When you think of Scotland's most famous lake, you'll also think of Britain's most famous monster: Nessie (aka, the Loch Ness Monster). Although Nessie hasn't put in an appearance for decades, nowhere does a better job of keeping the centuries-old legend alive than the Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition with its exhibits of the famous "beastie" as well as the history of the surrounding area. Another Loch Ness landmark easily accessible from Inverness is the much-photographed Urquhart Castle, the ruins of which are one of Scotland's most visited of attractions.
1 Nessie: The Legend of the Loch Ness Monster
St Columba, an Irish missionary, is said to have been the first person to encounter the oldest inhabitant of Loch Ness after the monster dragged the (soon-to-be) saint into the impenetrable depths. Then, in the 16th century, Hector Boece mentioned in The History of Scotland that a "terrible being" had suddenly emerged from the water and swallowed three men. The next sighting, in 1933, took place while a couple sitting on the north bank saw a strange, writhing creature cross the road in front of them. A host of snapshots and eyewitness reports followed, not to mention a growing stream of visitors. Most descriptions of the beastie say it resembles a large sea reptile with a long neck, a small head, fins and several humps.
The most famous picture of Nessiteras Rhombopteryx, to give Nessie its full name, came from London gynecologist Robert Wilson. On April 19, 1934, Wilson reported seeing something on the water and took a snap: a long neck of the monster had just emerged from the ice-cold water. It later turned out that Wilson belonged to a team who had set out to play a trick on the media. Shortly before his death in 1993, Christian Spurling, one of the "conspirators", admitted his part in the great deception. According to the Sunday Times, Spurling, an amateur woodworker, had rigged up a dinosaur dummy on a toy submarine. The ruse worked perfectly.
2 Urquhart Castle
The impressive ruins of Urquhart Castle - located just a few minutes from Drumnadrochit - stand on a tongue of land jutting out into Loch Ness. Set against the backdrop of lake and mountain, the castle - once one of Scotland's largest fortifications - is at the center of many ancient myths. Dating from the 12th century, it was a typical example of a motte and bailey fortification, but in the 14th century stonewalls replaced the original wooden structure. In 1509 James IV gave the castle to John Grant of Freuchie, who commissioned the extension to the keep, and at the end of the 17th century the fortified castle fell victim to a fire. Today, visitors can enjoy onsite facilities including a café, gift shop and stunning views of the loch.
Hours: Daily, 9:30am-5pm
Admission: Adults, £7.90; Children, £4.80
Address: Drumnadrochit, Inverness, Inverness-shire
3 The Village of Drumnadrochit
Located at the head of Urquhart Bay on Loch Ness's northern shore, the village of Drumnadrochit is a great place to begin exploring Scotland's most famous lake, its many myths and legends, as well as nearby Urquhart Castle. In addition to guesthouses, B&Bs, cafés and gift shops, it's home to the Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition which tells the fascinating story of the loch's most famous resident, Nessie. It's also a great place to pick up a boat cruise to do some monster spotting for yourself, go fishing, or simply to take in the loch's stunning scenery. The village is also a popular spot for horse riding and pony trekking excursions.
Official site: www.visitdrumnadrochit.com
4 The Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition
This fascinating attraction uses audio-visual techniques and static displays to recount the evolutionary history of the region and its famed Loch Ness Monster. Visitors can read up on the latest developments in the search for the monster, as well as photos, newspaper headlines and underwater photos. The most interesting display focuses on Operation Deepscan in 1987 and includes sonar readings from the murky waters of Loch Ness. The images seem to confirm the existence of something down there (it certainly didn't rule out the existence of the beloved monster). Another monster-related exhibit can be seen at nearby Nessieland.
Hours: Daily, 9:30am-5pm
Admission: Adults, £6.95; Children (7-16), £4.95; Families, £19.95
Address: Drumnadrochit, Loch Ness, Inverness-shire
Official site: www.lochness.com/loch-ness-monster-exhibition.htm
5 Fort Augustus
Fort Augustus at the south end of Loch Ness is a favorite spot for tourists. The fortress gave the place its name and was built in 1715 to become the headquarters of the English General Wade in 1729. After changing hands a number of times, the greater part of it was demolished in 1876. Benedictine monks have since built an abbey and a highly regarded school on the site. Another nearby attraction is the magnificent waterfall at Foyers.
6 The Caledonian Canal
The Caledonian fault has been used for transport since Thomas Telford completed the Caledonian Canal in 1849 (work had begun in 1803). Stretching from Fort William and ending in the east at Inverness, the canal spared ships the hazardous northern route through the Pentland Forth between the Scottish mainland and the Orkneys.
Only a third of the canal's length is man-made, the major part of it consisting of narrow lochs including Loch Linnhe, Loch Lochy, the small Loch Oich and then the longest (and best-known) the 24 mi long Loch Ness. All told, the canal (including lochs) extends 60 mi and passes through 29 locks, the most impressive group of which are the eight locks of Neptune's Staircase. Today, it's the leisure industry that makes most use of the canal with holidaymakers in rental boats and canoes enjoying the magnificent scenery along the waterway.
7 Spean Bridge
A little to the south of Loch Ness is the road to the village of Spean Bridge, offering splendid panoramas of the Caledonian fault and the northern side of Ben Nevis. Spean Bridge makes an excellent base for walks through the Glen Roy National Nature Reserve with its "Parallel Roads" - as the terraces which run along the slope are called. These indicate the various water levels of a Pleistocene lake that was dammed by Ice Age glaciers. It's also where you'll find the Commando Memorial, a monument dedicated to the men of the British Commando Forces who trained at nearby Achnacarry Castle.
8 Loch Oich and Invergarry
The small islands in Loch Oich to the south of Loch Lomond are set against a backdrop of steep hillsides and make a picturesque sight. On the west bank of the loch near a spring known as Tobar nan Ceann stands a remarkable memorial to a bloody incident that took place in the 17th century. Here, seven brothers were executed for the deaths of two members of the Keppoch family: their heads were washed in the spring before being presented to the clan chief. Invergarry is another good base for hill walkers and is also a popular center for anglers as well as horseback treks through remote Highland glens and mountain passes.
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