Cruising Caledonia: Discover the Beauty and Spirit of Scotland Aboard European Waterways’ Scottish Highlander Barge

A leisurely canal cruise on European Waterways’ luxury barge The Scottish Highlander is the ideal way to explore northern Scotland’s scenic Great Glen and famed Loch Ness

Following our unforgettable first inland waterway cruise in France aboard the luxury floating hotel La Belle Epoque, we were determined to re-experience this special mode of cruising. The only question was where, since European Waterways, the largest barging company on the continent, offers so many tempting options: 18 vessels sailing the waters of nine countries, representing a wide variety of cultural exploration.

Ultimately, we settled on the northernmost destination, Scotland – or more precisely, the Scottish Highlands, an area known for its majestic scenery. No less a draw was the lure of the mythological Loch Ness, reputed home of the monster Nessie, the subject of so much speculation that intrigues mystery lovers and world travelers alike. 

The gateway to the Scottish Highlands is the region’s capital, Inverness, a picturesque city that is one of the fastest-growing in Europe, thanks to its quality of life. It is also the meeting point for passengers sailing on either of the two barges operated in the area by European Waterways: The Scottish Highlander and The Spirit of Scotland. 

Both vessels ply the Caledonian Canal, hailed as a remarkable engineering feat, by virtue of its innovative “stairstep locks,” lined on both sides by the quaint village of Fort Augustus. The diagonal north-south Caledonian Canal takes advantage of the Great Glen geological fault – the home of Loch Ness and several smaller lakes – to connect Scotland’s east coast with the country’s west coast (tantalizingly close to Northern Ireland, which is reachable by ferry). 

While both barge options are appealing, each boasting its own advantages, we were happy to find ourselves aboard the cozier of the two – The Scottish Highlander – with capacity for a grand total of eight passengers, in three cabins and one stateroom. With a crew of five, the result is a favorable ratio of crew members to guests that assures a high level of friendly and professional service. 

Canal Cruising in Luxurious Comfort

A prime example of the efficiency of the service is the seamless arrival and welcome aboard. After being whisked from town to the dock in a leather-upholstered Mercedes minivan, guests meet the captain and the entire crew at a welcome champagne reception held in the vessel’s handsome saloon, while luggage is conveyed directly to the living quarters. 

The captain of a European Waterways barge is not a captain in the traditional sense of manning a bridge and directly supervising the navigation of the vessel. His role – or hers, as is the case with the Scottish vessels – is rather more akin to that of a cruise director, making sure every aspect of the voyage runs smoothly. We found ourselves in the capable hands of the vivacious Captain Daisy, who was also the chauffeur for our daily excursions ashore. 

The champagne and hors d’oeuvres are a scrumptious foretaste of the week’s gourmet meals, for which European Waterways are famous. After refreshing sips and tasty bites, we are escorted to our cabins, where swag is piled on the beds. One remarkable aspect of the week on board is that there are no keys to the doors of the cabins – although, naturally, there are personal safes for valuables in each room. 

We had opted for a double bed (as opposed to twin beds), which nonetheless took up virtually all the space in our cabin. Still, there is a wardrobe in which to hang clothes; and the bathroom, while it looked cramped at first glance, turned out not to be so at all – even the shower stall was more than adequately sized. 

Inside were pampering toiletry amenities by the Highland Soap Company, exotically containing whisky and honey among the aromatic ingredients. Soft, thirsty towels – changed as often as you liked, thanks to nightly turndown service – were arranged on a heated towel rack. 

The plush, monogrammed bathrobes and slippers are also a great bonus – and not just for use in your private cabin – since casual dress is the order of the day on board. We hardly wore anything but T-shirts and shorts all week long, although the cool mornings and evenings called for long sleeves and trousers.    

The mattress was very comfortable, and we slept well, since there is barely any noise from the tranquil countryside. There is no television in the rooms – or anywhere on board, in fact – but the complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the vessel had everyone connected on their devices to news, entertainment and communications at all times. 

Gastronomy and Spirits

No sooner had everyone had settled in and freshened up than it was time for pre-dinner cocktail hour (with scrumptious canapés), and our introduction to one of the great perks of an all-inclusive European Waterways cruise: the 24/7 open bar, stocked with a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. 

This being Scotland, taking center stage is whiskey, with so many varieties of single malts and blends to savor that one would be hard put to even try a dram of them all. In addition, there is a considerable number of brands of locally distilled gin on a separate shelf of the bar. There is also an array of tonic waters, in iterations familiar and less familiar, to mix with the latter spirit – or to drink straight, if you eschew alcohol. 

In this latter category, a must-try in Scotland is the soft drink called Iron Brew – commonly spelled IRN-BRU – a uniquely Scottish beverage that has an eye-catching orange color, yet tastes remarkably like cream soda. Similarly, it is de rigueur to taste Scottish cider, a mildly alcoholic version of the apple beverage that is always refreshing (the best, in my opinion, is the version that is aged in whiskey casks). 

