Loch Ness is a large freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands, famous for apparent sightings of the Loch Ness Monster, also known affectionately as “Nessie.”
It’s the second-largest Scottish loch by surface area and the largest by volume in the British Isles. It contains more water than all the lakes in England and Wales combined and is 16 meters above sea level.
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Loch Ness Facts for Kids
- Loch Ness extends for approximately 37 kilometers (23 miles)
- Loch Ness is not the deepest loch in Scotland
- The Loch Ness Monster is also called Nessie
- It’s located near Inverness in the Highlands of Scotland
- Loch Ness is a freshwater lake.
- It is 230 meters deep at its deepest point.
- Rain brings peat from the surrounding hills into the water, making visibility poor and ideal for monsters.
- Loch Ness’ Great Glen Fault formed 430-390 million years ago.
After Loch Lomond, it is the second-largest Scottish loch by surface area and the largest by volume.
Loch Ness has one small island, Cherry Island, which was likely constructed during the Iron Age. It was formerly home to a castle, and a second natural island, Dog Island, which was submerged during the construction of the Caledonian Canal.
Loch Ness is one of a series of interconnected, murky bodies of water in Scotland fed by the River Oich. It forms part of the Caledonian Canal, which connects the east coast of Scotland at Inverness with the west coast at Corpachthe near Fort William.
Loch Ness Monster
The Loch Ness Monster is claimed to live in Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is depicted as huge, long-necked, and with one or more humps protruding from the water.
The first recorded sighting
St Columba was allegedly faced with a monster in 565AD, which tried to eat his servant. There have been many different accounts of monster sightings since then.
One couple saw a prehistoric monster or dragon in Loch Ness in 1933. A big-game hunter was commissioned to locate the sea serpent but found only footprints made with an umbrella stand or ashtray.
In the early 21st century, the Loch Ness monster contributed $80 million to Scotland’s economy. Numerous sonar explorations and photographs allegedly showing the beast were discredited as fakes or depicting other animals or objects.
Loch Ness Monster: what does it look like?
Nessie has been spotted far away, and for just a brief second. It is generally agreed that the monster has a greenish color and humps sticking out of the water.
It is depicted as having a large body and four limbs in some depictions, while it is depicted as having a long, thin body in others.
