Book Loch Shiel Cruises tickets & explore one of the last wild places in Scotland
Accessible only by boat, the eighteen-mile length of Loch Shiel - once a sea-loch, but reshaped by the retreating glaciers of the last Ice Age - contains a wide variety of wildlife amidst stunning mountain scenery.
Now you're invited to take a cruise with local, friendly and knowledgeable guides whilst enjoying light refreshments, guided commentary and breathtaking views.
- Explore an 18-mile freshwater loch surrounded by magnificent Highland scenery
- Look out for Golden Eagles, White-Tailed Eagles, Red Deer, divers, harriers and other wildlife
- Hear live commentary about the history, geology and wildlife of Loch Shiel
- Choose from short sightseeing cruises, longer journeys and one-way trips across the loch
- See famous Glenfinnan landmarks and locations featured in the Harry Potter films
- Relax aboard the historic MV Sileas with covered and open deck seating
- Use the binoculars and wildlife guidebooks available on board
- Bring well-behaved dogs along for the adventure
Choose your Loch Shiel Cruise
- Glenaladale Cruise: Cruise halfway down Loch Shiel to Glenaladale, with views of the Glenfinnan Monument, church and 21-arch railway viaduct. This approximately two-hour trip is timed to offer the chance to see the Jacobite steam train crossing the viaduct.
- Prince’s Bay Cruise: Take a relaxed one-hour cruise to the place where Bonnie Prince Charlie paused before landing at Glenfinnan. See the railway viaduct, church, monument and Harry Potter filming locations.
- Gaskan Cruise: Spend approximately two and a half hours cruising past Glenaladale towards Gaskan. Discover stories connected to naturalist Mike Tomkies, the Black Rocks and the area’s centuries of Highland history.
- Green Isle Lunchtime Cruise: Depart from Acharacle for an approximately one-hour journey around Eilean Fhainain, known as the Green Isle. Discover its religious and cultural history while keeping watch for White-Tailed Eagles.
- The Loch Cruise – Single: Travel between Glenfinnan and Acharacle and experience the full splendour of Loch Shiel on an approximately 150-minute journey.
- The Loch Cruise – Return: Enjoy a longer return journey from Glenfinnan, with arrangements available in advance for walkers or cyclists to be dropped off or collected at Polloch.
Wildlife, Highland history & famous film locations - included with your tickets!
Loch Shiel is rich in wildlife and surrounded by remote mountain scenery. During your cruise, keep watch for Golden Eagles and White-Tailed Eagles soaring above the ridges, Red Deer along the shoreline and a wide variety of birdlife around the loch.
Friendly and knowledgeable local crew provide live commentary throughout the journey, bringing the landscape to life with stories of geology, wildlife, the Jacobite uprising and the people who have lived beside the loch.
Film fans can also spot locations used as the Black Lake in the Harry Potter films. On selected cruises, you may see the Jacobite steam train travelling across the Glenfinnan Viaduct too.
Family-friendly cruises aboard the historic MV Sileas
Children can join an onboard scavenger hunt, use the binoculars to spot wildlife and discover where Hogwarts appeared in the films. Complete the clues and there’s even a prize waiting at the end.
The MV Sileas carries up to 50 passengers and has open and covered seating on deck, with a bar, saloon and toilet below deck. Hot drinks, cold drinks, alcoholic drinks and light refreshments are available to buy on selected cruises.
Choose your cruise, grab the binoculars and get ready to discover the wild side of Loch Shiel.
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