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Loch Ness Monster Lurk. Loch Ness monster Nessie from Loch Ness

Story

According to legend, the first to tell the world about a mysterious creature in a distant Scottish lake were Roman legionnaires who, with sword in hand, mastered the Celtic expanses at the dawn of the Christian era. Local residents immortalized in stone all representatives of the Scottish fauna - from deer to mice. The only stone sculpture that the Romans could not identify was a strange image of a long-necked seal of gigantic proportions. The first written mention of a mysterious creature living in the waters of Loch Ness dates back to 565 AD. In the life of Saint Columba, Abbot Jonah spoke of the saint's triumph over the "water beast" in the River Ness. The abbot of Columbus was then busy converting the pagan Picts and Scots in his new monastery off the west coast of Scotland. One day he went out to Loch Ness and saw that the locals were burying one of their people. He was maimed and killed while swimming in the lake. He was killed by Nisag (the Gaelic name for the monster). Local residents, armed with hooks to ward off the monster, dragged the body of the deceased to the shore. One of the saint’s disciples frivolously threw himself into the water and swam across a narrow strait to bring in a boat. When he sailed away from the shore, “a strange-looking animal rose from the water, like a giant frog, only it was not a frog.” Columba drove the monster away with prayer. A geographical atlas from 1325 refers to a "large fish with a serpentine neck and head" in Loch Ness. The next mention dates back to 1527, when an angry dragon destroyed oak trees on the shore and maimed people. Then it seemed to calm down for a long time, but suddenly in 1880, with complete calm and clear skies on the lake, a small sailboat capsized and sank along with the people. They immediately remembered the monster, fortunately there were people who saw it. This is the beginning of the legend of the Loch Ness monster. In the spring of 1933, the Inverness Courier newspaper first published a detailed story of the Mackay couple, who first encountered Nessie. In the same year, construction of a road began along the northern shore of the lake. Many people and cars appear on the deserted shores, and the surrounding area is filled with explosions and the roar of engines. It is not known what controlled the dragon more: irritation or curiosity, but it was at this time that he was seen especially often. A certain E. Mounter organized a network of observation posts around the lake. Over the course of 5 weeks, the monster appeared 15 times. In 1943, military pilot B. Farrell reported to his superiors that while flying over the lake at an altitude of 250 yards, he clearly saw Nessie. But in those years the British had no time for dragons. In 1951, the monster was seen by a local forester and his friend. The next year, Mrs. Greta Finely and her son observed Nessie in the water near the shore. In 1957, Mrs. Constance White, who lived for many years on the shore of the lake, published the book “This is More than a Legend,” which collected 117 eyewitness accounts of Nessie. In all the stories, the appearance of the animal was described approximately the same: a thick massive body, a long neck, a small head.

"Surgeon's Photograph"

Gradually, based on these descriptions, the image of a certain prehistoric creature living in the depths of a reservoir began to emerge in the public imagination. A year later, this image was brought to life thanks to the so-called “Surgeon photo”. Its author, London physician R. Kenneth Wilson, claimed that he photographed the monster by accident while traveling in the area, bird watching. It was determined that it was a fake, manufactured by Wilson and three accomplices. Two of Wilson's accomplices voluntarily confessed to their crime, and the first confession (in 1975) remained unnoticed by the public, since faith in the honesty of Dr. Wilson, who seemingly had no motive to deceive, was unshakable.

Shooting Dinsdale

The progress of the boat, filmed by Dinsdale himself for comparison, numerous computer studies, additional verification by Kodak specialists, and the initial JARIC conclusion itself serve as convincing evidence that there could be no question of a trace left by the boat here. - Professor Henry Bauer, Virginia Polytechnic, USA.

Sound scanning

Disillusioned with the effectiveness of visual research, scientists turned to alternative search methods, in particular, sound scanning. The first session of this kind was carried out in the mid-50s and since then work in this area has continued continuously. Thus, scientists learned a lot about Loch Ness, in particular, they calculated the total amount of biomass in the lake - a key factor that is directly related to the possibility of a large creature existing here.

