Famous lake where you might find Nessie
This is one attraction you will want your camera ready for…just in case you get that lucky shot. As the alleged home of Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster, this loch hardly needs an introduction. It is the second deepest body of water in Scotland and contains more fresh water than all the lakes of England and Wales combined, which means there is plenty of room for a giant creature to inhabit.
Nessie first came to the world’s attention in 1933 when a Scottish newspaper reported a London visitor’s sighting of a prehistoric, dragon-like animal in the lake. Later that same year the first purported photograph was published. However, the earliest mention of a monster in the area dates back to the 7th century in an Irish monk’s story of a man being dragged underwater by a “water beast”.
Common speculation among Nessie enthusiasts is that the creature descended from a species of dinosaur, though the scientific community has not weighed in. At the Loch Ness Centre & Exhibition, you can browse findings by the Loch Ness Project, an organisation that has for over 30 years investigated the lake and its famous monster mythology.
By its shores, you’ll find the ruins of Urquhart Castle, which is under the custody of Historic Environment Scotland and is open to visitors all year long.
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