Monster hunting


Back in July we had a French friend of my daughter's staying with us. On her previous visits we've been very much Edinburgh based, so it was time for a quick tour of some of Scotland's other delights. Our first stop was Loch Ness and a spot of monster hunting. As you see above, we were lucky enough to spot the familiar long neck rising from the 755 feet deep waters. In the ladies' toilets of the The Loch Ness Exhibition, that is.

The exhibition is a tourist magnet. We arrived just after opening time, but already the car park was busy. The exhibition was more balanced than I had expected in its presentation of the 'mystery' of Loch Ness (conclusion: probably not enough of a food chain in the loch to support a beast of the size of the supposed dinosaur relic). But there was the inevitable, heart-sinking, no escape exit through the gift shop.

Outside however was a glimpse of the delightful passion with which people have pursued the monster. This little yellow submarine was used for research dives during the 1960s. It looks like something out of The Clangers, or The Wombles. When I took this shot I didn't notice the boat in the nearby field, perhaps because it's nothing unusual. In Scotland you quite often come across boats moored halfway up a hill, as we'll see later in this tour.


The Loch itself isn't one of the most scenic in Scotland. It's long, and very deep, and often gloomy, as it was on our visit. There are no towering peaks along its shores. Still, it does give the impression that something may lurk in its depths, and it does have an iconic ruined castle - Urquhart Castle - from which this next shot was taken. Note the restraining rail courtesy of Historic Scotland, lest any tourist should topple over into the waters below. I wonder what the clansmen would have made of safety rails?


On our visit the castle was bristling with tourists. Every shot of battlements and craggy walls that I took turned out also to include dayglo waterproof jackets from across the globe. There was one bit of military excitement. A couple of F-16 fighter jets roared down the loch, just captured in the shot below. I know they were F-16s because I was informed by an American tourist who had been in the US Air Force and was overcome by patriotism at the sight of these planes screaming up the loch. I imagine the clansmen would have traded the safety rails for a couple of F-16s.


Our base for our 24 hours at Loch Ness was Kilmore Farmhouse, a B&B at Drumnadrochit which I can thoroughly recommend.





Comments

  1. Beautiful! I would trade 103 degrees at 6:30 PM for a 'gloomy' day at Loch Ness!! Thanks for taking us along!

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  2. An interesting visit for sure. I find this topic intriguing and would have enjoyed the visit as well. Funny that you saw the F-16's.

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  3. It looks like a wonderful day trip! Did you know that Canada is also rumored to have lake monsters? Two of them, actually! Ogopogo in Lake Okanagan in Kelowna, BC and Memphré in Lake Memphrémagog in Magog, QC. That's one in the West and one in the East, Magog is actually only about an hour from Montreal. I spent an entire week by the lake there when I was little, but there was no sign of Memphré.

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  4. How I did enjoy your comments and the beautiful pictures. It is so nice to have you take such great shots of all the places you go. It's almost like having a little mini tour of places that have always been of interest to an American like me, who does't get around much any more. Thanks a lot

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  5. Interesting post, makes me remember the time, long ago i camped close to the loch next to the castle ,i think it won't be possible now ! ;)

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  6. Hi Linda, 103 degrees is too hot even for me. It was certainly 'fresh' that day by Loch Ness.

    Farmchick, some of the monster hoaxes are as interesting as the possibility of a real monster. You have to admire people's creativity. The F-16s were a real bonus!

    Karine, I didn't know about Canada's lake monsters. We spent a couple of days in Kaleden a few summers ago, and our children swam in the lake. We also saw the latest Harry Potter film (Order of the Phoenix?) in Penticton. It was such a novel experience to come out of the cinema late in the evening and find it was still warm!

    Darlene, thanks for your kind comment. Glad to have shown you another little bit of Scotland.

    Babzy, the castle did seem well fenced off, but perhaps there are still places for wild camping. It's a trade-off between freedom and not letting a popular place be over-run and spoilt.

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  7. Thanks for this post! There is something about Loch Ness that makes even me look to see, just in case. The jets reminded me of something I'd forgotten. When our son was about 5 years old we were at Urquhart Castle and fighter jets came tearing through the sky. He was so terrified I thought he really might jump in the loch. There was one flying over Aberdeen this evening too...

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  8. This is a great view of a part of the world I'd love to visit. Despite spending the first 13 years of my life in England and Holland I never made it to Scotland, and I really want to remedy that!

    The railings are probably because of idiot tourists like me - I live and hike at high elevation, and think nothing of looking over cliffs hundreds of feet high.

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  9. Ahhh.... now I always like hearing about Nessie and I am a firm believer that she is there. It's a shame she didn't say 'Hello'. Glad you enjoyed yourselves anyway.

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  10. Love those tiles! It's fun to have myths - gives kids a thrill.

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  11. I've been there! And can I just say this: a cloudy, rainy day at Loch Ness trumps a sunny day anywhere else on earth. The clouds, the gloom, the ROMANCE! Agh, I miss Scotland.

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  12. Thank you for the visual visit to Loch Ness. Your country has such mystery and history. The F-16s could have been from a variety of places. I know some air forces own them, Belgium for one. Pretty neat to see them, wherever they are from.

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  13. Christine, those planes did make a terrific noise, held in by the hills on either side. I can understand your son's reaction.

    Yes Al, you really must come to Scotland. I don't have your tolerance for looking over the edge of sheer drops I'm afraid.

    Foody, I'm in two minds - I'd like to believe, but I was swayed by the food chain argument.

    Red Pat - and plenty of big kids too!

    Marcheline, I'll try to repeat 'the clouds, the gloom, the ROMANCE' as a mantra this winter!

    Breezy Point Mom, yes, I suppose weapons have a fairly brisk trade around the world. These planes came close enough to the castle for the USAF markings to be seen - I just wasn't quick enough with my camera.

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  14. Add in some single malt scotch (Balvenie double wood for me), plus a man speaking in a Scottish accent, and the fantasy is complete.

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  15. Linda, what a fabulous trip you and your visitors enjoyed! Your post made me feel almost as if I was there as well! Thanks!

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  16. That looks like a nice B and B. I suppose the railing is necessary to Nessie from finding out how good humans taste.

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