In addition, sound testing revealed the existence of a strange effect (known as seich) in the lake, which can cause optical illusion. We are talking about the sudden appearance of powerful short-term flows of water, provoked by sudden changes in atmospheric pressure. Such currents can carry large objects with them, which, moving against the wind, can create the illusion of moving forward “of their own free will.”

But the same sonar scan revealed other, inexplicable facts. It was recognized that in the lake at great depth there are gigantic objects capable of independently rising, falling and maneuvering in the waters. The answer to the question of what these objects could be has not yet been received.

Nessiteras rhombopteryx

Gordon Holmes film

Pros and cons

The main argument of skeptics remains the indisputable fact that the amount of biomass in the lake is not enough to support the life of a creature of the size attributed to the Loch Ness monster. Despite its enormous size and abundance of water (brought here by seven rivers), Loch Ness has sparse flora and fauna. During research conducted by the Loch Ness Project, dozens of species of living creatures were identified. However, sound scanning showed that the lake contains only 20 tons of biomass, which is enough to support the life of one living creature weighing no more than 2 tons. Calculations based on the study of fossil remains of a plesiosaur show that a 15-meter lizard would weigh 25 tons. Adrian Shine believes that one should look not for one creature, but for “a colony that would number from 15 to 30 individuals.” In this case, all of them, in order to feed themselves, should be no more than 1.5 meters in length.

Professor Bauer, one of the main proponents of the reality of Nessie, was not convinced by this argument.

Dinsdale's filming convincingly proves that the lake - at least in the 60s - was indeed inhabited by a giant living creature. Moreover, I am convinced that it exists here - or existed - in the singular. Something else remains unclear. Everything indicates that this creature requires oxygen to maintain life. But it hardly appears on the surface. If we summarize the testimony of eyewitnesses who described a massive body with a hump, fins and a long neck, then the appearance of a modern plesiosaur emerges. But the creatures that live in Loch Ness do not come to the surface and spend part of their lives at the bottom. This suggests that we are already dealing with a descendant of a plesiosaur, which over time developed the ability to remain without air for a very long time." - Professor Henry Bauer, Virginia Polytechnic.

Supporters of the reality of "Nessie" refer to ancient legends, according to which at the bottom of the lake there is a network of caves and tunnels that allow the monster to swim out to sea and return back. However, studies of the bottom and shores indicate that the existence of such tunnels here is unlikely.

Versions

Most supporters of the monster's existence considered it a relict plesiosaur, but over 70 years of observation it was not possible to find a single corpse of the animal. Reports from the 6th century about sightings of the animal also raise doubts. In addition, plesiosaurs were inhabitants of warm tropical seas, and the possibility of their existence in the cold waters of Loch Ness is highly doubtful. Hypotheses were also expressed about cryptids - animals unknown to science (huge fish, long-necked seal, giant clam). Other versions of the origin of Nessie have been proposed, which do not require a hypothesis about relict or unknown creatures to science.

Version 1

The scientist concluded that most reports about Nessie date back to subsequent years. It was at this time that traveling circuses stopped in the lake area on the way to Iverness. Clark believes that the first observations and photographs of Nessie were made from bathing and swimming elephants. When an elephant swims, it exposes its trunk to the surface. Also visible on the surface of the water are two “humps” - the top of the elephant’s head and the top of the back. The picture is very similar to the descriptions and photos of Nessie. And only then, as Clark believes, the manager of the circus group Bertram Mills (obviously understanding what was behind the sightings of the monster) offered a large monetary reward (₤20 thousand, or ₤1 million in modern money) to anyone who caught Nessie for him . However, this version does not explain all cases of observation.

Version 2

According to Italian seismologist Luigi Piccardi, a huge tectonic fault called Great Glen runs along the bottom of the lake. Huge waves on the surface of the lake, as well as huge bubbles rising from its bottom, according to the Italian, are nothing more than the results of tectonic activity at the bottom of the lake. All this, according to Piccardi, can be accompanied by emissions of flames, characteristic sounds reminiscent of a muffled roar, and also cause mild earthquakes, which are mistaken for a monster.

