-of-call day, and needing a degree of navigation.

And of course Urquhart Castle is on the western side 

 

JB 🙂

[TheProfessionalTraveller]

On 2/1/2023 at 8:30 AM, John Bull said:

 

Hi, and welcome to Cruise Critic - good to have a local professional on-board.

 

Folk are struggling to find local tour operators, both coaches & minibuses(vans) for this port -  it' be very useful if you can drop a few names & websites. (Cruise Critic rules say no unsolicited recommendations, - regarded as advertising - so best not to enthuse too much over one or two in particular) 

 

And Ardross Castle, just a few short miles from Invergordon, has come to the forefront in the past few weeks due to both the UK & US versions of "The Traitor" (we're hooked on both 🙄).

Its role as also being a conference & wedding venue probably means no tour parties .................... or does it? 🤔

 

JB 🙂

I realised at the weekend that I totally forgot to answer your question about Ardross Castle! My best friend is hooked on The Traitors too - I confess I have never seen it 😬

 

Currently there are no details of any tours on the website and I haven't heard of any tours being offered there for this year. They seem to be busy with weddings and events. Their website doesn't mention anything about visiting either https://ardrosscastle.co.uk/

 

Will just have to keep eyes and ears open to see if anything changes

[John Bull]

33 minutes ago, TheProfessionalTraveller said:

My best friend is hooked on The Traitors too - I confess I have never seen it 😬

 

 

 

Then you'd best do it on catch-up 

But set aside a full day and evening, cos there are lots of twists & turns and every episode is a cliff-hanger, so you'll end up binge-watching 😀

 

Sadly I doubt there'll be tours of the place - it hosts weddings and conferences, so brides and corporate clients probably wouldn't be too pleased to have tourists roaming around.

But some activities take place in the local area such as Ardross church and Loch Glass.

And the Ardross distillery is just across the road from the castle - though the castle is screened from every direction by trees. Quite a big distillery, I don't know whether they do tours. 

 

JB 🙂

Edited February 7, 2023 by John Bull

[Bostonjetset]

On 2/2/2023 at 12:35 PM, TheProfessionalTraveller said:

The cruise on Loch Ness will most likely be on a Jacobite cruise ship. These generally depart from The Clansman Hotel and take a 1 hour cruise on Loch Ness. You cruise down to Urquhart Castle and the boat swings round so that all guests on board get a great view of Urquhart Castle. In my view this is the best view of Urquhart Castle, from Loch Ness. It takes around 30 minutes to cruise each way. On board the boat there is a snack bar, toilets, outside and inside viewing area and sonar which shows you what is happening under the water. There is also a commentary.

 

Sometimes it can be quite busy on the boat which can make it difficult to see everything. However, in April you should be OK as it is generally a little quieter.

 

The castle is interesting but if it's Loch Ness you want to see then the boat is definitely the better option.

 

Hope that helps you with your decision making and that you have a great trip when you get here 🙂

We’ve booked the  Loch Ness cruise excursion!  Thanks for your help. 

[sacsarahsk]

What a great thread, thanks to all!
I'll be in Invergordon in June 2023 and am not really interested in Loch Ness. I found a wonderful tour (haven't done anything other than bookmarked it) from shorexcursions.co.uk. It's called the Sutherland Highland Experience Tour and looks perfect. Goes to Millionaires View, The Falls of Shin, Dunrobin Castle, Loch Fleet, Royal Burgh of Dornoch and a distillery.

Anyone know of this operator? Too good to be true?

[TheProfessionalTraveller]

16 hours ago, sacsarahsk said:

What a great thread, thanks to all!
I'll be in Invergordon in June 2023 and am not really interested in Loch Ness. I found a wonderful tour (haven't done anything other than bookmarked it) from shorexcursions.co.uk. It's called the Sutherland Highland Experience Tour and looks perfect. Goes to Millionaires View, The Falls of Shin, Dunrobin Castle, Loch Fleet, Royal Burgh of Dornoch and a distillery.

Anyone know of this operator? Too good to be true?

This tour is operated by a very well established team Nigel and Elaine who have been taking tour groups around the Highlands for as long as I can remember.

 

They are both really knowledgeable. 

 

It is a great itinerary that includes some great places to visit. It makes for a lovely circular tour from Invergordon. I am not sure about your chances of seeing Salmon at Shin falls given your trip in June but the falls are lovely and the drive there is too, with plenty to see along the way. Loch Fleet is a great place for birdspotting and seal spotting. There is also a farm that often has Highland Cattle grazing. 

 

Dunrobin is one of my favourite castles - it was designed by Charles Barry who designed the Houses of Parliament. It has lovely gardens. The falconry display is great, one of the best I've seen. The falconer lives on site and has a great selection of birds. 

 

Dornoch is a lovely spot. The cathedral has lovely stained glass windows and it has several claims to fame. It has some nice little shops too.

 

So I would say it sounds a pretty good trip.

 

Hope you have a lovely trip here in June

[sacsarahsk]

@TheProfessionalTraveller - thank you so much for the detailed response! My hubbie and I are not seasoned travelers; we've been on 4 cruises that other family members set-up so we are not experienced with making our own arrangements. Your response is very reassuring. 

 

Thanks for taking the time to reply.