The adjunct to the bar that is probably the most appreciated by early risers is the always-accessible coffee machine, with a range of espresso capsules to choose from – not to mention the many varieties of tea. Accompanying nibbles of that irresistible Scottish specialty cookie – shortbread – are also always on hand. 

The menu for dinner was displayed on a small chalkboard, and thenceforward each day we had a similar preview of our lunch and dinner menus. For the ensuing week – all European Waterways cruises are 6-nights/7-days in duration – we were to dine on the superb creations of the resident master chef – in this instance, Chef Mark, affable local talent who had also plied his trade in the USA.

Our first dinner was a foretaste of many memorable three- and four-course lunches and dinners to follow. The cuisine is traditional Scottish, featuring fresh fish (think salmon) and seafood, as well as game, both poultry and venison. (Note: European Waterways chefs are very attentive to dietary requirements and preferences, with substitute dishes or ingredients cheerfully served.)

Virtually every meal (not counting breakfast, of course) had its own cheese course, always featuring three different cheeses of distinctive flavors and textures, usually one local product alongside others from France or elsewhere on the continent. The cheese courses supplemented Chef Mark’s always-delicious desserts.

It goes without saying that our food was always washed down with a glass or two (or three) of fine local wines, one white and one red (and an occasional rosé); all vintages – like the cheeses, for that matter – are explained in detail by the servers. 

Breakfast is treated no less seriously than our two other daily main meals. Each morning, fresh croissants, baguettes and sweet rolls were brought aboard from nearby bakeries – although Chef Mark also baked different mouthwatering breads on board every day. Besides the buffet of morning staples, passengers may order a substantial hot dish, such as hearty oatmeal or fancier options, like eggs Benedict. 

Actively Discovering the Enchantment of the Great Glen

The reader may be forgiven if he or she were to think, given the perspective presented here so far, that this barge cruise is all about relaxing, eating, and drinking, while hardly getting up to move. While it is true that this is an option some guests will choose, there is plenty of opportunity to get out and explore – both individually on foot and/or on bicycle, and as a group in the framework of land excursions to fascinating sites of cultural, architectural, and historic interest.

As the barge cruises at barely more than jogging speed down the waterway, passengers are encouraged to get off and walk or bicycle along the canal towpath – a.k.a. the Great Glen Way, the Scottish Highlands’ premier hiking route. There are bikes on board for guests to take freely, and caps and water bottles are among the useful gifts passengers receive – compliments of European Waterways.

No hiker or biker need fear “missing the boat,” for two reasons. First, users of the towpath are rarely out of sight of the barge, whether from ahead, behind, or alongside. Secondly, the barge must stop frequently, at the many locks or swing bridges (which serve vehicular traffic). The locks are where walkers and bikers either wait for, or catch up to, the barge, in order to reboard. 

Along the way, walkers are likely to encounter livestock grazing in the green meadows, unlike any they have encountered before: hairy cows and goats, as well as white sheep with black faces and feet. This is just one aspect of journeying through the Scottish Highlands that at times may seem otherworldly. 

A highlight of each and every day is the well-planned shore excursion. To be sure, the all-inclusive price of the cruise covers not only the transportation by van but also all admission fees. 

Our voyage – which alternates weekly with the trip in the opposite direction – began on the Inverness end of the canal (Muirtown) and terminated at Banavie, after a southwestern traverse of only 60 miles from beginning to end (an average of 10 miles per day). At the terminus, passengers are transported back to Inverness by van on Saturday, although some prefer to extend their stay in the gorgeous area and then take the scenic train south from Fort William. 

On the first full day of this itinerary (the second day overall), the afternoon excursion is to Cawdor Castle, ancestral home of the Thanes (lords) of Cawdor. What is most fascinating is the identity of the best-known noble of the clan – none other than Macbeth, of Shakespearean fame.

Aside from the priceless treasures housed in the 14th-century castle, the colorful gardens on its grounds are an exceptional backdrop to a stroll in the fresh air of northern Scotland – accompanied by the beguiling strains of live bagpipe music, courtesy of the castle’s piper, who greets visitors in traditional garb, kilt and all. 

We retraced our steps the following morning (day three) to Culloden Moor, where history came to life as our guide took us on a tour of the site of one of the most pivotal battles to determine the future of the entire British Isles: the defeat here in the 18th century of the Catholic Jacobites by the army of Protestants loyal to the English crown sealed the fate of the final religious uprising and laid the foundations for the government of the United Kingdom as it exists today.   

Close by the battlefield is the mystical prehistoric site of Clava Cairns, comprising stone mazes and standing slabs reminiscent of Stonehenge. Fans of the television series Outlander will especially appreciate the location, which they may recognize from one of the show’s episodes. 

That afternoon marks the highly awaited moment when The Scottish Highlander enters the slightly forbidding waters of Loch Ness and cruises past the ruins of the once-magnificent Urquhart Castle. Although we do not disembark to explore them, there is another special treat in store for passengers the following morning, in a meadow bordering the lake’s southern shore.