Version 3

One alternative explanation for this phenomenon is that the owners of hotels and other establishments located near the lake used the ancient legend of the monster to attract tourists. For this purpose, “eyewitness accounts” and photographs were published in local newspapers, allegedly confirming their statements, and even Nessie dummies were made.

Notes

Modern witnesses of the Loch Ness monster

From 6-7 centuries a lot of water has flowed under the bridge, and since then evidence of the monsters of Loch Ness has accumulated more than 3 thousand. To this day, monster hunters continue to search for evidence of the monster's existence.

For example, in 2009 one Englishman noticed something strange in satellite images Google Earth. This photo actually shows something that looks like a living creature with a tail and lamps, however It’s impossible to say for sure what it is yet.

The most popular versions about Nessie

Logs. According to different versions of skeptics, witnesses mistake a variety of objects for the Loch Ness monster in a Scottish lake, in particular, floating logs. A log that falls into water usually sinks immediately, but after taking on water it can float.

Elephants. Another original version appeared in 2005. Curator at Glasgow Museum Neil Clark suggested that the “monster” was actually the bathing elephants of traveling circuses. Some local residents in the 1930s simply did not know that circuses were visiting at this time, and their route passed next to Loch Ness.

Birds. If the lake remains very calm and there is no boat nearby, you may notice strange marks on the surface of the water V-shape, which are taken to be the tracks of a monster. In fact, the trail is left by waterfowl, which are too small to be seen with the naked eye.

Acne. Large eel fish can be mistaken for strange creatures. They are found in Loch Ness and can periodically appear at the surface of the water. Although fish do not have long necks that they can stick out of the water, it is possible that their heads were mistaken for the heads of monsters.

In 2001 several dead fish of the family were found on the shore of the lake atlantic conger, which usually live in salt water. It has been suggested that these animals were deliberately brought here from the ocean to they played the role of monsters for tourists.

Creatures unknown to science. It is believed that the Loch Ness monster exists and is some kind of creature unknown to science, for example, strange fish, giant clams or seals with long necks.

Tours for the New Year Worldwide

Loch Ness, a fairly large freshwater lake, is located 37 km west of Inverness. It was formed in the Great Glen geological fault and is part of the Caledonian Canal, which connects the eastern and western sea coasts of Scotland. Most of the lakes in this part of the country are of glacial origin, Loch Ness is no exception. The water in the lake is cloudy and has a specific hue due to the high peat content in the bottom soil.

The lake is the second largest in Scotland, and the largest in terms of water volume. The local scenery is nothing special, but the views of the mountains and the ruins of Urquhart Castle make it picturesque in its own way. In calm weather, the lake is almost motionless; it was here that an attempt was made to set a world speed record on water. Unfortunately, the attempt ended tragically, and now there is a monument on the shore of the lake to John Cobb, who died on a jet-powered scooter while trying to break the previous record.

Loch Ness is one of the most visited attractions. The reason for the popularity of Loch Ness lies in the numerous legends associated with a huge monster supposedly living in the lake.

Legends of Loch Ness

In the spring of 1933, journalist Alex Cambell published an article in the press about how John Mackay and his wife, standing on the shore, observed a strange animal sticking out of the water. For some reason, the journalist called the animal a monster. This is where it all started. Alex Campbell himself began to spend a lot of time on the shore of the lake, and allegedly observed the amazing inhabitant of the lake more than once. And besides him, there were many eyewitnesses.

Scattered eyewitness accounts made it possible to create a “portrait” of this mysterious creature.

It turned out that the “Loch Ness monster” has a body more than 6 meters long, a three-meter neck with a small head, three humps and skin color varying from light gray to dark brown.

Interestingly, some eyewitnesses were able to provide photographs, and the Kodak company confirmed the authenticity of the negatives. The monster received the affectionate nickname Nessie and became the object of interest of professionals who began to plow the lake far and wide in search of evidence of Nessie’s existence. The driving force was not only scientific interest, but also material incentive. Various research methods were used, but none of them gave reliable results.

