Full-Day Private Invergordon Shore Excursion: Clava Cairns, Loch Ness, Culloden
After being met between 0800/0830hrs by your Driver/Guide on the quayside, you will be escorted to your VIP Class 8 seat Mercedes Minibus, or 6 seat "V" Class Mercedes. We then make our way to Clava Cairns, or the Prehistoric Burial Cairns of Bulnuaran of Clava, a group of three Bronze Age cairns located near Inverness. These cairns are hugely significant and an exceptionally well preserved prehistoric site, Clava Cairns is a fantastic example of the distant history of Highland Scotland, dating back about 4,000 years.The cemetery was used in two periods. At around 2000 BC a row of large cairns was built, three of which can still be seen today. A thousand years later the cemetery was reused and new burials were placed in some of the existing cairns and three smaller monuments were built including a 'kerb cairn'. Traces of a smaller cemetery can also be seen at Milton of Clava, a short distance up the valley to the west.
Next we head slightly East to the impressive Cawdor Castle, surrounded by an extensive estate, you can wander at will through the walled garden, flower garden and wild garden. Or enjoy an extensive tour which covers two floors of the central tower and the north and west ranges, including a series of impressive reception and living rooms as well as a number of bedrooms, service areas and more unique features such as the Thorn Tree Room and neighbouring dungeon. After Lunch, we head West towards Culloden moor and Culloden Battlefield and visitor centre. Find out more about the events leading up to, during and after the infamous Battle of Culloden on that fateful day in April 1746. The battle lines have been drawn, two armies face each other, at stake is the very future of the British Monarchy and a Highland people. With over 1,200 dead in just one hour Culloden was a short but bloody battle - the last to be fought on British soil. Now you can experience and understand so much more about the events leading up to, during and after the battle. Follow characters who were actually involved in the battle around the interactive exhibition, experience the true horror of the battle in an immersive film, and take a battlefield tour, and watch the presentations that bring the battle to life. Your last visit of the day is to the shores of Loch Ness. At 23 miles long and over 700ft deep it’s the largest loch by volume in Scotland and contains more water than every lake in England and Wales combined! The loch is best known “Nessie” the Loch Ness Monster, and here you can take the opportunity to go and see if you can find her, on your optional boat trip aboard or simply to enjoy the beautiful scenery.After your time spent at Loch Ness, we head back towards Invergordon and your waiting cruise ship, with a million memories and a camera full of photographs.
