Wild West Coast Adventure (Part 1)

The old road to Skye still has surprises. This private day trip from Inverness links Loch Ness, Kintail, Glenelg, Skye, and Plockton in one well-paced outing, with guide Bill handling the driving and adjusting plans around the weather. I especially like the small-group format, which gives your party room to stop, ask questions, and linger at worthwhile viewpoints. I also like the Glenelg brochs and turntable ferry, two unusual experiences that many standard Highland day trips skip.

The main tradeoff is time. You cover a lot of ground in nine to ten hours, so several stops are brief and much of the day passes from the vehicle window. At $1,032.20 for up to seven people, the price is hard to justify for one or two people, but it can be good value for a full group that wants a private vehicle, snacks, bottled water, and a flexible route.

Key points to know before you book

• The Glenelg ferry is the day’s rarest experience: The MV Glenachulish is the last manually operated turntable car ferry in the world.
• You see Skye without making it the whole day: Cross by ferry, return by the Skye Bridge, and still visit Plockton.
• The two Glenelg brochs are included: Dun Telve and Dun Troddan are about 2,000 years old and sit only 500 metres apart.
• Mam Ratagan gives you the big mountain view: The pass looks toward the Five Sisters of Kintail and follows an old route to Skye.
• Bill brings a personal touch: His flexible planning, local facts, humor, and willingness to use quieter roads are major parts of the experience.
• This works best for a full private group: The per-group price becomes more reasonable when shared by several people.

From Inverness to Loch Ness and Invermoriston

The day begins with a gentle run along the north shore of Loch Ness. This is a useful opening rather than a rushed race to the far west. You get time to settle into the vehicle and watch the loch and surrounding hills change as you leave Inverness behind.

Your first proper stop is Invermoriston, where you have about 30 minutes for a walk near the falls and a look around the Clog and Craft shop. The shop is presented as one of the area’s quirkiest souvenir stops, so expect something more offbeat than a standard row of tartan goods.

The falls give you a chance to stretch your legs after the first part of the drive. That matters on a long private tour. You are not simply being moved from one famous viewpoint to the next, and the short walk helps break up the road time.

The limitation is equally clear: 30 minutes is enough for a brief stroll and a quick look at the shop, not a long woodland walk. If you want a slow visit at every stop, this route will feel busy. If you like variety, the timing keeps the day moving.

Loch Cluanie and the road through Kintail

After Invermoriston, the route turns northwest toward Loch Cluanie. The loch is surrounded by hills rising to about 1,000 metres, giving this section a more remote and enclosed feel than the open views around Loch Ness.

You may stop at The Cluanie Inn for coffee, or continue toward Glenelg. That option is useful because Highland weather and road conditions can change the rhythm of a day. A coffee stop gives you a small comfort break, while pressing on gives you more time at later stops.

The drive through Kintail is one of the strongest scenic sections. You are looking at broad mountain country rather than a single attraction, and the vehicle gives you time to take it in. This is also where having a private guide helps. Bill can shape the day around conditions instead of following a rigid schedule.

A practical point: road travel is part of the nine to ten hour duration. You should not think of that time as nine hours of walking and sightseeing. The reward is the amount of ground covered without having to change hotels, organize parking, or navigate narrow Highland roads yourself.

Glen Shiel and the 1719 battle site

The stop in Glen Shiel lasts about 15 minutes and focuses on the site of the Battle of Glenshiel, fought on June 10, 1719. Government troops defeated an alliance of Jacobites and Spanish forces here, in what is described as the last close engagement between British and foreign troops in Great Britain.

Fifteen minutes is not enough for a detailed historical visit, but it is enough to pause, hear the story, and connect the surrounding hills with a specific event. That is the value of this stop. You are not just looking at attractive scenery. You are being shown why this particular stretch of the Highlands mattered.

If military history is a major interest, you may wish the stop were longer. For most people, though, the short pause works as context between the larger scenic sections.

