Mrs Hamilton says...
headwater is a very professional company, everything worked out well regarding accommodation and the transporting of our luggage. We did not have any ...
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Few places stir the imagination like Loch Ness; a jewel in Scotland's crown and a window to its wild and wistful soul. This is a magical place of undisputed natural beauty, shrouded in mystery and legend, where history and heritage are greatly revered.
Our 6-night self-guided walk explores the remote, southern side of Loch Ness where shady forests, tumbling waterfalls and rolling, heather-clad moors provide a misty backdrop to some of the most spectacular hiking in the Scottish Glens. It's a timeless and kaleidoscopic landscape and the place to visit if you want peace, tranquillity and an 'escape from it all' experience.
The walking is relaxed, with a few serious climbs, taking in: the serene Caledonian Canal, a section of the Great Glen Way, pretty Beauly Firth and a wealth of lochs and rivers whose glassy waters mirror the seemingly endless sky. Plant and birdlife are prolific, and there's a high probability of spotting deer too.
The south side of Loch Ness was once the main military route from Fort Augustus to Inverness, and its undiscovered woodland, quiet paths and remote villages are steeped in history. Everywhere you'll be staying has its own unique appeal: a Victorian former mansion; a Highlands country inn; a friendly B&B with direct beach access, and a luxury riverside hotel in the heart of Inverness.
Varied walking following a mixture of woodland paths, country lanes and forest tracks. Some steep, but relatively short, ascents and descents, but a good head for heights is not necessary.
Arrive in the wonderful waterside town of Inverness, the cultural capital of the Scottish Highlands. (Staying at the Glen Mhor Hotel, Breakfast only)
After a transfer this morning, from Inverness to Invergarry, set off along a section of the Great Glen Way, overlooking Loch Oich, to the historic Bridge of Oich. Continue along the Caledonian Canal towpath to Fort Augustus, at the southern tip of Loch Ness. (Staying at The Lovat, Breakfast only)
Spend the day in Fort Augustus, walking in the surrounding woodland or taking a boat trip on the world-famous waters of Loch Ness to visit Urquhart Castle. (Staying at The Lovat, Breakfast only)
Follow the South Loch Ness Trail with spectacular views of the wild and timeless Highlands. Pass through the village of Whitebridge and on, through shaded forest, to Rabbie Burns' famous Falls of Foyers. (Staying at Craigdarroch Inn, Breakfast only)
Head up through the Boleskine woods to Inverfarigaig, with stunning views of the crags of Dun Deardail; from Fair-Haired Lad's Pass down over Loch Ness to the ruins of Urquhart Castle. (Staying at Balachladaich, Breakfast only)
After a short bus ride to Inverness, take in the Ness Islands, ancient Craig Phadrig, the sea locks at Beauly Firth and perhaps even spot some dolphins dancing in the waters! Loop back to Inverness to explore its shops, cafes and castle. (Staying at the Glen Mhor Hotel, Breakfast only)
During your holiday you stay at the following hotels. If you'd like to extend your time at any of these or, if you'd like to enhance your stay with an upgraded room, just let us know at the time of booking.
To find out more call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347, use our live webchat or email usa@exodustravels.com
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
NEARBY:
Room upgrades: Deluxe King Room, Deluxe King Riverside Room or Suite.
Deluxe rooms come with either a four poster or a Kingsize bed as well as a large ensuite with either a bath or a monsoon shower. They also occupy better positions within the building, with the majority offering riverside, city or castle views.
Extra nights: Please contact us for details.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
NEARBY:
Room upgrades: Deluxe Room, Super Deluxe Room, Master Room or Grand Master Room.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
With beautiful views overlooking Loch Ness and a very warm welcome from your hosts John and Glen, the Pottery House B&B is conveniently situated within a 5 minute walk to Dores. There are 3 large, very comfortable rooms, 2 of which with lake views, all with modern amenities such as power showers, a fridge and tea and coffee making facilities. The attention to detail is second to none, including a hand produced local information book and Highland toiletries. Excellent, award winning breakfasts are cooked to order using local produce.
If you'd like to extend your trip with extra nights at the start or end, or if you'd like to arrange a stop off point en-route, then we recommend the following hotels.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
NEARBY:
Room upgrades: Deluxe King Room, Deluxe King Riverside Room or Suite.
Deluxe rooms come with either a four poster or a Kingsize bed as well as a large ensuite with either a bath or a monsoon shower. They also occupy better positions within the building, with the majority offering riverside, city or castle views.
Extra nights: Please contact us for details.
Transfers are included from Inverness train station at any time (5 mins), no transfer is included at the end of the trip.
Please call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or email usa@exodustravels.com to arrange connecting flights.
Everyone who goes on a Headwater holiday will be emailed a link to our post-holiday questionnaire where they can give us an honest assessment of all aspects of their holiday - everything from how quickly we answer the phone to how clean the hotels were - plus an overall rating and comments about their holiday.
Any feedback collected is posted to our website, so that people can make an informed decision based on past experiences before heading off on holiday. We don’t edit the reviews, the only thing we do is proofread them and alter any typos, where necessary, to ensure they are easy to read for everyone. All reviews will be published (except in certain extreme circumstances), and a member of the Headwater team will respond to any constructive criticisms/comments under the reviews, at their discretion. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of our holidays, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.
headwater is a very professional company, everything worked out well regarding accommodation and the transporting of our luggage. We did not have any worries at all as the transport was on time and in most cases earlier than the stated pick up time.
