Loch Ness is a large, deep, freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands extending for approximately southwest of Inverness. Its surface is above sea level. Loch Ness is best known for alleged sightings of the cryptozoologicalLoch 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. At the northern end there is the Bona Narrows which opens out into Loch Dochfour, which feeds the River Ness and a further section of canal to Inverness, ultimately leading to the North Sea via the Moray Firth. 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 after Loch Lomond, but due to its great depth, it is the largest by volume in the British Isles. Its deepest point is, making it the second deepest loch in Scotland after Loch Morar. A 2016 survey claimed to have discovered a crevice that pushed the depth to but further research determined it to be a sonar anomaly. It contains more water than all the lakes in England and Wales combined, and is the largest body of water in the Great Glen, which runs from Inverness in the north to Fort William in the south.
Etymology
Loch Ness is named for the river Ness which flows from the loch's northern end. The river's name probably derives from an old Celtic word meaning "roaring one". William Mac Kay in his book "Urquhart and Glenmoriston: Olden times in a highland parish", published in 1914, claims that the origin of the name is from an old Scottish legend which contains the sentence "Tha loch ‘nis ann, tha loch ‘nis ann!".
Villages and places
At Drumnadrochit is the "Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition" 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". Urquhart Castle is located on the western shore, east of Drumnadrochit. Lighthouses are located at Lochend and Fort Augustus.
Loch Ness Monster
Loch Ness is known as the home of the Loch Ness Monster, a cryptid, reputedly a large unknown animal. It is similar to other supposed lake monsters in Scotland and elsewhere, though its description varies from one account to the next. Popular interest and belief in the animal's existence have varied since it was first brought to the world's attention in 1933.
Lifeboat
There is an RNLI lifeboat station on Loch Ness, which has been operational since 2008. It is manned by voluntary crew with an inshore lifeboat.
Fish species
The following fish species are native to Loch Ness. A number of others such as perch and roach have been introduced in the Loch or Caledonian Canal with various levels of success.
European eel
Anguilla anguilla
Northern pike
Esox lucius
European sea sturgeon
Acipenser sturio
Three-spined stickleback
Gasterosteus aculeatus.
Brook lamprey
Lampetra planeri
Eurasian minnow
Phoxinus phoxinus
Atlantic salmon
Salmo salar
Sea trout
Salmo trutta
Brown trout
Salmo trutta
Arctic char
Salvelinus alpinus
Island
Loch Ness has one island, Cherry Island, at the southwestern end of the loch, near Fort Augustus. It is an artificial island, known as a crannog, and was probably constructed during the Iron Age. There was formerly a second island which was submerged when the water level was raised during the construction of the Caledonian Canal.
Loch Ness lies along the Great Glen Fault, which forms a line of weakness in the rocks which have been excavated by glacial erosion, forming the Great Glen and the basins of Loch Lochy, Loch Oich and Loch Ness.
Image gallery
Loch Ness records
died in an attempt at the water speed record when his boat Crusader struck an unexplained wake on the surface of the loch in 1952. His accident was recorded by the BBC reporters on site at the time. Nearby, there is a memorial to him erected by the people of Glenurquhart. On 31 August 1974, David Scott Munro, of Ross-shire Caberfeidh Water Ski Club, became the first person in the world to water ski the length of Loch Ness. From Lochend to Fort Augustus and back, he covered the in 77 minutes at an average speed of. In July 1966, Brenda Sherratt became the first person to swim the length of the loch. It took her 31 hours and 27 minutes.
