Monsters and Castles in a magical Glen! (Loch Ness)

Member Name: micksheff

Product:	Loch Ness
Date:	23/10/07 (100 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lots to see and do

Disadvantages: Difficult roads, often crowded

The whole area around Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands holds magical memories for me. I remember when I was a small child standing for hours on the shores of this vast loch with a pair of binoculars in my hand hoping to get a glimpse of "Nessie" the mythical monster which was said to lurk beneath its murky waters. With every ripple from a passing boat or trail from a seabird or seal I would go scurrying back to my mum and dad's camper van with an exaggerated tale of what I had just seen.
Of course I never really did see Nessie but standing and staring across the water it is easy to let your imagination run wild.

The Location

Lock Ness lies within a natural geographical fault called the Great Glen. There are actually four different lochs within the Great Glen but Loch Ness is by far the largest and most famous of these. If you look at a map of Scotland and find Inverness on the top right hand coast in the north-east and Fort William on the west coast then basically the Great Glen runs along a diagonal line between these two points.

The four lochs within the Great Glen are connected by the Caledonian Canal, which flows into the North Sea at Inverness and then also connects the three smaller lochs from Fort Augustus (where Loch Ness ends) to Fort William, which provides access to the Atlantic Ocean via Loch Linhe. The Caledonian Canal is so important in this area. This is because it connects Loch Ness and Loch Linhe, by linking the two smaller Lochs in-between, (Loch Oich and Loch Lochy), thus making it is possible to travel by boat from coast to coast.

Viewing Loch Ness

Loch Ness covers an area, which is almost 24 miles (39KM) long and a mile (1.5KM) wide, and therefore it dominates the whole region. At its deepest point the loch reaches 754 feet (230 metres) and in total Loch Ness covers a staggering 700 square miles (1125 square kilometres).

Most tourists will take the A82, which follows the north shores of the loch from Inverness to Fort William. This is a memorable journey but be warned the classification of an A-Road in the Scottish Highlands differs vastly from that of an A-Road elsewhere in the UK. Two-way traffic is permissible all along the route but it should be noted that the road is quite narrow in places and it is used frequently by both heavy lorries and coaches. There are also several steep inclines and plenty of sharp bends so the journey can be quite hair-raising as well as spectacular.

One of the best places to view Loch Ness is from Drumnadrochit, which is a nice little village on the A82 that has transformed itself through tourism. Drumnadrochit lies at the widest point of the loch and its extensive views across the water made it an ideal location for Urquahart Castle, which is located just outside the village.

I would thoroughly recommend the A82 route to experience Loch Ness but for those of you who have a little more time I would also suggest a different route. The B852 is a minor road, which runs along the south shore of Loch Ness. In my opinion this is a truly remarkable journey and one which is not on the main tourist trail, but be warned, this journey is slow and the road is single track in parts with passing places to allow two-way traffic.

The B852 does not follow the shore of Loch Ness exactly as does the A82 but there is a stretch between Dores and Foyers where the road does run directly along the shoreline, allowing views of Urquahart Castle across the water. Elsewhere this road meanders away from the loch and into the Monadlaith Mountains where the panoramic views will have you reaching for your camera on every hairpin bend. If you follow this alternative route From Inverness to Fort William then make sure to allow plenty of time, the distance between Dores and Foyers may only be 11 miles (18KM) but it can take you the best part of an hour!

All along the length of Loch Ness there is plenty to see and do, although it most likely to be the breathtaking scenery which will keep you spellbound. Many of the places along this route are worthy of a review in their own right but just to give you a taste of what you can expect I have picked out some places below.

Inverness - This is probably the most popular starting point for most people who come to explore the Loch Ness area, although many will begin their journey in Fort William and tour the Loch in the opposite direction. Inverness is not technically on Loch Ness, it lies on the point where the River Ness flows into a wide estuary called the Moray Firth. The River Ness flows out of Loch Ness emptying it into the ocean, but of equal importance here is the man-made Caledonian Canal, which also has its eastern end at Inverness and this played a vital part throughout the modern history of the town.

Inverness is known as the "Gateway to the Highlands" and although officially classified as a town (as there is no Cathedral) it is the closest thing to a major City that you will find for over a 100 miles (160KM). In terms of its true demographic size Inverness has a resident population of only 21,000 people but here you will find a bustling place. This is swelled by the thousands of tourists who descend on the place like a daily ritual and you will find that all of the major retail outlets have a presence in the town. These include Marks & Spencer's, Boots and W H Smiths, all of which are located in the Eastgate Shopping Centre.

Within Inverness there is plenty to do and see and I would particular recommend a visit to the Castle, which is situated quite close to the tourist information centre. There is also a free museum near here, which is also worthy of a visit.

The Caledonian Canal - This is an amazing engineering feat, designed by Thomas Telford and completed in 1822. This canal joined together the west and east coasts of Scotland and meant that mariners no longer had to travel around the top northern coast of Scotland and through the often-hazardous Pentland Firth.

There are several places to view the Caledonian Canal from and a footpath runs along most of its 60-mile (97KM) length. I would particularly recommend a trip to see the "Neptunes Staircase" which is a ladder of eight locks which raises the vessels to a height of over 70 feet (21 metres) over a distance of 500 yards (457 metres).The "Neptunes Staircase" can be found a few miles north of Fort William near Corpach and is well sign posted from the A830.

Fort Augustus is another place from where to see the Caledonian Canal and here there is a further series of ladders, which lowers the canal to the level of Loch Ness. Here you will also find the Caledonian Canal Heritage Centre, which is an excellent place to find out more about the history and operation of the canal.

