Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness

Loch Ness 360°

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Overview

Route

What’s Included?

Itineraries & Prices

Accommodation

Travel Info

Additional Days

Overview

Walking Holidays

7 - 8 Nights

77.5 Miles / 125 km

Prices from: £930 per person
Start: Inverness, Highlands
Finish: Inverness, Highlands
Availability: Any start date from April to October
Grading: Easy to Moderate
Way-marked: Yes

Loch Ness 360° Highlights

Spectacular scenery

Take in incredible views of Loch Ness, including the unforgettable scene from the beautiful pebble beach at Dores.

Highland life

Immerse yourself in Highland life by visiting the little villages of Foyers, Dores and Invermoriston.

South Loch Ness

Wander quiet country lanes on the undiscovered southern banks of Loch Ness.

History galore

Explore an area full of history, from the 13th century Urquhart Castle to General Wade’s Military Road.

Inverness

Celebrate the start and end of your walk in the capital of the Highlands, visiting the viewing tower at the castle for fantastic views of the city.

Falls of Foyers

Visit the dramatic Falls of Foyers, which are said to have inspired the legendary Scottish poet Rabbie Burns.

An Exhilarating Circuit of Scotland’s Most Legendary Loch

Loch Ness is perhaps the most iconic of Scotland’s great lochs and the Loch Ness 360° offers a unique tour of these infamous waters. You will walk along the shores of the loch and hike high above for spectacular views, in a loop that starts and ends in Inverness, the capital of the Highlands.

The Loch Ness 360° covers a 77.5-mile route along the southern side of Loch Ness and then through the beautiful Great Glen. The start and endpoint of Inverness is well connected with an airport and regular trains throughout Scotland.

The south section gives you an opportunity to explore the much quieter and less-visited southern shore of Loch Ness, where the picturesque and agricultural area of Stratherrick borders on the foothills of the Monadhliath Mountains. At the Falls of Foyers, you can admire one of the most dramatic waterfalls in the highlands, which has drawn visitors for centuries, including Rabbie Burns himself.

The picturesque pebble beach at Dores is a wonderful place to sit by the lochside, perhaps with a pint from the 19th-century Dores Inn.

As you walk along the Great Glen Way section, you can take the new High Route which takes you above the treeline far above Loch Ness, providing views to the many distant mountains, as far as Ben Nevis.

Loch Ness 360° Route Map

Recommended Itinerary

Our most popular itinerary is LNT1 which covers the route in 6 days / 7 nights.

Travel to Inverness for your first night’s accommodation

Arrive in Inverness, the Capital of the Highlands, and spend the evening at your first night’s accommodation.

Day 1: Inverness to Dores (10 miles / 16 km)

From Inverness Castle, head along the pleasant banks of the River Ness and then through quiet woodland and farmland along the bottom of the Great Glen. A few miles outside of Inverness you will find the official start of the South Loch Ness Trail, in Torbreck Woods.

Your first sight of Loch Ness will come as you descend into the village of Dores. Relax here at the pebbly Dores beach, or with a pint at the Dores Inn.

Day 2: Dores to Foyers (13.5 miles / 22 km)

From Dores, you’ll head along the shore of Loch Ness, then ascend to the ‘Pass of the Fair-Haired Lad’ for great views back down over the Loch. The winding ‘corkscrew’ road will take you down to the small hamlet of Inverfarigaig, from which you’ll follow forestry paths through the picturesque Farigaig Forest. End the day at Foyers, home to the famous Falls of Foyers.

Day 3: Foyers to Fort Augustus (14 miles / 23 km)

Small paths and tracks take you away from Foyers through farmland, and soon the beautiful valley of Stratherrick opens up around you. Ascend a new path to 450m on the hill of Carn an t-Suidhe, which boasts expansive views. From Loch Tarff, head downhill into Fort Augustus, site of many impressive locks on the Caledonian Canal.

Day 4: Fort Augustus to Invermoriston (8 miles / 13 km)

From Fort Augustus, you will begin your stretch on the Great Glen Way, soon getting your first choice between the Low Route which sticks mainly to forest, and the High Route which gets above the treeline. Then descend to the small village of Invermoriston.

Day 5: Invermoriston to Drumnadrochit (14 miles / 23 km)

From Invermoriston the route continues its rise and fall above Loch Ness and soon you have the choice again of Low Route or High Route. The High Route climbs to its highest point at 442m, with stunning views over the Loch. Drop back down again to Drumnadrochit, close to Urquhart Castle and the Loch Ness Monster Visitor Centre.

Day 6: Drumnadrochit to Inverness (18 miles / 29 km)

On the final leg of your walk, the Great Glen Way heads away from Loch Ness across open moorland above Drumnadrochit. It passes through farmland and forests before descending to follow the River Ness and into Inverness, ending back where you started at Inverness Castle.

Onward travel

After breakfast, you will start your journey home after a wonderful walking holiday on the Loch Ness 360°.

What’s Included?

Your Loch Ness 360° walking holiday includes:

Carefully selected accommodation along the route and trail transfers when applicable
En-suite or private bathroom facilities whenever possible
Daily door-to-door baggage transfers
Comprehensive information pack, kit list, guidebook and map (one set per room)
Personalised itinerary with details of your accommodation, route and recommendations for lunch and dinner
Traditional Scottish breakfast each morning
24-hour emergency contact number
Full financial protection

Your walking holiday doesn't include:

Travel insurance
Transport to and from the start and end of the walk
Lunches and evening meals

Itineraries & Prices

We offer 3 suggested itineraries for walking the Loch Ness 360°.

Our most popular itinerary is LNT2 which covers the route in 7 days. If you prefer to walk a shorter section of the trail we also offer the South Loch Ness Trail (LNT3) as a separate itinerary.