The Craigdarroch Inn is sadly in need of an upgrade and getting a meal is a chore. Unfortunately on a walking holiday you are a captive audience as there is nothing else in the vicinity. Give consideration to missing this hotel if possible until it improves.
A lovely way to see Loch Ness and parts of the Caledonian canal.
An exciting and often unexpected walk beside a great canal, and in the surrounding hills and forests. Glorious views, and the chance to visit interesting sites such as the Culloden battlefield and the iron age fort above Inverness.
A very enjoyable active holiday with wonderful scenery.
Notes need to be refreshed - paths have changed in places (wind damage) and other minor inaccuracies. Craigdarroch Inn room disappointing - it was over the kitchen and smelt of cooking all night. Rooms need to have bathrooms not shower-rooms to help recover after each day's walking. Timings for walking need to take into account bus times in order to have realistic expectations of where and when to stop for lunch (3rd and last days)
This is the perfect holiday in which to experience the grandeur of the Highlands while using a brand new, but sparsely populated, long distance trail. The accommodation en route is of the highest order and compares favourably with similar Headwater packages on the Continent. I sincerely hope it is a success as I would dearly love to repeat the exercise.
You can be confident that our pricing includes all the standard requirements of your holiday and many additional extras. Always ensure that you are comparing like for like when booking your holiday. Find out about The Headwater Price Promise to ensure you're getting the very best value for money.
For further details, or to check availability, speak to our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form (we'll contact you at a time that's most convenient for you).
To enquire about this holiday, or for further information, call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form.
| May 2019 | Tour only | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| 1st May | US$1505 | Check availability |
| 2nd May | US$1545 | Check availability |
| 3rd May | US$1545 | Check availability |
| 4th May | US$1545 | Check availability |
| 5th May | US$1545 | Check availability |
| 6th May | US$1545 | Check availability |
| 7th May | US$1545 | Check availability |
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| 28th May | US$1545 | Check availability |
| 29th May | US$1545 | Check availability |
| 30th May | US$1545 | Check availability |
| 31st May | US$1545 | Check availability |
| Jun 2019 | Tour only | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Jun | US$1655 | Check availability |
| 2nd Jun | US$1655 | Check availability |
| 3rd Jun | US$1655 | Check availability |
| 4th Jun | US$1655 | Check availability |
| 5th Jun | US$1655 | Check availability |
| 6th Jun | US$1655 | Check availability |
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| 10th Jun | US$1675 | Check availability |
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| 27th Jun | US$1675 | Check availability |
| 28th Jun | US$1675 | Check availability |
| 29th Jun | US$1675 | Check availability |
| 30th Jun | US$1675 | Check availability |
| Jul 2019 | Tour only | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Jul | US$1765 | Check availability |
| 2nd Jul | US$1765 | Check availability |
| 3rd Jul | US$1765 | Check availability |
| 4th Jul | US$1765 | Check availability |
| 5th Jul | US$1765 | Check availability |
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| 26th Jul | US$1765 | Check availability |
| 27th Jul | US$1765 | Check availability |
| 28th Jul | US$1765 | Check availability |
| 29th Jul | US$1765 | Check availability |
| 30th Jul | US$1765 | Check availability |
| 31st Jul | US$1765 | Check availability |
| Aug 2019 | Tour only | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Aug | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 2nd Aug | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 3rd Aug | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 4th Aug | US$1795 | Check availability |
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| 18th Aug | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 19th Aug | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 20th Aug | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 21st Aug | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 22nd Aug | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 23rd Aug | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 24th Aug | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 25th Aug | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 26th Aug | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 27th Aug | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 28th Aug | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 29th Aug | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 30th Aug | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 31st Aug | US$1795 | Check availability |
| Sep 2019 | Tour only | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 2nd Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 3rd Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 4th Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 5th Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 6th Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 7th Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 8th Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 9th Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 10th Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 11th Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 12th Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
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| 16th Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 17th Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 18th Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 19th Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 20th Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 21st Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 22nd Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 23rd Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 24th Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 25th Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 26th Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 27th Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 28th Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 29th Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
| 30th Sep | US$1795 | Check availability |
The prices quoted for each individual departure supercede those published in our current brochures. Air prices are subject to change and we advise early booking to obtain the best prices. Please see our Planning your holiday and What's included in the price? pages for additional information.
Children
Please contact us for child prices.
Holiday type
Self-guided walking Managed locally by Headwater appointed agent.
Departures
Every day from 1st May 2019 to 30th Sep 2019, for 6 nights.
Meals
Full Scottish Breakfasts
Tour only
Transfers are included from Inverness train station at any time (5 mins), no transfer is included at the end of the trip.
For further details, or to check availability, speak to our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form (we'll contact you at a time that's most convenient for you).
To enquire about this holiday, or for further information, call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form.
Due to the tailor-made nature of our holidays, we need a little more information in order for us to check availability for Loch Ness and the Caledonian Canal Walk. Simply complete the form below and a member of our sales team will contact you (when it's most convenient for you) to provide availability information, travel options and an accurate price. Of course there's no obligation, but if you do wish to proceed with a booking they will be on-hand to assist you throughout the process.
Alternatively, you can call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 to discuss your requirements in more detail.
We've been creating high-quality relaxed activity holidays since 1985 and our wealth of experience means we're able to build the perfect tailor-made tour for you. Our 'Gold Trusted' rating on Feefo, the independent review site, underlines our exceptional levels of customer service, and our ATOL bonding and ABTA membership guarantees your holiday is safe with us.
