Shore excursions program for below cruises

After boarding a coach at the pier, you will first travel northeast through the scenic countryside en route to Stirling, passing through Dumbarton and the pretty villages of Drymen, Buchlyvie and Arnprior on the way. Among Stirling’s main attractions are Wallace Monument, built on top of the Abbey Craig hill in honour of the 13^th-century Scottish hero, Sir William Wallace, as well as the magnificent Stirling Castle, the destination of this tour. Thanks to its favourable position in the middle of Scotland, Stirling was of huge strategic importance in the past. You will have a chance to visit and explore the historic castle and its incredible architecture as well as the co-located 16^th-century Renaissance-style Royal Palace, which has now been returned to its former glory. The furniture and décor in the royal apartments will give you an idea of the Palace’s former splendour. The whole experience is richly brought to life by all sorts of “great lords and ladies” and their “servants” who roam the grounds and will happily explain the details of daily castle life. Your visit will conclude with a stop at the tapestry studio to see world-class weavers restoring one of the world’s finest surviving sets of medieval tapestries. After savouring the fabulous views of the Highlands and Lowlands from the castle’s esplanade and taking some photos, your 1.5-hour return trip to Greenock will begin with more opportunities to enjoy the spectacular Scottish scenery.

Only a short coach ride from the pier in Greenock will see you reach Scotland’s most famous lake, the scenic centrepiece of the National Park and the largest body of freshwater in the whole of the U.K.: Loch Lomond. After leaving the coach and boarding a pleasure boat at the loch, you can look forward to a relaxing 1-hour cruise with a whole host of amazing views for you to enjoy. As you cruise, you will pass by six of Scotland’s most elegant Victorian stately homes, built by rich Glaswegian merchants on the banks of the loch, and the isle of Inchmurrin, the largest of 60 isles in Loch Lomond and home to the ruins of a 7^th-century monastery and Lennox Castle. Nowadays, the isle is inhabited by no more than ten residents and a few farm animals. Following the cruise, the next leg of the tour will take you to Balloch, situated a little north of Dumbarton, for a quality shopping experience. With a luxury outlet of Jenners, a well-known Edinburgh department store, plus shops of other well-known brands, local jewellery and arts & crafts to browse, you can shop to your heart’s content and maybe pick up a special souvenir or two. Your return trip to Greenock will take you via Dumbarton, site of the famous fortifications on Dumbarton Rock.