Family Visit to Loch Ness
Having visited the Loch Ness Centre our next stop on our Scotland road trip was Cruise Loch Ness in Fort Augustus. I had checked out their website and it seemed the best way to see the Loch, was aboard one of their boats.
Boat tour Loch Ness
They provide scenic cruises or fast rib trips of various durations, each offering a different adventure.
The headquarters are modest and the welcome warm. The staff are fabulous – they are very knowledgeable and full of fun and energy. We were given a safety brief and then kitted out in all the relevant attire – photos below!!
Princess D was only just 5 at the time of visiting and whilst she has always been absolutely fearless I was a little apprehensive. The guy in charge reassured me that she would be absolutely fine. When it was time to get aboard we were instructed where to sit in the RIB, along with 4 other people. RIB stands for rigid-inflatable boat. It is a lightweight but high-performance and high-capacity boat constructed with a solid, shaped hull and flexible tubes at the gunwale. The design is stable and seaworthy. So… now you know.
Sailing on Loch Ness
High speed rib Loch Ness
We set off onto the Loch fairly sedately. Our guide was a fantastic guy, he was excellent with the kids and shared Loch related myths and little stories with the kids as we made our way out. The Loch is huge, way bigger than I had imagined.
Our guide asked if everyone was ok and if we wanted to speed up. Everyone shouted ” Yes “. Well, everyone except me, I was actually very happy bobbing along admiring the views. But we weren’t kitted out in all that gear for nothing. And away we went …and it was fast ….REALLY FAST!!! Up to 30 knots apparently and we were winding in and out and bumping up and down. Absolutely and thoroughly exhilarating. I was clutching Petrolhead A’s hand, safe in the knowledge that my husband would be hanging onto Princess D with all his worth. Shortly we slowed down as the guide had spotted some very rare Osprey just above us – they were wonderful to see. I fully expected Princess D, despite all her bravery, to be looking a little worried and prepared myself to ask the guide to go a bit slower. Ha. Well, Princess D was LOVING IT. And asked the guide if we could go faster. He happily obliged…..
We came to a stop in what was approximately the centre of the Loch . The guide told us some astonishing facts about the Loch, not least that the part of the Loch we had stopped at was 230m deep. That’s extraordinary, right ?
Cruise Loch Ness
So, if you are looking for a fast, fun, exhilarating tour of Loch Ness with excellent and knowledgeable guides then you have to do this trip! Don’t worry though, if you fancy something more sensible and steady they also offer trips aboard little cruise boats too. So there’s something for everyone.
Loch Ness Monster Appearance
And, to answer the question on everyones lips, yes, Nessie made an appearance, although surprisingly only Princess D and Ellie actually saw her …..