Review: Lord of the Highlands with Hebridean Island Cruises

Caledonian Springtime on the Lord of the Highlands, with Hebridean Island Cruises, is a unique cruise. It sails the high seas from Oban to the Hebridean islands of Mull and Iona before heading inland through the Caledonian Canal to Inverness. 

Dark wood, plush carpets and flashes of tartan give a country house feel to the 19-cabin Lord of the Highlands. It’s a ship with royal associations too: Queen Elizabeth ll twice hired sister-ship Hebridean Princess to host her guests. 

Breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks are all part of the all-inclusive package which features a variety of 26 single-malt whiskies behind the bar. Stepping ashore, admissions to attractions such as Duart Castle, Mull Cheese Farm, Glenfinnan Monument and the Culloden Visitor Centre are covered, as are tea, coffee and cakes at the cafes.

Cruise lecturer, David Barnes, historian and author, explains how the voyage progresses in chronological order. Beginning with Columba bringing Christianity to Iona, through Bonnie Prince Charlie’s 1745 rising, on to the subsequent Highlands Clearances and concluding with contemporary expressions of Scottish identity. 

The arrival

Most guests travel to Inverness for a coach trip, through the Great Glen and along the shores of Loch Linnhe, to Oban where the Lord of the Highlands awaits. Other guests travel directly to Oban. 

Crew take luggage to our cabins – more dark wood and polished nautical brass – where a decanter of whisky sits. 

Mull

Less than an hour’s cruise, past the granite obelisk celebrating Hutcheson’s 19th century development of island steamship routes, takes us to Craignure harbour on Mull. 

“There is no crime on Mull, no need to lock your doors,” coach driver Andy informs us as he looks out for swooping white-tailed eagles on the drives us towards Tobermory. Guide Colin keeps an eye on the Mull Sound for dolphins and whales.

Deer easily outnumber the 3,000 humans who live on this small island of craggy rock, windswept trees and sparkling rivulets. Colourful shop facades, once intended as fishermen’s homes, decorate Tobermory’s horseshoe harbour. 

On Europe’s edge, with weather as dramatic as the landscape, the Hebrides inspire artists and crafters who display their work in Tobemory’s shops and galleries. 

Our excursion to centuries old Duart Castle, strategically positioned to survey ships on the sound but exposed to sheets of rain and icy gale-force, exemplifies Mull’s remoteness. Spanish officers, taken from an 1588 Armada ship on the long route home, must have felt that they were imprisoned in the world’s bleakest and coldest dungeon. 

Life on Mull is tough. When the Reades a Somerset dairy farming family visited in 1978, they decided to move. Bringing five cows to share their lounge in harsh winters. 

Nearly five decades and many challenges on, the Mull Island Cheese Farm produces award winning cheddar and has a tasting tour that also includes the spirits – for example Whey Sky – that they distil from the cheese’s waste products.

Iona

High winds prevent the Mull ferry sailing to Iona and experiencing a uniquely spiritual destination where allegedly you can almost hear the echo of monk’s hymnal chants and quills scratching ecclesiastical history. 

Instead, David Barnes explains how Columba brought Christianity from Ireland, a glimmer of light in the Dark Ages, referencing the “How Ireland saved civilisation” book. 

Sailing to the mainland

Captain Jim cruises slowly through the Linnhe sea-loch giving us spectacular views of Glen Coe and a heavily snow-capped Ben Nevis as we head towards the Caledonian Canal.

A drive along the route of the steam-powered Jacobite Express, almost as spectacular as the morning’s cruise, takes us to the monument commemorating Bonnie Prince Charlie’s arrival, prior to the 1745 Rising.  A short climb gives views over the Glenfinnan viaduct, renowned for its role in the Harry Potter films.

Over early evening cocktails, the captain’s presentation introduces us to the Caledonian Canal. Despite the navy’s urgent calls for a short-cut between east and west coast, it was three decades before parliament approved a scheme that was eventually 12 years late and nearly 300% over budget. 

The Caledonian Canal

The Lord of the Highlands is raised a quarter of a mile by the eight locks that make up Telford’s 19th century engineering miracle of Neptune’s Staircase at Fort William.

Snow-covered hills frame first Loch Lochy and then onto the canal that links to Loch Oich. The canal was partly a social project to provide labour for men cleared from the Highlands – paid with beer, coins and whisky – provided they supplied their own spade. 

Cruising through the scenic but narrow Laggan Avenue, following a playful otter, it is apparent why the canal was obsolete before it was completed in 1822. New steamships were broader and deeper, besides, with the Napoleonic Wars over, the seas were safer. At Kytra lock, most passengers disembark, to either cycle or walk the footpath for a couple of miles into Fort Augustus. 

Early evening, David puts the Jacobite Rising of 1745 and the subsequent defeat at Culloden into context. He argues that English retribution – no bagpipes, no Gaelic, no kilts – and brutal clearance of the Highlands population quietened Scottish identity for two centuries. Particularly as thousands emigrated to Australia and Canada.

Loch Ness

Sightings of Nessie are unconvincing. The monster is first mentioned in an account of Columba’s travels; written a century later. Not the most reliable historical source. But on dark and driech days, over-active imaginations are understandable when confronted by a foreboding inland sea more than 22-miles long.

Recent sightings, David tells us as we pass Urquhart Castle, coincidentally originated from a 1930s couple running a B & B. Whilst a 1990s spot came after a lengthy (liquid?) lunch. Even on our bridge visits, we fail to spot Nessie.

Culloden Battlefield and Visitor Centre

Even-handed, the centre presents the lead-in to the 1746 Battle of Culloden with in-depth detail. A terrifying film shown on four sides of standing viewers, presents the bloody, deafening and brutal reality of war. Of 1,500 deaths, 1,400 were from the tired and poorly equipped Jacobites.

It was more of a massacre, lasting a mere hour, than a battle. Bonnie Prince Charlie fled to the islands. Somehow creating a tale of romantic failure, even though in the lead-up to the battle he had rejected much sound advice.

The gala dinner

Bagpipes welcome the haggis and a splendidly kilted seaman reads Rabbie Burns’ address to the haggis. The waitresses serve whisky with the haggis. 

This was more evidence for David’s assertion that Scotland had recreated its identity, Gaelic is growing in the schools and the arts. On Mull we had been entertained by a Gaelic Music duo who tour the world, whilst moored at the Corpach basin we watched a Gaelic dancing performance. 

The cost

2026 prices for Lord of the Highlands start from £3,281 per person for a six-night Autumn in Caledonia cruise from Oban to Inverness departing 17^th October. Price includes all meals and drinks, excursions, port taxes and transfers between Oban and Inverness.  To book, call Hebridean Island Cruises on 01756 634933. For further information visit Hebridean Island Cruises.

The final verdict

The Lord of the Highlands offers voyages for the curious and thoughtful: for travellers who enjoy the luxuries of gourmet meals, offered with a variety of wines, dessert wines and ports. 

Through into the summer and autumn of 2026, the Lord of the Highlands and her sister ship the Hebridean Princess have cruises scheduled with themes of cycling, flavours of the Hebrides, golf, gardens and the natural world. Other itineraries include The Mysteries of St Kilda and the Outer Islands plus an Orcadian Adventure. 

Disclosure: Our stay was sponsored by Hebridean Island Cruises.