Beautiful mountains, valleys, and rolling hills of the Scottish Highlands sets the stage for this post. After a day in Greenock, Scotland (on the west coast), we had a cruise day – and oh what beauty Scotland provided as we cruised.
The following day we docked in Invergordon. Months before going we discovered that Invergordon itself doesn’t provide much, so we booked a tour with Gavin at Invergordon Tours – and he provided a wonderful day that included quite a variety. He’s also quite the personality – and a very tall bald guy wearing a kilt.
Millionaire’s View provided our first scenic view of the area.
The Falls of Shin was a scenic stop, but we didn’t see any Atlantic Salmon leaking the falls on their spawning journey. The water does drop again below where we took this picture.
Dunrobin Castle is a 189-room castle overlooking Dornoch Firth with beautiful gardens below the castle on the way to the water.
The castle tour was OK, but we loved the falconry demonstration.
We spent lunch time in Dornoch, a quaint town. Dornoch Cathedral (Church of Scotland but originally Roman Catholic) is part of the town square.
Scots are serious about their whiskey – so the tour included a stop at Glenmorangie distillery – famous for their single-malt whiskey, which stays barreled for 10 years. They also produce long-aged whiskies, plus other varieties that included 2 years in a different type of barrel – such as sherry, port, and sauterne. Good stuff!
A video of images from the land to the strains of Scotland the Brave done by pipes and drums is a fitting way to end this post.
We recommend Invergordon Tours – so a shout-out to Gavin for a wonderful day.
Next Stop: An evening in Edinburgh
For other posts about our time in the British Isles, click here.
A Frank Angle 
I didn’t visit these areas when I was in Scotland, but we did go to Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness. Absolutely loved it. Might have even spotted the monster. 😉
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Carrie,
We were in that area. Did you dock in Inverness? (Our ship used nearby Invergordon.) Our tour guide described his tour as the “un-tour” – especially when comparing it to those on the ship. Maybe seeing Nessie is exciting!
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Yes, we docked in Inverness.
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I think that’s where most ships dock, Beautiful countryside!
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It is.
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Janice and I were in Scotland this April for a week. Stayed in Fort Augustus on Loch Ness Bay and visited castles in Urquhart and Eileen Donan. We saw Stokesay Castle on the trip from Cornwall. Scotland is a beautiful place to visit and tour. A week was not nearly long enough
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Gary,
That sounds like a wonderful trip … thanks for sharing … and you’ve given me reason to return because there is more to see. We heard from several that by appearance, Scotland is similar to New Zealand.
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Lovely countryside, Frank. We drove from Edinburgh to Port Soy and then to Glasgow through the highlands.
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John,
Oh yes … the countryside is beautiful … but I’m glad I wasn’t driving. The next post may be something new to you.
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🙂
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So appreciate you sharing your trip and photos. Hope to get there someday
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Mouse,
The entire trip was bountiful … so if you get a chance to visit the British Isles – GO!
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The parts I’ve seen were a wonder – never fails, there’s more to see than time
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Mouse,
Travel is so much fun as the world offers so much …. and so does our own land!
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Glad to hear you’re considering a return trip to the Scottish Highlands. My favorite castles there are the Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness and the Cawdor Castle (called the Macbeth Castle) mid-way between Inverness and Nairn. On the way up there from Edinburgh be sure to stop off at Boat of Garten for a round of golf at the town’s historic golf course where the locals claim it’s possible to experience the weather from all four seasons of the year during 18 holes of play. Be sure also to have a hearty lunch at their clubhouse of haggis, nips and tatties, and a cup of Cullen skink soup.
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Tim,
This trip was loaded with places potential for return. One of the downsides of cruising is that one gets to only a sampling of the area – on the other hand, one sees a lot of places. Nonetheless, if I return, I doubt if it would be with my golf clubs.
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Scotland calls to me, Frank. I haven’t yet answered, but I can hear the call! 🙂 Someday, I hope! Your photos are beautiful.
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Debra,
Because Scotland calls you, beware … the next two posts (after OITS and hopefully this weekend) are about Scotland. It tis a beautiful land.
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They certainly can be proud of their whisky. It makes up a large part of the revenue of the UK. Looks like you had some nice scenery.
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Jim,
There seems to be enough distilleries in there to dispel the rumor that there is no alcohol in Scotland. 😉 … but I also know you know the scenery the highlands provides
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Beautiful, Frank. Thanks for sharing.
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So cool. Would love to go there.
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Betsy,
Oh yes … Scotland would be a worthy destination – well, once your hands aren’t so full.
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True. A girl can dream, can’t she? 🙂
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Very cool, kilts kool! Fab shots, Frank!
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Resa,
This more rural part of Scotland is serene … and you can hear the pipes playing as one gazes across the land.
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The pipes haunt!
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Resa,
Yes – and the pipes are a fitting ending to this post. It’s a beautiful, low-key region.
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Beautiful images, Frank. I love the Scottish Highlands. I’ve been there twice and it felt like home to me. Parts of Nova Scotia, which are similar, were like that for me, too.
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Robin,
Cheers to the one who has travelled to this beautiful region. Glad I was able to rekindle the memories.
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This is the area we are considering for our next adventure. Looks like you had a wonderful trip.
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Wendy,
This area was both beautiful and low key. The overall trip was outstanding … 4 days in London on our own, 12 days cruising around the British Isles, and 3 day in Iceland on our own.
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