Stop off at Fort Augustus during Highland boat holidays
If you're planning a break in the Scottish Highlands, you're sure to want to visit beautiful Fort Augustus during your getaway. To experience the region at its most rugged and breathtaking, consider booking a boat holiday, which will afford you peace and tranquillity in stunning settings.
Begin your boat break in Banavie, a settlement home to the UK's biggest peak, Ben Nevis. Before you set sail be sure to spend some time exploring the area, and if you're a fan of climbing you might like to have a go at scaling the peaks here.
If you'd rather not venture up that high on foot, take a ride in Britain's only mountain gondola, which will carry you 2,150 ft up Aonach Mor -a peak adjacent to Ben Nevis. At the top you can visit the restaurant and wander round the Mountain Discovery Centre.
Once you've set off, you'll journey through the Gairlochy Locks, where you'll be treated to some jaw-dropping views of Ben Nevis and the Grey Collies mountains. You'll then arrive at the village of Laggan, which is situated in the Cairngorms National Park. This is a great spot to stock up on provisions for the rest of your Scotland boating holiday.
The next stop you might make is at the Great Glen Water Park in Inverness, which offers plenty to do for both adults and youngsters. If you've booked a holiday with the children, you can be sure they'll be in their element here, as there's a play area and a swimming pool to try out.
You can have a go at mountain biking, clay pigeon shooting, salmon and trout fishing as well as fencing, archery and much more during an excursion here, or relax in the sauna, solarium and Jacuzzi.
Loch Oich will be the next place you arrive at on your break. This body of water lies between Loch Ness and Loch Lochy, and is the highest of the three at about 100 ft above sea level. There's plenty of wildlife to spot in the area as you walk along the attractive pathway, while budding anglers might like to test their skills in the water, especially during autumn when salmon are common.
Back onboard, you can journey on to the beautiful Fort Augustus, which is situated in the banks of Loch Ness. Moor up and admire the stunning views of the loch and its surrounding lush greenery, or stretch your legs along the beautiful walkways around the water.
Venture into the village and you can call in at the Caledonian Canal Visitor Centre - a British Waterways Museum that illustrates the history of the waterway and the locale. If you'd like to enjoy a performance of traditional Scottish music and dancing, be sure to call in at the town hall during the summer months when it hosts a ceilidh.
If you want to spend some time in the great wide open, why not hire bicycles and take the family out for a picturesque ride through the area? There's also a scenic golf course that was designed in the 1920s to test your swing at if you're a fan of the sport.
For a taste of history on a heritage break be sure to call in at the Clansman Centre, a 17th-century living museum. Set in an old schoolhouse, the museum recreates the interior of a Highland turf house, complete with a clansman dressed in period costume. The resident will explain the way of life during the 17th century, including local culture and use of ancient weapons.
Make your way to Drumnadrochit next to take a look around the Loch Ness Monster Exhibition Centre and pass through the pretty countryside surrounding the Dochgarroch Locks to reach the historic city of Inverness.
Once you've moored up, you're sure to want to pay a visit to the castle, as well as to Abertarff House - which is renowned as the oldest complete building in the city. The house was put up in 1593 and boasts lovely antique features like a stair tower and stepped gables.
Take a tour of the Old High Church, which was used to incarcerate Jacobites before their execution in the cemetery, and be sure to look out for the lone piper who plays the bagpipes in full Highland attire on the Castle esplanade at 19:00 BST during the summer months.
