Have you dreamed of seeing the Loch Ness Monster?Edited by Madelyn Miller, the TravelLadyIn the heart of Scotland's striking countryside, "mythical" meets "magical" aboard the Scottish Highlander luxury hotel barge. And while there is no guarantee you will see the Loch Ness Monster, this fall it will only cost you half as much to try. A Four-Season Destination
Shore excursions include the 14th century Cawdor Castle, immortalized in William Shakespeare's Macbeth; Eilean Donan Castle, the dramatic setting for the film "Highlander" and Culloden Moor battlefield; plus some of the finest golf courses in the world, such as Royal Dornoch and Nairn, as well as Fort Augustus, the only canal-side course manicured by a head of sheep.
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The Scottish Highlander boasts a fully stocked wine cellar and, of course, a selection of single malts so guests can indulge in a wee dram (translation: shot of Scotch Whisky). Tartan furnishings and regional landscape paintings give this "floating hotel" the feel of a traditional country home.
GO BARGING, EUROPE'S LARGEST LUXURY BARGING COMPANY, GOES GAELIC WITH THE ONLY HOTEL BARGE EXCURSIONS THROUGH THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS Special GO BARGING Savings of 50% on Select September and October Departure Dates. Go Barging, the only barging company to cruise the Highland waterways, provides a selection of unique voyages in Scotland with itineraries for families, soft adventurers and golfers. Now, it offers more value than ever before on select 2006 Scottish Highlander cruises. Book one cabin and enjoy 50% savings off a second cabin for the same departure date (based on double occupancy). The offer is good on cruises departing September 24, October 1 and October 15. Discount applies to lower-priced cabin and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers. Standard prices on Scottish Highlander for September and October range from $2690 to $3,590 per person. About Go Barging
A WEE MORE ABOUT SCOTLAND Great Guidebooks The Scotland Bed & Breakfast Book The Edinburgh Visitor Guide Hello Britain & Ireland The Celtic World TO GET A TASTE OF SCOTLAND SCOTLAND ON A PLATE THE SCOTTISH-IRISH PUB AND HEARTH COOKBOOK Where to Stay I always enjoy the Connoisseurs Scotland Hotels, the ten best hotels in Scotland, one of which is a boat and another a train. CONNOISSEURS SCOTLAND BEST WAY TO GET THERE Virgin Airlines. On their transatlantic flights in first class, you can even get a spa treatment en route. What a way to jumpstart a vacation. Madelyn Miller is a writer and web entrepreneur who writes for www.travellady.com, www.chocolateatlas.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.carladynews.com, and www.teaatlas.com She has a lot more websites planned. And you just might see them before you see the Loch Ness Monster. |
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Go Barging's Scottish excursions are for lovers of the good life. The Scottish Highlander cruises the Great Glen along Great Britain's most historic waterway, the Caledonian Canal, now open year-round. Among the many lochs on Scottish Highlander's route is the legendary Loch Ness. Passengers get a chance to stand lookout for its mystical monster. Ancient castles line the water's edge throughout the journey. Heather-clad hillsides extend as far as the eye can see.
Barging is the savvy way to penetrate the heart and soul of a destination. Long a favorite among Europeans, well-traveled Americans are now getting onboard. The four-cabin, eight-passenger Scottish Highlander, once a classic Dutch trading vessel, was recently refurbished with all the creature comforts of an exclusive boutique hotel-on-the-water. Passengers are treated to personalized service, with gourmet Scottish fare prepared by a master chef. 
"The cosmopolitan cities of Scotland are familiar territory for American visitors, but cruising the Highlands is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the true heart of Scotland. It falls within the finest inland cruising scenery in the world," remarked Derek Banks, CEO of Go Barging, a subsidiary of European Waterways. "Barging offers travelers a chance to see Scotland as it once was, without sacrificing the perks, amenities and luxuries of the 21st century."
Go Barging offers vacations in nine countries and carrying approximately 1,700 passengers a year. Founded over 30 years ago, the company designs, builds, owns and operates a private fleet of luxury barges with exclusive cruises in France, Scotland, England, Ireland, Holland, Italy, the Czech Republic, Belgium, and Germany. Pioneers in barging, they were the first company to put a barge on the upper Nivernais, and the "real" Loire Valley. They are also the only company with a barge in Scotland and on the Venetian lagoon, as well as the first company to offer an Avignon-to-Amsterdam 6-week trans Europe cruise, a thousand mile journey along Western Europe's inland waterways. Prices start at $2,150 per person, charters start at $11,450. For more information, pricing and cruise schedules, contact European Waterways at 1-800- 394-8630 or on the web at