Loch Ness, Scotland



(Above image shows tourist boats leaving Fort Augustus.)

This evening, I am posting information on Loch Ness, a world-famous fresh water lake in the Scottish Highlands with GPS coordinates of longitude:-4° 25' 27.7741", latitude:N 57° 19.3714'.

 The loch is positioned on a SW-NE axis in the Great Glen, a geological fault linked to Newfoundland and Gulf of St Lawrence in Canada from which it separated about 200m years ago.

 Key Statistics:
  • Length: 23 miles
  • Width: 1.7 miles (max)
  • Depth: 745 ft (max).
This stretch of water has achieved fame through alleged sightings of a prehistoric 'monster' with nomenclature of 'Nessie'. However, there is not a scintilla of scientific evidence to support existence of such a beast either today or in the past.

 Fanciful monster story apart, Loch Ness is situated in stunning Highland scenery and has much to offer the visitor, as summarised below.
  • Inverness: Close to the northern tip of the loch, This is the administrative centre for the Highlands with population of 61250.This city is well endowed with accommodation and is a good base for touring the Highlands.
  • Castle Urquhart: Located on the western side of the loch, about 16 miles south of Inverness. Although a ruin the site offers an excellent opportunity to connect with a medieval castle which was in use from the 13th to late 17th centuries. A superb vantage point from which to view Loch Ness, both north and south.
  • Fort Augustus: A busy town on the southern tip of the loch. There are shops and a range of accommodations with chief site of interest being a chain of locks which facilitates the linkage of the Caledonian Canal with Loch Ness.The name is derived from a British military ('redcoat') fort completed in 1742 with object of countering the intermittent Jacobite uprisings.Only tiny remnants of this building remain.
  • Eastern route: The eastern side of the loch can be accessed via a slower going and narrower road than runs along the west side. However, there are compensations in the scenery. About 20 miles south of Inverness can be found the Falls of Foyers.
 Inverness with River Ness and mountains in distance



Design of the Saltire (Scottish flag) caused by wakes of boats on Loch Ness.





Tour boat on Loch Ness






 Castle Urquhart and Loch Ness



Chain of locks at Fort Augustus with Loch Ness in distance.





  Falls of Foyers
Glen Mor on eastern side of Loch Ness




© Nigel P Cole/Catswhiskerstours Limited

Comments

  1. JohnsonOctober 16, 2019 at 11:53 PM

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