How could you pass up the experience of a floating hotel cruise?  Scotland offers a unique cruise experience coupled with luxury hotel type accommodations and world class golf.  Luxury hotel cruises on fabulous barges give you the best of both worlds.  For those who desire to visit European countries along canals, rivers, lakes, and lochs, this is an opportunity to experience the European life from a truly unique perspective. 

Relax; enjoy fine wines, specialty cheeses, and malt whiskeys, European cuisines while in the company of new friends and family, while on this cruise. Barge cruises offer tour excursions around castles, markets, battlegrounds, historical and ancient monuments, or allow you plenty of time to explore the countryside on your own.   www.europeanwaterways  and  www.gobarging.com  have joined together to help you find information on themed cruises, golf cruises,  food cruises, and family charter cruises as well as many other types of European cruises. 

One such cruise is the Scottish Highlander cruise.  On board the  8 passenger Scottish Highlander you’ll experience the  atmosphere of a Scottish Country House with familiar use of plaids and furnishings unique to Scotland.

“At 117 feet she is spacious and has every comfort for year round cruising. Scottish Highlander cruises the Caledonian canal between Fort William and Inverness, through the Great Glen and along legendary Loch Ness, encountering some of Scotland's finest scenery along the way.”   Cuisine such as  Munro of marinated Salmon, Pheasant breast with Horseradish sauce, Navarin of Lamb with Thyme, Parsley and Bay leaf Chicken Breasts with Raspberry Vinegar, can be sampled while aboard the Highlander in traditional Scottish fare - Salmon, Game, Venison and Seafood, prepared by your own Master Chef, and the experienced crew of four ensure attention to your every need during your week long cruise. Discover where and how single malt whiskey is made, read about the different brands and how to taste and describe malt whiskey.  Of course wines and Scottish cheeses cap off each night aboard the Highlander.   With a passenger limit of 8 you can see why either family charters or a close group of friends prefer this cruise.

Cruise highlights include: 

• All-inclusive - open bar, free wines, gourmet cuisine, entry fees to excursions
• Cawdor Castle, home of Shakespeare’s Macbeth
• Culloden Moor, last British based battleground in 1746
• Tea at Glengarry Castle Hotel
• Overnight mooring alongside 13th century Urquhart Castle
• Cruise Lochs' Ness, Oich, Lochy and the Caledonian canal
• Spectacular scenery, Wildlife and Folklore
• Visit Glencoe, treachery between the Campbell and MacDonald clans
• Cruise Loch Ness and the Caledonian canal and play golf at championship courses in Scotland. “Imagine you and your friends combining your love of Scotland and golf with a leisurely cruise aboard Scottish Highlander, a fully-crewed luxury hotel barge, drifting along tranquil waterways past some of the most beautiful scenery in Scotland, along Loch Ness and the Caledonian Canal. Your floating hotel is furnished with every modern comfort.”
  
  

Here is a sample of a Golf Scottish Highlander vacation: 

Sunday - Golf cruise day 1

INVERNESS TO DOCHGARROCH  - from Glenmoriston Town House Hotel in Inverness and you are driven directly to the Scottish Highlander. Champagne welcome followed by a short cruise along heather-lined canal finishing back in the sleepy village of Dochgarroch in time for dinner aboard.

Monday - Golf cruise day 2

DOCHGARROCH TO FORT AUGUSTUS - depart at 8.30a m for the Royal Dornoch Golf Course for a round on the Championship Golf Course, one of Scotland's famous links courses designed by Tom Morris.  Dornoch dates from 1616 and is internationally acclaimed. Return to the barge for a cruise to Fort Augustus passing Urquhart Castle on the way. Dinner on board. (18 holes, 6,514 yards Par 70: buggies and pull carts available)

Tuesday - Golf cruise day 3

FORT AUGUSTUS - after breakfast take a packed lunch and journey to Nairn Golf Club where we play on the Championship Golf Course.   Nairn's reputation is well founded, hosting many professional and amateur events. Several holes border the North Sea and while this is Scotland's driest course, it is possibly the windiest! (18 holes, 6,705 yards, Par 72: buggies and pull carts available)

Wednesday - Golf cruise day 4

FORT AUGUSTUS TO CULLOCHY LOCK - morning ascent of the 5 lock flight with time to wander the village and visit antique and craft shops. You’ll visit the Caledonian Canal Heritage Center and see an original '30's film of the Gondolier, one of the fastest passenger paddle steamers of its time. After lunch on board have a round of golf at nearby Fort Augustus Golf Course,  probably the only course in the world kept manicured by a herd of sheep! Featuring 18 tees and 9 holes in a challenging canal side setting. On return  cruise to your overnight mooring at Cullochy Lock. Dinner on board. (18 tees, 9 hole, 5,454 yards par 67: pull carts available)

Thursday - Golf cruise day 5

CULLOCHY TO GAIRLOCHY - begin a morning cruise along the tree lined canal avenue and across Loch Lochy, past forest and mountain scenery, to the pretty hamlet of Gairlochy. During the afternoon we visit Spean Bridge Woollen Mill selling traditional knitwear and tweeds and the Glen Nevis Whiskey Distillery where the elaboration of whiskey is explained with a tasting. Scotland is known for its Malt Whiskeys.  Dinner aboard.   

Friday - Golf cruise day 6

GAIRLOCHY TO BANAVIE - morning cruise to Banavie and Neptune’s Staircase of locks. After lunch onboard, transfer to Newtonmore Golf course.  Newton more ,established 1893, is a comparatively flat, easy-walking, parkland course full of exciting and invigorating challenges. It nestles appealingly in the midst of the Monadhliath and Grampian Mountains and on the banks of the River Spey.  Upon finishing your game return to the Scottish Highlander where  the local piper with a wee dram entertains before the Captain’s Farewell Dinner onboard. (18 holes, 6041 yards, Par 70, pull carts and buggies available)

Saturday - Golf cruise day 7

BANAVIE TO INVERNESS Passengers disembark for Inverness after a hearty Scottish breakfast and are transferred to Inverness by minibus arriving at approximately midday. 

NOTES FOR GOLF ITINERARIES:

Handicap Certificates are required at most Scottish Golf Clubs and must be shown to the management on arrival. Minimum Handicap allowed is Men 28 and Ladies 36

No jeans or sweatshirts are permitted on the course or in the clubhouses. All footwear must be changed after playing golf before entering the clubhouse lounge or dining room. No alcohol is permitted on the golf courses

Caddies are available at most of the bigger clubs but should be arranged well in advance. Hand trolleys are available for hire at most courses as are golf clubs. Buggies are more common now but walking is still generally the rule in Scotland. If you require a ride-on buggy for medical reasons, it will need to be booked well in advance.

Caddies, trolleys and buggies can be pre-arranged but should be paid for by you directly to the golf club or caddy. Some courses cannot guarantee trolleys or caddies.  For more information on this cruise and other fascinating Scotland or European cruises contact:

GO BARGING - European Waterways Ltd
35 Wharf Road, Wraysbury, Middlesex,
TW19 5JQ, ENGLAND
Tel:44 (0) 1784 482439 USA: 1 800 394 8630
Fax: 44 (0) 1784 483072

Happy Scottish Traveling!

(All photos belong to www.gobarging.com)