This does not prevent curious tourists, eager for curiosities, from going to Loch Ness and peering into its waters, hoping to see the monster or at least its head.

Loch Ness

Infrastructure

Due to the popularity of the lake among tourists, tourism infrastructure began to actively develop here. First of all, these are numerous parking lots on the western shore of the lake, along the A82 road. Anyone can leave their car here and walk along the lake shore. The bravest ones can take a swim if the water temperature allows.

The east coast has a large number of paths leading to the water itself, but there is no big road here, so there are noticeably fewer tourists here. Local public transport is not very suitable for trips to the lake: buses rarely run. It is better to rent a car or use the services of travel agencies in Edinburgh or Inverness (you can get here by train from London).

The tour may include not only a bus to the lake, but also a walk around the lake on a yacht, which significantly increases the chances of seeing the Loch Ness monster.

You can also take a cruise from the coastal town of Dochfour or the tourist center of Drumnadrochit - this village is the unofficial capital of the "monster".

Every year, about 2 million curious tourists come to Loch Ness and peer closely into its waters, hoping to see Nessie’s cute face with cunning (what else could they be?) eyes.

According to statistics, about 2 million people come to Loch Ness every year to get the chance to see Nessie with their own eyes. More than 300,000 tourists visit the official Loch Ness Monster Museum in the village of Drumnadrochit. Here you can get acquainted with the exhibition, which quite fully tells about the history of exploration of the lake, about ancient Scottish legends about monsters and dragons. In addition, an information center, several cafes and, of course, a shop where you can buy souvenirs are open for tourists in the village. One way or another, the owner of this tourist complex earns up to 25 million British pounds annually from his simple but highly sought-after business.

Those interested in objects more authentic than the monster that may live in the lake will be interested in visiting the dilapidated Urquhart Castle, the surviving buildings of which date back to the 14th century. This is one of the largest and most famous fortresses in Scotland, which repeatedly passed from one clan to another and was abandoned to its fate in the 17th century.

Where to stay

In the lake area there are many hotels and motels, where you can stay with more or less amenities, restaurants and snack bars. Some tourists prefer to stay in their own tents. You need to be very careful when choosing a place for a tent: a piece of land may turn out to be private property, and then troubles may arise.

Researchers and enthusiasts from all over the world have long been tormented by the question: does the Loch Ness monster exist? Even sophisticated modern technology cannot give an exact answer. The existence of Nessie, living in the waters of Loch Ness, was officially announced in 1933. The British newspaper The Telegraph collected the most famous photographs of the legendary monster.

At the end of 2013, two residents of the UK saw a mysterious silhouette about 30 meters long on the surface of Loch Ness on satellite maps from Apple. For six months, experts studied the image and came to the conclusion that the object could very well belong to the legendary monster.

In the summer of 2009, a resident of Great Britain said that while viewing satellite photos on the Google Earth website, he saw the creature he was looking for. The photograph of the service actually shows something that vaguely resembles a large sea animal with two pairs of flippers and a tail. However, it is possible that the satellite could capture an ordinary boat leaving a foam trail.

In May 2007, 55-year-old Englishman Gordon Holmes claimed that he had convincing evidence of the existence of the Loch Ness monster. The researcher decided to place microphones in the lake and study the sound signals coming from the depths. Near the western shore, he noticed movement in the water and immediately turned on a video camera, which recorded the movement under the water of a long dark object heading towards the northern part of the lake. The creature's body mostly remained under water, but its head surfaced from time to time, leaving a trail of foam behind it.

Experts who examined the film confirmed its authenticity and came to the conclusion: a creature about 15 meters long moved at a speed of 10 kilometers per hour. However, Holmes' filming is not considered conclusive evidence of the existence of a prehistoric monster in the lake. Opinions arose that it could be a giant snake or a worm, a light illusion or a log set in motion by an internal current.

A photograph of the alleged monster taken in 2005.

And this photograph from 1977 turned out to be an ordinary fake. A certain Anthony Shiels claimed to have taken the photo while walking near Yorkhart Castle.

