A Toast to Robbie Burns: Celebrate Burns’ Life with a Scotland Vacation
Happy Robbie Burns Day! Each January 25th the Scottish and those of Scottish descent around the world celebrate Burns Night to honour Scotland’s favorite son. He was born in 1759 on a farm in Alloway, Scotland, and throughout his lifetime developed a love for literature, women, and drinking (and not necessarily in that order).
Each year, to honour his memory as one of the world’s greatest poets, people from all over the world celebrate Burns Night with a celebration featuring Scottish delicacies like haggis and, of course, a toast of good Scotch.
Once you’ve cut the haggis and nipped a wee Scotch, you can celebrate the life of one of the world’s greatest poets by planning your adventure to Robert Burns’ stomping grounds. You can book your own vacation to Scotland, to learn more about Burns’ often-irreverent lifestyle, while drinking in the same scenery and culture that inspired him to greatness.
An option for very unique holiday in Scotland is a Le Boat Cruise. Do-it-yourself cruising is the latest trend in vacations, and Le Boat has more than 50 years of experience in providing the best cruise boat rental options on the world’s famous canals across Europe and Canada. As the largest operator of self-driving boating vacations, Le Boat knows just what will take your vacation in Scotland from ordinary to extra-ordinary! Join the more than 100,000 guests who book a Le Boat adventure each year!
In Scotland, Le Boat’s cruises run on the Caledonian Canal, where from the historic city of Inverness to the deep, mysterious waters of Loch Ness, and beyond, the canal offers the perfect Scottish experience. If you are new to boating, it's no problem. Le Boat’s cruisers are easy to drive, no matter your experience. Simple boating controls make it as easy to drive a boat as it is to drive a car, and you’ll quickly become hooked on a vacation on the water.
As you travel the Caledonian, you can stop and absorb the local culture in a Scottish pub or restaurant, or pick up some groceries to dine in on your very own cruiser. Don’t forget to indulge in one of Scotland’s salmon or some Scottish shortbread cookies!
Check out this list of five Burns-inspired Scottish destinations where you will almost be able to hear the bagpipes playing.
Laggan
Dine in the Glengarry Castle Hotel in Invergarry while overlooking Loch Oich, and imagine what it would have been like on that same spot during Burns’ time, hundreds of years ago. Take the Great Glen Adventures and take part in guided walks, rock climbing and abseiling, or simply wander the heather-covered hills of the land Burns described with “the hills of the highlands forever I love.” From the comfort of your cruiser you can watch the inspirational scenery drift past as you travel towards Loch Locky, the third deepest loch in Scotland. Take some time to cast your line and see what you can catch, then thriftily fry it up for dinner, true Scots style!
Fall of Foyers
One of Burns’ most famous poems, Lines on the Fall of Fyers Near Loch-Ness, tells the story of a waterfall located only a short walk from Loch Ness, and continues to be a popular destination today. Visit for yourself to see how the “roaring Fyers pours his mossy floods” and the location that so inspired Burns he wrote these lines with a pencil, on the spot.
Inverness
Inverness is one of the major historical cities in Scotland and would have been an important destination in Burns’ time. Today, Inverness maintains its historic charm, and visitors are invited to explore the past on the Inverness Historic Trail. Imagine the inspiration for Burns’ poem, The Lovely Lass of Inverness, as you stroll through the historic streets. Take some time to wander along the riverbank to Ness Islands, or dine at a local restaurant for some authentic Scottish food. Raise a glass in honour or Scotland’s favourite son while you’re there!
Fort William
The Caledonia Canal runs from Inverness to Fort William (Banavie), the end of the line for Le Boat cruisers, and is a destination that shouldn’t be missed. Take one of the buses that run every 15 minutes during the day from Banavie to Fort William, and begin your exploration of this famous area in the Scottish Highlands. Fort William is an outdoor adventure paradise, with activities like hiking, paragliding, forest walks and mountain biking.
Loch Ness
What visit to the Caledonia canal would be complete without exploring the world-famous Loch Ness, reputed home of the prehistoric creature, Nessie. The Scottish are well known for their love of fantastical creatures and magical spots in their land and waters, and Loch Ness one of the most famous, the world over. Moor your boat overnight in the deep, dark waters of the Loch, and peer through the mist in the early morning hours to see if you can spot the famous Nessie. Visit Drumnadrochit, only a short walk from the moorings and the Loch Ness Centre & Exhibition to learn more about the myth of Nessie. Urquhart Castle is roughly an hour walk from Drumnadrochit (or you can take a taxi), and will give you a fantastic view of Loch Ness.
So, on Robbie Burns Day enjoy your haggis and raise a toast to the humble man from Scotland who transformed the literary world forever. Tell Burns you’ll honour his memory when your feet step onto Scottish soil – and see for yourself the land that inspired Burns to a lifetime of poetry: “How pleasant thy banks and vallies below, where wild in the woodlands the primroses blow…”
Download the Regional Guide for an overvlew of where to stop and what to do.
Learn more about cruising this beautiful region in Scotland