Public transportation to Loch Ness?

[captain_hug99]

I'm not one for organized tours, has anyone taken the public bus to Loch Ness? 

[CruiserBruce]

From where? Loch Ness is a big place.

[gumshoe958]

Yes, Loch Ness is big and it’s a destination where an organised or private tour really would work out best.

 

Assuming your cruise calls at Inverness, the port is actually in Invergordon from where it’s about an hour into Inverness by bus or train.

 

Once in Inverness you’d then need to change on to another bus, the (roughly) hourly #919 which travels all the way down the western shore of Loch Ness and takes about an hour to reach Fort Augustus at the bottom.

So you’d need to allow at least 3 hours each way from the ship at Invergordon and you’d have to plan your schedule very carefully around the bus times to make sure you’re back in time. On balance, not recommended unless the ship’s in port until very late.

 

 

[captain_hug99]

thanks everyone. Yep, I missed that Inverness is really Invergordon. We booked with a tour company.

[Incognito1]

We took a fantastic tour with the tour operators right outside the ship's dock.. Loch Ness was only one of the stops, included a castle, city of Buell(?), and commentary throughout. Great local guide (Lorraine).  It was maybe $50pp for the whole day.  No worries about timing as we saw the ship's buses at the last stop (castle), and beat them back to the drop off.

[VMax1700]

11 minutes ago, Incognito1 said:

city of Buell(?)

Beauly - lovely little town with old Priory.  

[Ashland]

4 hours ago, Incognito1 said:

We took a fantastic tour with the tour operators right outside the ship's dock.. Loch Ness was only one of the stops, included a castle, city of Buell(?), and commentary throughout. Great local guide (Lorraine).  It was maybe $50pp for the whole day.  No worries about timing as we saw the ship's buses at the last stop (castle), and beat them back to the drop off.

Do you pre-book or were they just offering tours for walk-ups and what was the name of the company?

[John Bull]

6 hours ago, Incognito1 said:

  It was maybe $50pp for the whole day. 

 

I wish 😏

 

I suspect that was dodgy memory, or perhaps many years ago.

I don't know the cost, but for a shared van I'd expect double that, or more.

 

Was the castle called Urquhart Castle?

Loch-side about halfway down the west bank?

 

JB 🙂

[Incognito1]

No, it was last month.  Looked at the ticket -- $59 each so a little off.  Not through the ship, but through a vendor outside.  We were one of the first groups off the ship and the last to get tickets on the tour bus.

 

Was not Urquhart Castle, though I heard that was beautiful.  Cawdor was the name, I think.  We were able to tour the inside and the beautiful gardens.  Bagpipers outside entertaining us. The following day we were at Edinburgh Castle so got both experiences, the grand and the privately owned.

 

Yes, on the Loch Ness.  Quick stop for photos.  Less interesting than I would've thought, but the rest of the tour made up for it.  Good photo spot with a little bit of history.

 

Some tours are worth doing through the ship; others are better on your own.  Ship's price was $199pp for the same tour +Urquardt and lunch.  

[VMax1700]

11 hours ago, Incognito1 said:

$59 each so a little off.  Not through the ship, but through a vendor outside.

Just for clarity........$59 or £59 ?

Was the vendor accepting US dollars or is that your conversion to dollars?

[John Bull]

12 hours ago, Incognito1 said:

No, it was last month.  Looked at the ticket -- $59 each so a little off.  Not through the ship, but through a vendor outside.  We were one of the first groups off the ship and the last to get tickets on the tour bus.

 

Was not Urquhart Castle, though I heard that was beautiful.  Cawdor was the name, I think.  We were able to tour the inside and the beautiful gardens.  Bagpipers outside entertaining us. The following day we were at Edinburgh Castle so got both experiences, the grand and the privately owned.

 

Yes, on the Loch Ness.  Quick stop for photos.  Less interesting than I would've thought, but the rest of the tour made up for it.  Good photo spot with a little bit of history.

 

Some tours are worth doing through the ship; others are better on your own.  Ship's price was $199pp for the same tour +Urquardt and lunch.  

 

Then I'm guessing that's on a coach, not a van ?

But whichever it was, it seems to be good value.🙂

 

I don't know Cawdor Castle. Checked it out on Googlemaps - like a lot of "castles" in the UK - and especially Scotland - it's actually a stately or baronial home, but this one is added to an original defensive tower so it has more right to call itself  "castle" than most.

No, it wouldn't be as interesting - or as scenically located - as Urquhart Castle, but because it's much closer to Invergordon it's probably more suitable as a last stop - a reasonably long stop if ahead of the clock or a drive-by if behind the clock.

And you enjoyed the trip, which is the important thing.

 

JB 🙂