Before then, however, on the evening of the third day, passengers assemble at cocktail hour for the first in a series of cultural enrichment lectures (or performances) designed to give guests real insight into the traditions and customs of the Highlanders. Topic number one: dress, with a [male] guinea pig selected to model the evolution of the primitive blanket/robe into the modern kilt. 

After breakfast on day four, everyone strolls to the expansive lawn of a palatial former Benedictine monastery for an event that is always highly rated by European Waterways passengers: a riveting performance by trained falcons, owls, and eagles that not only fly at blurring speed and strut their stuff on command, but also happily land on the arms of those hardy souls who volunteer to be human perches. Most guests (and yours truly was no exception) welcome the rare opportunity to get up close and personal with a [tame] bird of prey. 

In the afternoon, passengers alternate discovering Fort Augustus with watching the barge navigate up the “flight” of locks that bisects the village. Our special guest after we moor for the night picks up where the previous speaker left off: a contemporary kiltmaker demonstrates and explains all the accoutrements that enhance the formal tartan kilt, along with a show-and-tell presentation of Scottish bagpipes. 

Afterwards, we are transported to a rustic restaurant for the one instance during the week when we do not eat on board. It was a nice change of pace to choose one’s own selection of dishes from an extensive menu – and a chance to try one of the more unusual Scottish desserts that we know Chef Mark would never make, such as a deep-fried Mars (Milky Way, to Americans) candy bar. The funny thing is that it is not unusual in Scotland to find a “junk food” dessert in a fine dining establishment. 

On Thursday (day five, but who’s counting), the afternoon excursion is to Eilean Donan Castle, with its vantage point over three lakes and an ancient stone bridge. The highly Instagrammable mansion is an oft-filmed location for the silver screen, from the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough to Highlander.

Upon our return, we are greeted by a duo of musicians, on accordion and guitar, playing a mini-concert of Scottish music. The songs comprise melodic ballads along with more lively tunes that might accompany a high-stepping Highland Fling.   

Our final day of cruising, which comes all too soon, takes us down the last stretch of canal, whose waters are as smooth as glass, with the characteristics of a mirror. Indeed, the reflections of the trees on the banks are so clear and deep they look like something out of this world – as if the trees, adorned in different shades of green, were growing upside down into the water. 

The last stretch of sailing is highlighted by a buffet lunch that crams in the remaining local delicacies to be sampled before the cruise’s culinary dimension culminates with the gala evening meal. But not before one last memorable excursion: to the renowned Dalwhinnie Distillery, the highest and coldest in Scotland. Dalwhinnie is the creator of the one and only Winter’s Gold, a mild and mellow guest favorite that is always on hand in the Scottish Highlander bar.

Following a tour that explains the ingredients and complex steps of the distillation process, guests are treated to tastings of award-winning single malt whiskeys, with an added twist that will appeal even to teetotalers: pairings of the amber nectar with decorative truffles of mouthwatering chocolate. 

Towards evening, my companion and I went for a final walk along a path into what can only be described as an enchanted forest – with glimpses of the tranquil canal, as well as majestic fir trees marching in rows up steep hillsides. The glen was so quiet at dusk that not a whisper of sound could be heard: not the chirp of a bird, nor the rustle of a leaf – just serene silence, the best serenade for the soul.

The last event marking the close of the cruise is the Captain’s Farewell Dinner, when guests dress up a bit (optional, but fun) and sit down to a festive finale, courtesy of our skillful Chef Mark. Captain Daisy presides over the meal that accompanies our farewells to newly formed friends with whom we have shared this great adventure. 

If you go

Anticipating passengers’ needs is also what the European Waterways front office does par excellence. In addition to providing pre-cruise information sheets and collecting personal preference data, the sales team is very responsive to questions asked via email or phone. 

Passengers assemble at a hotel in Inverness before the transfer by private minivan in the late afternoon to the embarkation point on the canal. There is no point in arriving much before departure time, and some passengers did not even arrive in the city until the same day.

We deposited our luggage at the front desk as European Waterways passengers in the morning, and then set out on an informative tour of Inverness, led by a knowledgeable guide from Walking Tours of the UK. We enjoyed tours designed by this very professional company in three different Scottish cities, and found all of them enlightening. 

An additional highly recommended tour has a different focus: The Glasgow Food and Drink Tour was an eye-opening introduction to the delights of Scottish cuisine, starting with that feast for the eyes as well as the palate Scottish egg, and ending with the incredible tasting experience of beer and whiskey pairings.   

Prices in 2026 for a 6-night/7-day cruise aboard the eight-passenger Scottish Highlander start at €5,250 per person, based on two people sharing a cabin (€6,190 per person based on two sharing the Cameron Suite) and includes all gourmet meals, fine wines, an open bar for the duration of the cruise, daily escorted excursions, admissions, and private transfers at either end of the cruise. Full barge charters are also available for families and groups, starting from €41,000 based on the full complement of eight passengers travelling (€5,125 pp).

This article first appeared in Everett Potter’s Travel Report and is reprinted here with permission of the author. The author also received complimentary passage from European Waterways, but as always, our articles are dedicated to the truth of our experiences.