Sail through Scotland's Caledonian Canal and the Inner Hebrides aboard Lord of the Glens, the only ship capable of transiting both with ease and grace. The 62-mile Great Glen seems to have been created by uncorking bucolic landscapes and spilling them over the Atlantic and North Sea in a colossal rush of isles, lochs, and canals.
National Geographic photographer Jim Richardson shares some of his favorite highlights from traveling in Scotland aboard the intimate Lord of the Glens.
To the uninitiated, Scotland’s wildlife amounts to a whole lot of sheep, those shaggy Highland cows, and of course, Nessie! But there’s an abundance of other species if you know where to look.
There are a select few destinations with which you connect at some deep, intangible level and the Highlands and Islands of Scotland does that for me, says David Barnes, Expedition Leader aboard Lord of the Glens. See why.
Experience Scotland as few others have on a stirring voyage that cuts through the heart of the Highlands and out into the wild isles that surround this fabled region.
Today our expedition started with a kayaking exploration of Post Office Bay, a unique location known for its historic post barrel, where mariners left letters for others to carry to their destination. Here, our guests took part in the remarkable exchange of correspondence, a testament to the enduring spirit of human connection across the vast expanse of the ocean. For the second part of the morning, we embarked on a snorkeling excursion at Champion Islet, a site teeming with marine life unparalleled in its diversity and splendor. As our guest submerged into the turquoise waters, they were captivated by a colorful array of fish, corals, and rocky reefs. Among them, the brilliant parrotfish and graceful sea turtles captivated everybody’s attention. Our day culminated with a trek through the rugged terrain of Punta Cormorant, where among the volcanic landscape and lush vegetation we photographed a Galapagos sea lion posing for us.
Española Island is considered the oldest of the Galapagos Islands. This island is home to diverse and abundant species, even if from afar it looks like a deserted island. Mockingbirds, endemic to this islands, lava lizards, and large colonies of sea lions are a few of the species that we observed today. Our morning took us to one of the most wonderful and pristine white sandy beaches in the world, Gardner Bay. Here we could try out our snorkeling gear and practice some snorkeling among curious baby sea lions that swam by. We couldn’t miss the opportunity to take our guests on a boat ride to observe the breathtaking coastline of Española. Its dramatic cliffs make the perfect runway for waved albatrosses to take off, as they are a very heavy bird. This species of albatross only nest on this tiny island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and our guests were lucky to observe the first albatrosses of the season, as April is the month in which they return to breed.
Today was our first full day aboard National Geographic Quest , and it has truly been a spectacular start to our voyage. As guests awoke, we arrived into the Little Harbor cove alongside common dolphins bow-riding below and brown pelicans soaring above. Morning activities were a variety of hikes on the backside of Catalina Island, while in the afternoon we were able to explore the Mediterranean-feeling town of Avalon. Paired with scoops of delectable ice cream, botanical garden sights, and many more exciting stops in town, we were able to see the true local lifestyle of island living.
We started the day’s activities at the beautiful harbor of São Roque in Pico. Half of our group embarked on a hike along the northern coast of the island, while the rest enjoyed a leisurely tour of Criaçao Velha. The weather was generous, and the clouds kept us sheltered from the heat. After returning to the ship and enjoying lunch, we made our way to the neighboring island of Faial, where we all went on a panoramic tour that took us around the island and to the Porto Pim Whale Factory Museum. The tour ended at the famous Peter’s Sports Café in Horta, where we all shared a drink and a quick visit to the scrimshaw museum upstairs before returning to the ship in time for the last activity of the day, the amazing crew show after dinner.
We took a leisurely climb on Bartholomew Island, followed by a very nice walk, snorkeling, and swimming. There were a large number of penguins spotted in the water and on the shores. In the afternoon we closed out a beautiful day with a visit to Cerro Dragon where we relaxed with iguanas.