Loch Ness Lake is one of the world's mysteries, because according to legend, somewhere in its depths a creature is hiding a huge size. This is evidenced by data from a variety of sources. This article contains general information about the reservoir, all information about Nessie, district attractions and other data for travelers.
Location
Initially, travelers should know where Loch Ness is located. The closest large settlement to it is Inverness, 36 kilometers to the east. This large freshwater pond has a long history and has overgrown with a huge number of myths. Like most lakes in the Highland region, it is of glacial origin. It enters the Caledonian Canal, which connects the two coasts of Scotland.
The water in the lake is fresh, but muddy due to the presence of a large amount of peat at the bottom. In this case, the shade of water is quite specific, and it is impossible to consider what is happening at the bottom. Such a cover is only a great reason to think about a monster hiding at the bottom.
Other interesting data
Loch Ness is more elongated in length, and the distance is 36 kilometers from start to finish. The width is only 1.5 km, and the total area is 56 square kilometers. This form is ideal in order to arrange water rides. Here, different people are trying to set a world record for the speed that can be achieved on a water scooter if you move around the lake. John Cobb’s attempt ended tragically and now on the shore you can meet a monument to this man. The location was chosen by him for the reason that in calm weather the waters are almost motionless. The local surroundings are typical Scottish views.
There are mountains, as well as the half-destroyed Arkart Castle. For a visitor who has arrived in the country for the first time, the atmosphere will be bewitching, because untouched nature reigns here. If you manage to find out all the myths and legends before the trip, you can even spend more than one day on the coast. When you discard all the stories about a monster named Nessie, you will see a regular reservoir, which are many in Scotland.
Some more facts and infrastructure
It is worth noting that the supply of fresh water in this lake exceeds the total amount from sources in England and Wales combined. Moreover, in terms of size, it is only the second in Scotland, and this says a lot about the landscape of the country. The depth of Loch Ness is an average of 132 meters, and the maximum according to various sources is 230 or 240.
In the south-west of the reservoir there is only one real island, since artificial plots of land for tourists were also placed on the surface. With accommodation near the lake, travelers will not have any problems. On the coast there are a large number of hotels and guest houses of various classes. The reason for this infrastructure development lies in the fact that every year about two million people visit Lake LochNess. Where it is and in which city, tourists who have already been here know. The nearest large settlement is Inverness, and Fort Augustus can be considered the closest settlement. Even without a guide with knowledge of English, you can get here on your own without any problems. Especially if you rent a transport.
First mention
For tourists, knowing where Loch Ness is located will not be enough to make you want to visit this area. It is necessary to stock up on information about the legends and myths that have surrounded the reservoir for thousands of years.
For the first time, the existence of an unknown animal in the depths was guessed by the Roman legionnaires who waged wars with the Picts and Celts in Britain. The reason for this was the stone figures of various creatures that were found in what is now Scotland. There were representatives of fauna of all sizes, but the most impressive statue was a giant looking like a seal, and the soldiers could not recognize it.
The first written mention is made by the founder of the Aion Monastery of St. Columbus. He devoted his life to converting the representatives of pagan tribes to the true faith. Once he saw how a crippled man was being dragged by armed men to the shore. One of them rushed behind the boat and then Nisag emerged - the name of the monster that the Celts gave him. According to one version of the legend, Kolubma drove him away by prayer, and according to another he turned it into a tree on his own.
More recent data
Lake Loch Ness in Scotland was not forgotten in the Middle Ages, because the legend was transmitted from one generation to another. Everyone remembered that at the depth of the pond an unknown creature was hiding , which during this period was dubbed the name Kelpi. Allegedly, the water spirit lured gullible travelers for transportation to the other side with the help of its huge body. In this way, he dragged them under water, from where they had never returned.
The next vivid memory in this regard are notes by General Wade. He commanded the construction of a military road in the eighteenth century, and for this, explosions were carried out in some sections. The man mentioned that because of the loud noise, two large creatures were frightened and hid in the depths of the lake.
In the nineteenth century, data came from various sources that they saw large salamanders in the reservoir, and in 1880 there was one more reason to recall the monster. The weather was calm on the lake, and a sailboat was sailing with people on board. Suddenly, he went down without obvious reasons, and people again actively started talking about huge animals.
The emergence of real facts
Loch Ness lake was overgrown with a huge number of legends until the beginning of the twentieth century, but the most real reason to talk about monsters appeared in 1933. Somewhat earlier, an unknown lady, nicknamed McDonald, said she saw a creature of enormous size, which wandered through the shallows of a reservoir. Active disclosure was the story of the Makkev family who saw this very creature.
They printed an article in the Inverness Courier newspaper thanks to Alex Campbell, who reproduced it in detail. After that, the man himself claimed to have seen an unknown animal on the lake. In an interview with BBC, he said that when traveling on a boat he saw him and even heard loud breathing. After some time, Mrs. Mackay again reminded the community of the existence of a monster. She spoke of a huge black body on which two humps were visible. So much information for one period served for a huge influx of tourists to this area, the infrastructure began to develop, and over time, there were only more people who wanted to see the legendary giant.
Mention from different people
After Lake Loch Ness became a place of pilgrimage for most people, they began to talk about the animal from the depths even more actively. Alexander Shaw and his son saw from the lawn how circles of up to five hundred meters in diameter began to diverge on the lake, and after that something like a tail appeared in the air.
A more detailed description of the monster was given by Thomas Clement, who also saw him with his own eyes. The man talked about a forty-foot body length, four fins, and a long but less thick neck with tubercles. After some time, Nora Simpson claimed to have watched the movement of the giant for almost ten minutes. Her description coincided with the information provided by Clement. This statement from people in 1933 did not end there.
Continued discussion of the presence of an unknown creature in the lake, George Spicer. He claimed that he was driving a car along the very military road of General Wade when he saw an unknown creature ahead. It moved from the undergrowth to the shore and blocked the path for the London businessman. He described it as a disgusting scarecrow with a neck too long. The Spicers family rejected assurances that it could be a mirage.
Data hunt
By the end of 1933, the first low-quality photos of LochNess Lake appeared, on which a figure of an unnatural shape was visible. The author of the picture was Hugh Gray, whom the scientific community in the country met with a great deal of skepticism. Nevertheless, the Daily Sketch newspaper printed it on the first page in its November issue.
At the same time, their main rivals from the Daily Mail are sent to search for the monsters of their agent Montagu Wetorl. Together with photographer Gustav Pauli, he met strange footprints on the south coast. After ascertaining their authenticity, the man secretly sends them for research to the Museum of Natural History in London. In 1934, the passions surrounding research into the existence of unknown animals only intensified. In the British Parliament, it was proposed to create a fund for research on the lake. In the same period, a certain Richard Singh said that he also saw an unknown creature. He was resting in Fort Augustus when he saw a moving black mound on Loch Ness. The man began the pursuit and recorded a speed of 15 miles per hour.
Most famous evidence
To dispel all doubts about the huge giant Tim Dinsdale took on the profession of an aeronautical engineer. In 1960, he took pictures of the lake from a height and recorded movements at the depth of a certain object. For comparison, the man also took a trace from his boat in order to prove the authenticity of the information. Specialists then recognized that this is really a kind of living creature. In 2005, the JARIC Association recognized that their first verdict was incorrect and the footprint from another boat was taken. Finally, the myth was discredited by Adrian Shine, who conducted a study of the lake thanks to robotic technologies and did not find cracks or underwater tunnels at the bottom.
Thanks to all these people, millions of tourists now know where LochNess Lake is and how to get to it.