Drumnadrochit - This is probably the most popular tourist point on Loch Ness and the first place where most of the tourist coaches tend to head for. Drumnadrochit is a pretty little place but be warned it does get very crowded and this tends to spoil it a little bit for me. The town itself is situated at the head of Urquahart Bay on Loch Ness and provides excellent views across Loch Ness with the Monadlaith Mountains in the background, and it is also an ideal place to view or visit Urquahart Castle.

Drumnadrochit is home to not one but two competing exhibitions devoted to the legendary Loch Ness Monster and if you have kids I can assure you that they will not let you miss these out on your route.

Situated right in the middle of Drumnadrochit you will find the Original Loch Ness Monster Centre, which will cost you £5 (7.5 Euros) to enter if you are an adult and £3.50 (4.75 Euros) if you are a child. This is an excellent place to learn about the monster, study countless photographs and watch video footage. It is also possible to go an a monster spotting boat trip along the loch from here which has always proved popular but I don't think that anyone on such a trip has actually come face to face with the beast, but you never know your luck.

Approximately 200 yards (180 metres) further up the A82 from the Official Loch Ness Monster Centre you will find the Loch Ness 2000 Centre which will cost you £5.95 (9 Euros) to look around but most tourists do find this to be much more enjoyable than the Official Centre. I haven't visited this because the last time that I was here it was too busy so I gave it a wide berth. Both Exhibition Centres are open daily throughout the year with longer opening hours during the summer months.

Before you leave Drumnadrochit make sure that you check out the centre of the town for you will be in for a pleasant surprise. Only a stones throw away from the bustling crowd you will find a beautiful village green surrounded by miniature hedgerows and white cottages. Surrounding the village green there are cafes and gift shops, which are far more reasonably priced than those around the exhibition centres, and there is also an attractive village shop, a post office and a tourist information centre.

Drumnadrochit is an excellent place to use as a base with plenty of hotels and other accommodation if you don't mind putting up with the crowds.

Urquhart Castle - The ruins of this castle on the shores of Loch Ness is one of the finest vantage points to stand and stare across the loch and imagine a ripple in the water beneath you transforming itself into a prehistoric beast. The route along the A82 is tree lined along most of the way so good views of Loch Ness can be difficult so it is to the raised ruins of the castle on the rock where many tourists flock in the hope of catching a glimpse of Nessie.

The history of Urquhart Castle dates back to 1230 when Alexander 11 crushed a revolt a few miles from here and had this castle built here to protect this strategic route.
Over the following 200 years the castle fell into the hands of the English and back to the Scots several times but by the 1530's it was in the hands of the MacDonald's but other Scottish Clans began to stake their claim and in 1545 it was besieged and plundered by the Western Clans.

Over the years this place has supported Robert the Bruce in his claim to the Scottish Crown and it has also supported the Protestant Monarchy of William and Mary who held off a much larger Jacobite force here.

I would definitely recommend a visit to Urquhart Castle which may not be the most preserved castle in Scotland but few other places have seen such a turbulent past. There is a large car park directly opposite the castle and a small visitor centre nearby.

Fort Augustus - Situated at the very bottom edge of Loch Ness at the point where the Caledonian Canal flows into the loch this place is well worthy of a visit.
Fort Augustus was originally named after St Cummein and had the Gaelic name Cille Chumein. It was renamed after the Jacobite uprising of 1715 when a fortification was built here to protect the town from further attack. It's name was taken from the name of the son of King George 11.

Today virtually nothing remains of the original fort although some parts of it were incorporated into the Benedictine Abbey which was built in 1876 and dominates the southern end of the town.

Places of interest in Fort Augustus apart from Loch Ness and the Caladonian Canal include the Clansman Centre which there is an exhibition charting 500 years of Clan life in the Scottish Highlands.

Fort William - Situated at the very end of the route, or at the beginning if you should opt to tour Loch Ness the opposite way around Fort William is a very popular place. It stands in the shadows of Britain's highest Mountain, Ben Nevis which has patches of snow on its summit throughout the year.

Fort William is the second most important town in the Scottish Highlands after Inverness and has a good range of shops, supermarkets, fish & chip shops and restaurants. The Booker Prize winning Crannog Seafood Restaurant, is located here at the Waterfront, which is popular with the tourists but rather pricey.

Places to visit in Fort William include the Underwater Centre and the museum, both of which are located in the centre of the town.

Accommodation In The Area

All around Loch Ness and the surrounding area there are plenty of places to stay. Along the A82 you never have to travel more than a few miles before you see a sign to a campsite, whilst those preferring a little more luxury will tend to head for the more urbanised areas of Inverness, Drumnadrochit, Fort Augustus and Fort William where plenty of B&B's, Guest Houses and Hotels can be found. If you prefer to get away from the crowds then there are plenty of Holiday Cottages off the beaten track and for those travelling on a tight budget there is a Youth Hostel situated about half way between Inverness and Fort Augustus on the A82.

Conclusion

This is a truly magical place which is well worth a visit. The whole area surrounding Loch Ness is breathtaking and the thought of spotting Nessie only helps to add to the excitement.
The weather in this area can be quite changeable and unpredictable so care should be taken, especially during the winter months but I have found that the Great Glen can often be a fantastic suntrap during the summer months even when it has a big black cloud directly above it on the weather map.

If you are lucky enough to visit this area then enjoy it, but just watch out for the midges.

Summary: Loch Ness is most famous for its legendary monster