Caledonian Discovery Ltd - Fort William

Graham

I went on the 'Walk the Great Glen' trip as a solo traveller in April 2025, and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of our walking and cruising through some beautiful scenery. We were all very well looked after by the fabulous crew (thank you Adam, Darren, Josh and Lexi) and the choice and quality of the daily food menus was excellent (thank you John). The cabins were well designed and comfortable and, whilst we were lucky to enjoy mainly dry weather, it was also great to have a large drying room for any wet gear when needed. I would have no hesitation in recommending this holiday with Caledonian.

Ga H.

Did the 'Walk the Great Glen' trip in September 2023. Fantastic time and would strongly recommend. The crew, accommodation, food, beer and other travellers were all great! Weather was kind and the walking was just right. It was good to be able to set out each day without having to navigate, thanks to our guide, Hayden ... he did a brilliant job of keeping us on track, on schedule and informed.

Rosemary L.

Bucket list tour! Cruising on the Ros Crana through amazing locks and beautiful lochs in the Scottish Highlands was a wonderful sensory experience. To add to that, our senses were further further hightened by the excellent meals and fun activities offered by the on-board staff. Small cabins with bunk beds, shower, sink and not much room. Dining room, lower lounge room and outside deck areas to hang out in when you are not walking, cycling or canoeing!

Coming from Canada and being without a car, I was a bit confused at first as to where to go to meet the canal boat, and how to get there. After many emails, we figured out our plan. Once on the barge though, everything went smoothly. Many thanks to the crew: Rue, Josh, Lexie, Martin and Trevor!

Jackie S.

If there were ten stars Ros Crana would get 11. I'm just returned from the best holiday I've ever had. From start to finish I laughed so hard I hurt. The crew were welcoming and friendly, yet utterly professional. The fact that they dined with us really made us all feel welcome. The food was outstanding and the guiding was excellent. Crew had a phenomenal knowledge of the area and could answer all our questions and our walking guide really rebuilt my own confidence. Everyone's needs were taken care of with careful and flexible daily planning. The companionship of the other 5 guests aboard was just amazing and we're surely friends for life. The music and stories over wine and cheese on the last evening was off-script and just magical. I would highly recommend this whether you're serious about trying to complete the great glen way with professional support, or just fancy the cruise with some lovely walks, cycles and paddles. Ros Crana crew over-delivered, I'll be back.

Andrew W.

Just completed a weeks cruise from Fort William to Inverness. A wonderful experience, brilliant crew, wonderful scenery and wildlife, excellent food. Accommodation aboard a converted Dutch barge was well planned and comfortable in an en suite cabin

Richard M.

The most amazing experience.
Great crew & fellow guests who all got on so well.
Ros Crana over the summer solstice on the Sea lochs & wildlife cruise. Magical. Even the bottlenose dolphins came to play.
Fantastic hospitality, food, comfort & attention to detail all ways round.
I could not recommend the experience or Caledonian Discovery highly enough. Truly unforgettable.

Kristina W.

I had the good fortune to spend a holiday in Scotland recently. During that time we spent six nights on the barge Ros Crana, one of two barges Caledonian Discovery Ltd owns and runs. We had a crew of four and twelve guests. While I've traveled all over the world for decades, I had never had a barge experience. That all changed with this trip and it was absolutely magical. I'm rating barge trips in general and the Ros Crana barge in particular as it met and exceeded all my desires. It's hard to explain but each day brought new adventures and you could either choose to relax and enjoy the barge living or you could explore. Or.... you could explore before lunch then have a cold beer and read a book in the afternoon. Or..... you could do everything and feel twenty years younger by the end of the trip which is what I chose to do. In the morning I was mountain biking (with the help of an e-bike). In the afternoon I could hike before hopping into a canoe and racing the boat to the next stop. We were fueled by the amazing food we were given throughout the day starting with a hearty breakfast and ending with a dinner consisting of local high quality produce and proteins. They also had great vegan/vegetarian options available. I've left so many things out as I can't get into one review just how great this trip was. All twelve guests felt the trip was magical and much of that lies with Martin and the crew. I will definitely do another barge trip and can't wait to be back on the Ros Crana!

Chuck H.

This was one of the best weeks that we've ever spent on vacation. Everything about our trip was excellent (including the weather, which the crew claimed credit for, but I have my doubts.) The food was excellent and varied, the crew were professional but not stuffy, the hikes were varied and interesting, and the ship is by far the most desirable on the lochs. Not shaped like a wedding cake, or some simple "hire boat", Fingal is a legit working barge, converted beautifully into a six stateroom ship that's perfect for a slow tour of the Great Glen.

We sailed N to S, with enough time ashore to do some exploring, and enough time on the ship to get to know people. It was great to go through the series of lock at Fort Augustus and feel like the tourists wished that they were on our barge.

You'll need a flight into or out of Inverness, and it's quite a train ride from Banavie to or from Glasgow, but the scenery is pretty and consider it part of getting to know Scotland.

This is the one aspect of our 25 day trip to the UK and the Republic of Ireland that I recommend to everyone I meet. Hightly recommended.

Chuck Hawley