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There were three things I wanted to see in Scotland - men in kilts, lots of people with red hair, and the Loch Ness Monster. If you must have a try at spotting Nessie, I strongly suggest that you don't make it a day trip from Edinburgh. It's a very, very long journey. Of course, you know what I did. Along the way, I spied this rugged, red-head at Loch Ness. However, after all those miles . . . er, kilometers, there was no sign of a kilt or Nessie.
Tours are not for me. I don’t like them. I hate time limitations when I travel. However, when you have distances to go, limited time, and no knowledge of the place, they make a good option. And, it must be said, the guide was the highlight of my trip. Graham was an opinionated Scotsman, never missing a beat to blast the English, the British government, and any clansmen who were opposed to the Gordons. He especially didn’t like the MacDonalds or the Camerons, so that probably included a dear old clan with historic association to them, the Martins.
It was an all day journey to get to Loch Ness. Upon arrival, I had five minutes to get to the boat, an hour cruise on the lake, and five minutes back to the boat. I couldn’t be sure what the thirty people did who didn’t ride the boat. There wasn’t much to do in the village. And, I didn’t understand why anyone would travel so long and far only to opt out of a boat tour of the lake.
Tales of Nessie go back to the 6th century to an Irish monk, Saint Columba. Perhaps he was the first person to visit the area who could read and write. He was the first to document that water beasts lived in the area. Little did he or anyone else ever dream of the tourist industry that would eventually develop around Loch Ness.
Modern interest sparked up in 1933 when newspaper stories and grainy photographs testified to the existence of a monster lurking in the loch. Monster or not, it didn't stop people from building some settlements and Urquhart Castle where the shores permitted. It isn't possible to walk the circumference of the loch because much of it doesn't have shoreline. And, you can't see very far below the surface. Peat runoff from the area makes the water very dark. I read that you can drink the water but it also has a "peaty" taste so it is best to mix it 50/50 with whiskey. Maybe that's just an excuse? Or, maybe it is easier to see Nessie after a wee bit of those whiskies? After you have a few drinks, you may believe in the Loch Ness Monster, too.
Tours are not for me. I don’t like them. I hate time limitations when I travel. However, when you have distances to go, limited time, and no knowledge of the place, they make a good option. And, it must be said, the guide was the highlight of my trip. Graham was an opinionated Scotsman, never missing a beat to blast the English, the British government, and any clansmen who were opposed to the Gordons. He especially didn’t like the MacDonalds or the Camerons, so that probably included a dear old clan with historic association to them, the Martins.
It was an all day journey to get to Loch Ness. Upon arrival, I had five minutes to get to the boat, an hour cruise on the lake, and five minutes back to the boat. I couldn’t be sure what the thirty people did who didn’t ride the boat. There wasn’t much to do in the village. And, I didn’t understand why anyone would travel so long and far only to opt out of a boat tour of the lake.
Tales of Nessie go back to the 6th century to an Irish monk, Saint Columba. Perhaps he was the first person to visit the area who could read and write. He was the first to document that water beasts lived in the area. Little did he or anyone else ever dream of the tourist industry that would eventually develop around Loch Ness.
Modern interest sparked up in 1933 when newspaper stories and grainy photographs testified to the existence of a monster lurking in the loch. Monster or not, it didn't stop people from building some settlements and Urquhart Castle where the shores permitted. It isn't possible to walk the circumference of the loch because much of it doesn't have shoreline. And, you can't see very far below the surface. Peat runoff from the area makes the water very dark. I read that you can drink the water but it also has a "peaty" taste so it is best to mix it 50/50 with whiskey. Maybe that's just an excuse? Or, maybe it is easier to see Nessie after a wee bit of those whiskies? After you have a few drinks, you may believe in the Loch Ness Monster, too.
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Urquhart Castle along the shore of Loch Ness ... You're sure to see souvenir Nellies, but you may have to drink some whiskey to get another viewing.