Beware of the Kelpie (Loch Ness)

Name: Scooobydooo

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Product:	Loch Ness
Date:	23.01.04 (115 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: lovely scenery, quiet, monsters are there

Disadvantages: cold, expensive to eat, not a lot to do there

In my younger days when I was around 18/19, it was Club 18-30 holidays. At the time they were told by the government to tone it down. We went away for a two week break and it was complete mayhem. If I had to do that now, I think I would be back on the first plane home.

Now Loch Ness is a lovely place in the Highlands of Scotland. When Gary said to me come on lets go up to Scotland, I was not very impressed, I wanted to go abroad. We comprimised and to keep the peace I said I would try it the once and no more.

We set of from Warrington and the traffic was really bad and it took us an extra two hours then what it should have done. We reached Glen Coe and he said is that not just so beautiful. Me still not impressed told him if I wanted to look at green stuff, we should have camped out in our back garden for a week. I was muttering something to myself and he said just wait and see. Thank god we are here then he said no this only the start of it, we are going up to Loch Ness.

This is where I have to bite my tongue, I am hooked on this lovely part of Scotland. We pulled into our chalets which were situated in Fort Agustus just at the side of the Caledonian Canal. It was mid November and it was freezing cold. There was no one there to greet us just a key left in a chalet. What Hoseasons also forgot to tell us is that we were the only ones on the site, (only ones mad enough to go there at this time of year I thought) oh yes and there was building work going on next door in the canal.

I had already decided that this was going to be a nightmare of a holiday before I had chance to get out of the car.

However we just went to bed that night and the next day we walked around Fort Augustus and the Abbey where there are still monks living there. You can get a tape and walk around and it takes you into a souvenir shop. I must admit, I really enjoyed this a lot. I think this was the point where I started to enjoy this holiday.


We then drove up the A82 to Drumadrochit. I could not believe the size of the lake and along the way we saw boat rides available to go on the loch and there were picnic site and camping sites.

We arrived at a castle called Urquart. This is supposed to be where the Kelpie lives. It is a hello of a trudge from the main road down and then up the hill to the castle but once you get inside it, it is well worth the trouble. When we arrived there was a bagpiper playing all different tunes and we paid our money to get in and went to the visitor centre.

The castle was built in the 1230s and seized by the English in 1296. When the MacDonald Clan took it over in 1545 it was occupied until 1689 and then it became ruins. There are building still existing from the 14th and Century there for all to see and walk around. They are at the moment creating a new visitor centre there but this is causing a big stir amongst locals as they have used some of the land just in the castle grounds and has spoilt some of the feel of the castle. If you walk down to the bottom of the castle towards Loch Ness you can actually paddle in the Loch. It is a small pebbeleb beach there.

They have staff now who will help people who have mobility problems as it is a must if you are going to Loch Ness. From the highest point of the castle you get the most amazing views of the Loch and you can see right up both left and right. On the other side of the Loch it is very steep and is a lot of foresty type of woodland.

We came out of the castle and headed towards Drumadrochit on the A82 and there is a monster visitor centre there. Again you have to pay to get in and there is a statue there of what they think the monster looks like. It gives you all the information about the Loch and all the searches that have gone on and tells you all about the films that have been made there and this is very interesting to read.

Here there are lots and lots of shops and you c
an buy almost anything with Nessie on it. Most of it is tat, but its a souvenir. There is also a beautiful glass centre there where you can have a go at making glass and this was really enjoyable.

We returned to the chalet and the next day we went out on the boat that goes from Fort Augustus right down the Loch and back. No we did not see Nessie but it was great fun. They told you all about Nessie and her history and all the myths surrounded by it and also told of people who had seen Nessie.

It is said that St Columba saw Nessie as a horse on the road with a saddle on it and then when he saw the loch the horse went into the sea and St Columba told Nessie never to hurt anyone ever again.

We had a really enjoyable holiday and I wanted to go back there as soon as I could. We returned one time and we stayed on the other side of the Loch, Foyers. There are a lot of things that happen on this side and it is really spooky. Not a lot of people do travel down this side of the loch. We stayed at a hotel and then in the morning we set off and carried on until we got to the end of the Loch and there is a lovely beach there. My lottie fell in love with a Border Collie there called Clancy, Caffery came with us and went swimming in Loch Ness but I was worried and shouted him back.

At the end of the Loch at Foyers there is a pub and in the car park there is an old banger of an ambulance and a man lives in it. He was a well to do man who lived in London and had everything, wife and children, then one day he disappeared. This is where he has lived for nearly 15 years now and he is happy as larry. At first I thought he was a nutter but when you take the time to speak to him you know he is a very intelligent person. He lives by people buying carvings of nessies. He goes to the toilet in the pub and gets his water from there.

Another time we went up there we were back on the tops of Urquart Castle and I had the video rolling. It was a miserab
le day and nothing was on the loch. No boats, hardly any people were out at all. We spanned round and then I called my hubby over. What is that over there. All I can describe it was a mass of bubbles. It could not have been a boat at it was too close to shore. It was literally at the side of the castle. We laughed and said it was Nessie breathing and we carried on filming, we looked at each other and started laughing. We still have this on film and we have never shown it to anyone. There might be an reasonable explination and I do not want to look an idiot.

I often dream now what it would be like to live in such a beautiful place, the Loch, the hills and the history of the whole area. How times have changed this is now my perfect holiday and if the truth be known I envy that man in his little clapped out ambulance. It must be great just to say stuff it and drop out of the rat race like that only to live in a beautiful beautiful place. I am going on holiday in the summer, guess where I am going to ;0)

Urquart Castle
Open all year, 01456 450551, £5.50 adults and £1.20 kids, they have all sorts there now to make the castle more appealing.

Monster Centre is in Drumadrochit. Visit www.loch-ness.org for information on this

Another good site for information is lochness.co.uk they have webcams on the Loch and I was watching this earlier on thinking wow it looks so nice and wishing I was there right now.

It is not a cheap place to stay or eat at but try going there, it is so breathtaking that you will not want to leave.

Karen :0)

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