Cruise the British Isles

Exploring the British Isles independently is relatively easy; the advantage of a cruise is that getting from point to point is effortless – and the scenery, particularly as you round the top of Scotland, is magnificent.

You could opt for a round-Britain and Ireland voyage, with typical stops including Newcastle, Edinburgh, Inverness, Orkney, Greenock (for Glasgow), Belfast, Dublin. Liverpool, Portland, the Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Southampton and Dover. Starting points include Southampton, Dover, London (for smaller ships) and sometimes, Liverpool, Edinburgh or Dublin.

Another option is to travel by much smaller ship and explore the west coast of Scotland in detail, pottering along the shores of lochs and islands and stopping for walking, castle visits and tastings at whisky and gin distilleries.

Cruises operate from March to October. August/September is festival season in Edinburgh, so a good time to drop in. Midges are a pest in Scotland from June to September, although much less so if you’re out at sea.