We awoke this morning inside the Caledonian Canal. Shortly after breakfast, we began our ascent up Neptune’s Staircase; a series of eight locks. The Caledonian canal links four natural lochs: Lochy, Oich, Ness, and Dochfour. We spent our morning transiting the canal and hearing a lecture on board from our historian, Anna Webster. After lunch, we had the option to depart the ship at Kytra lock and walk the two miles alongside the canal into Fort Augustus. This picturesque town lies on the south shore of Loch Ness. We then took a longer hike around the outskirts of Fort Augustus to see the natural and cultural sights of this beautiful town of the Highlands. We returned to the Lord of the Glens to enjoy a much-deserved cocktail hour and dinner. A fantastic day here in Scotland.
8/29/2024
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Lord of the Glens
Mull, Iona, and Duart Castle
Morning found us traveling across the Isle of Mull by bus, headed towards the Isle of Iona, a small island with a significant place in Scottish history. In 563, Columba arrived on Iona from Ireland to establish a Christian community, spreading this faith across Scotland. On Iona, we had the chance to tour the sites and visit the 13th century Benedictine Abbey with a local guide. Some set off on other activities, either a hike to the western shore of Iona or a boat ride out to the fabulous Isle of Staffa. After lunch, we headed back across Mull, with a stop to admire the Highland cows. Before reaching the ship, we turned off the main road to visit Duart Castle, home to Clan MacLean. Our final destination of the day was Oban on the mainland, a bustling town of about 8,000 people. The day was capped off with a whisky tasting provided by the local Oban Distillery.