Loch Ness

Loch Ness is a large, deep, freshwater loch in the Scottish Highland.  Loch Ness is best known for the alleged sightings of the Loch Ness Monster, also known affectionately as "Nessie".  

It is connected at the southern end by the River Oich and a section of the Caledonian Canal to Loch Oich.  It is one of a series of interconnected, murky bodies of water in Scotland; its water visibility is exceptionally low due to a high peat content in the surrounding soil.

Loch Ness is the second largest Scottish loch by surface area at 21.8 square miles after Loch Lomond, but due to its great depth, it is the largest by volume. Its deepest point is 755 feet, deeper than any other loch except Loch Morar. It contains more fresh water than all the lakes in England and Wales combined, and is the largest body of water on the Great Glen Fault, which runs from Inverness in the north to Fort William in the south.

At Drunnadrochit is "The Loch Ness Centre" which examines the natural history and legend of Loch Ness. Boat cruises operate from various locations on the loch shore, giving visitors the chance to look for the "monster".  

We come around a corner after seeing the sign Lock Ness to find a village.  We thought that Loch Ness was only a body of water but find it is also a small town, dominated by a series of locks at the end of a canal, and full of young people having a good time.    

As you see below, there's quite a change in level between where I 

stand on the first lock and the level of Loch Ness

There are a number of shops along the narrow main road and narrower side streets

The town is full of visitors, both Scots and foreigners 

  It seems as if most of the boats are either rented or part of a boat tour

Actually the empty canal locks and homes along the canal

are very picturesque

Across the canal there's a hard to see wire sculpture of Nessie

We visit the "Official" Loch Ness Museum, but cannot take pictures - just too difficult

within the place.  Here in the front hall there's a deep diving suit used by a person looking for Nessie

Of course, there's Nessie Shop all along the road

At least this one was under a rainbow

Certainly we saw the Loch Ness Monster, got pictures to prove it

See Nessie below -

Here's a close up

She sits on a post to pose

Two Nessie's came home to the US -

      one to Quinn in Atlanta                                                                               one to Owen in Annapolis

~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

We go further along Loch Ness