It divides the North of Scotland along a line from Fort William to Inverness, and provides a navigable link between the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It is 23 miles long and a mile wide, and has a depth of 754 feet, (that’s deeper than the North Sea), and has never been known to freeze.
It contains an estimated 263,000 million cubic feet of fresh water, exceeding that of any other loch or lake in Great Britain, is three times greater than Loch Lomond, and is deep enough to cover the Empire State Building. The loch is about 10,000 years old and dates from the end of the last Ice Age, (which lasted for 20,000 years).
Loch Ness is home to the world famous Loch Ness Monster, affectionately known as Nessie. There have been Nessie sightings since the 6th century when an Irish Saint, St Columba, recorded an eye to eye confrontation.
The story goes that St Columba ordered one of his monks to swim across the loch and fetch a boat. Halfway across the monster appeared and rushed at the swimmer, roaring in a most frightening manner! St Columba cried at the monster “go no further, nor touch the man, go back”. The monster fled.
There have been numerous sightings over the centuries, with the most recorded in the 20th century. The monster is usually described as having a small head at the end of a long neck, with a broad body with humps, and sometimes as having four flippers and a long tail with a rounded end.
You can drive down beside the loch yourself, nearest to us is the Northern side, where there are special places reserved for tourists to read information notices, and where you can stand and watch and take photographs. During the summer months you will often hear the enchanting sounds of the Loch Ness piper. On the southern side, it’s much quieter, but also very interesting and there are lots of wild deer just roaming around the moor and mountain land. Take the B851 Inverness to Foyers.
Why not take a cruise on the loch? There are cruises with Jacobite Loch Ness Cruises, departing from Tomnahurich Bridge (Inverness), or Clansman Harbour (on the loch side a few mins. from Drumnadrochit), ranging from one hours to four hour cruises. Or maybe you fancy a land and loch cruise? Try Discover Loch Ness aboard their unsurpassed, award-winning historical and heritage tour, (with live commentary), daily from Inverness.
We’d also suggest a visit to the Loch Ness 2000 Exhibition, and the Original Loch Ness Monster centre at Drumnadrochit, where all available monster evidence is on display for and against the existence of Nessie. Both open all year.
We think that this is a wonderful, enduring mystery that really appeals to young and old, how marvellous to think of such an enigma in this day and age. Long may this be so! Remember: You have to believe in Nessie if you want to see her!