We started the day with a bit of history and a tour of the battle site of Culloden. This is where the Jacobite forces of "Bonnie Prince Charlie" fought to restore the Stuarts to the throne, suffering a bitter defeat to the British army, commanded by the Duke of Cumberland, William Augustus on April 16, 1746. Our local guide walked us around the battlefield, and we explored the in-depth museum. Afterward, we drove to the site of Clava Cairns, a set of three Bronze Age circular tombs where part of the series "Outlander" was filmed.
After a short stop to photograph three very photogenic Highland cows, we boarded the ship to sail through Loch Ness and passed the ruins of Urquhart Castle. We passed through several lochs on the Caledonian Canal to reach our destination of Fort Augustus. Guests had the option to go on a guided 3.5-mile hike along the canal and through the scenic countryside to visit the historic Kilchuimen Cemetery where John Anderson is buried. Anderson was a close friend of poet Robert Burns, the national poet of Scotland, and was the subject of one of his famous poems titled "John Anderson My Jo." After dinner, we enjoyed a plaid and kilt demonstration.