Mam Ratagan and the Five Sisters of Kintail

The road over Mam Ratagan is one of the tour’s best viewpoints. From the pass, you can look toward the Five Sisters of Kintail, a famous group of mountain ridges with a strong, sharply defined profile.

This is also an old road to Skye. Major Caulfeild built it as a military road to the barracks at Glenelg, though it followed an older drovers’ route. That detail gives the pass more character. It was not built just for modern sightseeing. People, livestock, soldiers, and supplies used routes through these hills long before today’s visitors arrived by car.

You have about 30 minutes here, which allows time to take photographs and absorb the view without turning the stop into a hike. The tour does not promise a mountain walk, and you should not expect one. The value is the viewpoint itself, plus the chance to hear the story behind the road.

Mountain weather can affect visibility, so this is one of the places where Bill’s flexible approach matters. On a clear day, the Five Sisters can dominate the view. On a wet or misty day, the pass may feel more atmospheric than panoramic.

Glenelg’s 2,000-year-old brochs

Near the village of Glenelg, the tour visits Dun Telve and Dun Troddan, two ancient broch towers in Gleann Beag. They are unusually close together, only about 500 metres apart, and both are remarkably well preserved.

Dun Telve still reaches more than 10 metres in places. Dun Troddan is shorter at 7.6 metres but is better preserved. These are not vague foundations marked by a small sign. You can see substantial stone structures and get a real sense of their height and construction.

The visit lasts about 30 minutes and has no additional entry fee. That makes it an excellent stop for anyone who enjoys archaeology but does not want to spend half a day in a formal museum. The setting in the glen also makes the brochs feel connected to the land around them, rather than displayed as isolated ruins.

You should keep your expectations sensible. The supplied details do not describe an indoor exhibition, guided archaeological presentation, or long walking route. This is a short outdoor stop focused on the towers themselves. Wear shoes suitable for uneven ground, though the tour information does not specify trail conditions.

The Glenelg ferry, a true Highland highlight

The ferry crossing is the most distinctive part of the day. The MV Glenachulish is the last manually operated turntable car ferry in the world, and it carries vehicles across the Kylerhea straits between the mainland and Skye.

The crossing takes about 30 minutes as a scheduled stop. The ferry service has operated on this route since 1934, while the crossing itself has been used for hundreds of years because it is the closest point on the mainland to Skye.

The ferry is not just transport from one point to another. Its unusual turntable design and manual operation make it a piece of working heritage. You get a journey that feels very different from crossing by a large modern vessel or simply using the Skye Bridge.

There is one practical catch: small ferries can be affected by operating conditions, and the day’s timing depends on the crossing. The tour information does not promise a backup plan or specify what happens if the ferry cannot run, so it is sensible to confirm current arrangements when booking.

The ferry fare is included, and no extra entry fees are listed for the stops. That keeps the day simple once you have paid the tour price.

Skye by ferry, then back over the bridge

After crossing to Skye, the route eventually returns to the mainland by the Skye Bridge. This gives you two different ways to experience the island connection in one day: a historic ferry crossing in one direction and a modern bridge in the other.

You do not spend the day touring Skye’s best-known attractions. There is no promise of the Quiraing, Fairy Pools, or Portree. That is not a flaw if your goal is a west coast sampler from Inverness. It would be a drawback if you are specifically booking this as a full Skye sightseeing day.

The route instead focuses on the journey through Glenelg, the ferry itself, and Plockton. You get a sense of the region without spending the entire day on Skye’s roads.

Plockton, palms and Highland cattle

The final major stop is Plockton, often called the Jewel of the Highlands. This picturesque village sits on a sheltered bay with views over Loch Carron. You have about an hour here, making it one of the day’s more relaxed stops.

The playful goal is to look for Highland cattle and palm trees. The combination sounds odd until you remember that Plockton’s sheltered coastal position allows palm-like plants to grow, giving the village a look unlike the high mountain country earlier in the day.