Tour code

Itinerary

Average miles

Difficulty

Price per person

LNT1

6 Days / 7 Nights

13 miles per day

Moderate

From £930

Average miles : 13 miles per day

Tour code: LNT1

Difficulty : Moderate

6 Days / 7 Nights (LNT1)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag, there is also a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Inverness for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 Inverness to Dores 10 miles / 16 km

Day 2 Dores to Foyers 13.5 miles / 22 km

Day 3 Foyers to Fort Augustus 14 miles / 23 km

Day 4 Fort Augustus to Invermoriston 8 miles / 13 km

Day 5 Invermoriston to Drumnadrochit 14 miles / 22.5 km

Day 6 Drumnadrochit to Inverness 18 miles / 29 km

Depart Onward travel from Inverness

Prices

Premium

Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels

From £1380 per person

Carefully selected guest houses, inns and hotels throughout your walk, which will be the best available in each location. As premium accommodation is in short supply on this trail, please note that some establishments will be of a higher standard than others. En-suite facilities or private bathroom guaranteed.

Enquire Now

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £930 per person

Good quality and comfortable B&Bs, guest houses and some hotels located as close to the trail as possible. We will prioritise en-suite facilities or a private bathroom, although in remote areas with limited accommodation this may not always be possible.

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LNT2

7 Days / 8 Nights

11 miles per day

Easy

From £1075

Average miles : 11 miles per day

Tour code: LNT2

Difficulty : Easy

7 Days / 8 Nights (LNT2)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag, there is also a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Inverness for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 Inverness to Dores 10 miles / 16 km

Day 2 Dores to Foyers 13.5 miles / 22 km

Day 3 Foyers to Fort Augustus 14 miles / 23 km

Day 4 Fort Augustus to Invermoriston 8 miles / 13 km

Day 5 Day 5 Invermoriston to Drumnadrochit 14 miles / 22.5 km

Day 6 Drumnadrochit to Abriachan (overnight in Drumnadrochit) 7 miles / 11 km

Day 7 Abriachan to Inverness 11 miles / 18 km

Depart Onward travel from Inverness

Prices

Premium

Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels

From £1570 per person

Enquire Now

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £1075 per person

Enquire Now

LNT3

3 Days / 4 Nights (South Loch Ness Trail)

12.5 miles per day

Moderate

From £635

Average miles : 12.5 miles per day

Tour code: LNT3

Difficulty : Moderate

3 Days / 4 Nights (LNT3)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag, there is also a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Inverness for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 Inverness to Dores 10 miles / 16 km

Day 2 Dores to Foyers 13.5 miles / 22 km

Day 3 Foyers to Fort Augustus 14 miles / 23 km

Depart Onward travel from Fort Augustus

Prices

Premium

Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels

From £880 per person

Enquire Now

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £635 per person

Enquire Now

Loch Ness 360° Accommodation

All of the accommodation that we reserve for you has been personally selected by our expert team to ensure it meets our exacting standards. We regularly review our extensive database.

We will always prioritise accommodation as close to the walking trail as possible. Occasionally, your accommodation may be located a short distance from the trail, or you may need to spend more than one night in the same place, in which case we will provide return transfers.

Travel Information

As an environmentally conscious tour operator, we actively encourage the use of public transport by providing clients with a detailed breakdown of travel options in their information packs. The following information may help with your pre-trip planning.

Getting to and departing from Inverness

By Air

Nearest Airport: Inverness Airport.

Nearest Major Airports: Edinburgh Airport and Glasgow International Airport.

All airports run regular public transport services to the city centres. An airport shuttle bus operates between Inverness city centre and Inverness Airport (journey time 30 min).

An airport shuttle bus and tram runs between Edinburgh city centre and the airport (journey time 30 min). An airport shuttle bus operates between Glasgow city centre and Glasgow International Airport (journey time 25 min).

There are various train and bus services connecting Inverness to Edinburgh and Glasgow.

By Public Transport

Nearest railway station: Inverness

There are regular train services between Inverness and Glasgow (journey time 3 hours 30 min) or Edinburgh (journey time 3 hours 45 min).

The Caledonian Sleeper travels between Inverness and London Euston overnight (journey time 11 hours).

There are also regular Citylink bus services between Inverness and Edinburgh or Glasgow (journey time 3 hours 30 min).

As the train and bus services can be very busy, we recommend booking your tickets in advance.

By Car

If you plan to travel by car, it may be possible to park in Inverness for the duration of your holiday. We can advise you about parking options when you make your enquiry.

Additional Days

We would be delighted to arrange additional accommodation for you along the Loch Ness 360°.

You may wish to plan a rest day or have an additional night at any of the locations along the route which offer activities or sightseeing opportunities – we’ve made some suggestions below. Please request this when you make an enquiry.

Fort Augustus

Spend a day relaxing in this pretty lochside village
Hire a bicycle and cycle along the historic Caledonian Canal
Hire some golf clubs and enjoy a round at the historic 9-hole course
Go ‘monster hunting’ on a Loch Ness boat cruise

Drumnadrochit

Explore Urquhart Castle – one of the most romantic ruins in Scotland
Visit the Loch Ness Centre & Exhibition to learn more of the area’s fascinating (and monstrous!) history

Inverness

Explore the historic Capital of the Highlands
Visit Culloden Battlefield, Clava Cairns, or tour the world-famous Malt Whisky Trail
Enjoy a day trip to the unique and unforgettable Isle of Skye
Hire a car and enjoy a self-drive tour to explore the rest of Scotland

How do our Walking Holidays Work?

For more than 20 years, we’ve been weaving together unforgettable walking holidays amidst the enchanting landscapes of the British Isles. Dive deeper into how they work in our comprehensive guide. Read more

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