Culloden virtual tours to launch in January 2023

The virtual tours which launch in January will allow people to visit the battlefield and get expert insights into the battle which brought the Jacobite Risings to an end in April 1746, all without leaving their home.

Launching in early 2023, the immersive tours feature 360-degree drone footage of Culloden moor, interactive 3D artefacts, gun smoke, Highland Charge war cries and videos of the hand-to-hand combat between Charles Edward Stuart’s supporters and government forces. People will be able to join the live tours, from anywhere in the world, in the company of the charity’s expert guides to explore this pivotal episode in Highland history from a whole new perspective.

It was on 16 April 1746, that a Hanoverian government army under the Duke of Cumberland went head-to-head with Prince Charles Edward Stuart's forces. A decisive victory for Cumberland, the clash lasted just under an hour and ended the Jacobites' hopes of restoring a Stuart to the British thrones.

The National Trust for Scotland, custodians of the battlefield site for 80 years, has teamed up with digital engagement specialists YourTour to create the Culloden Battlefield Live-Guided Virtual Visit. YourTour’s Tourgether system enables Culloden's official tour guides to lead groups around the battlefield site near Inverness via a Zoom-style interface. 

There’s no software to install and no tours to download - simply click on a link to time-travel back to the battlefield.

Virtual Visits, which launch in January, work on all modern devices, including smartphones, but are best experienced on larger screens such as a desktop, laptop, or tablet computer. The Virtual Visits booking line opens on 24 January, with the first tour available on 31 January. Tours are on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 3pm GMT and cost £10 per person. For more information go to National Trust for Scotland.