An hour is enough to walk around, enjoy the bay, and take in the village atmosphere at your own pace. It is also a good place to pause after the ferry and bridge crossings. The tour does not include a specific lunch arrangement, though one past account of a day with Bill praised the pacing and the stops for tea, coffee, and a pleasant lunch. Treat that as part of the guide’s flexible style, not as a guaranteed meal included in the price.

What Bill adds to the day

The guide can make or break a long Highland drive. Bill is described as prompt, personable, funny, and well informed about Scotland’s less obvious places. His replies to past guests also show a genuine interest in music, local roads, and returning to favorite areas such as Badachro, Gairloch, and Inverewe Garden.

The most useful quality is flexibility. He has offered several plans to suit weather patterns, which is practical in the Highlands. A clear morning may favor one viewpoint, while mist or rain may make another stop less worthwhile.

The tone also matters. A private day with only your own group can feel more personal than a large coach trip. You can ask about the Battle of Glenshiel, the old road over Ratagan, the brochs, or the ferry without worrying about holding up a busload of strangers.

Past praise also highlights hidden-byway style routing, interesting facts, good humor, and a feeling of being well cared for. That personal touch is likely the main reason to choose this tour over simply hiring a car.

Price, group size and overall value

The price is $1,032.20 per group of up to seven people. For seven people, that works out to about $147.46 per person. For four people, it is about $258.05 each, and for two people, about $516.10 each.

That makes the group size crucial. I see solid value for a family or friend group of five to seven people that wants private transportation, a driver-guide, snacks, bottled water, an air-conditioned vehicle, and a carefully planned route. You also avoid the effort of driving through unfamiliar Highland roads and fitting the ferry into your own schedule.

For one or two people, the price is much harder to defend unless privacy and a personal guide are your top priorities. A shared excursion may cost less, though it would not offer the same control over pacing or company.

The tour is not available to cruise ship passengers arriving at Invergordon Cruise Port. Pickup is offered, confirmation comes at booking, and service animals are allowed. Most people can participate, but the day includes vehicle time, short outdoor walks, and uneven ground around ancient structures.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations made within 24 hours are not accepted for a refund.

Who should book this west coast route?

I would choose this tour if you are staying in Inverness and want a full day that mixes scenery, local history, archaeology, and an unusual transport experience. It suits people who prefer smaller roads and distinctive stops to a checklist of Scotland’s biggest sights.

It is especially good for groups who want to share one private vehicle and let the guide handle the route. Families and older travelers may also appreciate the short walks and the ability to spend more or less time at stops, within the day’s limits.

I would hesitate if you want a slow, in-depth visit to Skye, a long hike, or a day built around museums and formal historic sites. The route is broad rather than deep. You see many places, but only the brochs and Plockton receive about an hour or more.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you value personal guiding, flexible weather planning, and unusual Highland experiences. The Glenelg brochs and manually operated ferry give the day a character that a standard Loch Ness outing cannot match.

For a group of five to seven, the price can be sensible. For a couple, it is a premium purchase. Either way, ask yourself one question: do you want to collect famous sights, or do you want a long, varied day on old roads with a guide who can point out why the less obvious places matter?

FAQ

Where does the tour begin?

The tour is based in Inverness, Scotland, and pickup is offered.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts approximately nine to ten hours, including travel between stops.

How many people can join the private tour?

The price covers one private group of up to seven people.

Is the Glenelg ferry included?

Yes. The 30-minute Skye Ferry stop includes the crossing on the MV Glenachulish.

What is special about the MV Glenachulish?

It is the last surviving manually operated turntable car ferry in the world.

Are there extra entry fees at the stops?

No additional entry fees are listed for the destinations and attractions included in the route.

Is the tour available to cruise ship passengers at Invergordon?

No. This experience is not available for cruise ship passengers arriving at Invergordon Cruise Port.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.