Loch Ness Tours

About Loch Ness

Loch Ness needs no introduction, but it deserves more than its monster. This is Scotland's most famous body of water — 23 miles long, up to 755 feet deep (deeper than the North Sea), and holding more fresh water than all the lakes of England and Wales combined. The loch sits in the Great Glen, a geological fault line that cuts Scotland in two from Fort William to Inverness. Urquhart Castle is the postcard image of Loch Ness. This medieval fortress ruin sits on a rocky promontory on the western shore, near the village of Drumnadrochit. Once one of Scotland's largest castles, it saw centuries of conflict between Scots and English during the Wars of Independence, and was finally blown up by retreating government troops during the Jacobite Risings. The Grant Tower survives almost intact and offers panoramic views up and down the loch. Entry is £14 online (£16 walk-up), managed by Historic Environment Scotland. Drumnadrochit is the hub for Loch Ness tourism. The Loch Ness Centre (£17) presents the history of the monster legend with scientific rigour. Several operators run boat cruises from Drumnadrochit and nearby piers — many equipped with sonar so you can watch the loch bed scroll past on screen. Fort Augustus sits at the southern end of the loch, where the Caledonian Canal meets the water through a dramatic flight of locks. Watching boats rise and fall through the locks is a relaxing spectacle, and the village has good cafes and a pleasant canal towpath walk. Inverness, at the northern end, is the Highland capital — a compact city with a Victorian castle overlooking the River Ness, a covered Victorian market, and a strong food scene. Culloden Battlefield, where the last pitched battle on British soil was fought in 1746, is 6 miles east of the city. The Jacobite defeat at Culloden ended the Stuart claim to the throne and changed Highland culture forever.