This underwater photograph taken in 1972 by members of an expedition led by Dr. Robert Rhines shows a creature resembling a plesiosaur.

In this photograph, also taken in 1972, the monster appears to be moving to the right, with its wide-open mouth and powerful back visible.

Former army captain Frank Searle arrived at Loch Ness in the early 1970s. Going to find the mysterious creature, he took a huge number of photographs of Nessie, many of which were widely circulated by the media. However, they all turned out to be fakes.

In July 1955, Aersher banker Peter McNab photographed something in the bay near Yorkhart Castle that looked like a huge dark creature cutting through the surface of the lake.

In 1951, Lachlan Stewart photographed some strange hills above the water. Later it turns out that these hills were actually tufts of grass floating on the surface of the lake.

And this is perhaps the most famous photograph of Nessie. London colonel and physician Robert Wilson took this photo in April 1934. The author claimed that he photographed the monster by accident while traveling in the area, bird watching. Only in 1994 was it established that this photograph was a fake made by Wilson and three accomplices.

The first known photograph of the Loch Ness Monster was taken on November 12, 1933 by Hugh Gray.

Loch Ness (literally Nose Lake) is located in the north-east of Scotland in the county of Inverness. The area of the lake is about 60 square kilometers, and the maximum depth reaches 230 meters. The water in the lake, curiously, does not freeze even in the coldest winter. And the living creatures living in its depths amaze with their abundance and diversity. Scottish folklore is replete with centuries-old legends about a monster living in the lake.

In Scotland, surrounded by mountain ranges, lies the deepest and most mysterious lake in Great Britain - Loch Ness. Millions of tourists come to its shores every year to admire the beauty of the surrounding nature and in the hope of seeing with their own eyes the secret of Loch Ness, the famous Nessie monster.

The lake owes its formation to geological processes that occurred hundreds of millions of years ago. Due to the abundance of peat deposits in the ground, the fresh waters of the glacial lake are cloudy. Its length is about 40 km, its greatest width exceeds 2 km, and the depth of Loch Ness reaches 230 meters. Fog almost always spreads over the surface of the lake in the morning.

The surroundings of Loch Ness are no less interesting than the lake itself and also deserve attention.

City of Inverness.

The port city of Inverness is the starting point for a trip around the lake. It attracts tourists with its unusual appearance, which reveals a peculiar cocktail of architectural styles from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. The History and Art Museum houses works of art made by Pictish craftsmen, early Neolithic artifacts and household items that tell about the life of the hill tribes in different eras.

In the city of Inverness you can see St Andrew's Cathedral, built in the 60s of the XIX century and erected in the Gothic style. It is famous for its resemblance to Notre Dame in Paris and houses five icons donated by the Russian Emperor.

On the site of a once destroyed Inverness Castle Nowadays a new one, built in the 19th and 20th centuries, rises. Its architecture is stylized in the Middle Ages and includes towers of various configurations: square, round and octagonal.

In local pubs you can take part in traditional feasts, listen to folk music and taste local ale or whiskey, which is the hallmark of Scotland. By the way, you can take a tour of one of the many distilleries, with a mandatory tasting.

At a distance of 10 km from Iverness stands, built in the 14th century Cawdor Castle, known throughout the world from the works of Shakespeare. King Macbeth once lived here.

The village of Drumnadrochit.

In the village of Drumnadrochit there is a museum dedicated to the monster of Loch Ness. The museum with two exhibition centers presents exhibitions that allow tourists to get acquainted with the legends and history of the study of Nessie, the first mention of which is known from the Romans.

Today, the landmark of Loch Ness can be seen in 3D using special glasses, or you can watch modern interactive exhibits and a laser show. To preserve the memory of visiting the museum and lake, tourists buy all kinds of souvenirs and take pictures near monument to the Loch Ness monster.

Urquhart Castle.

On the coast of Loch Ness there are the ruins of Urquhart Castle, built in the 13th-16th centuries. In the northern part of the castle, the Grant's Tower, five floors high, has been preserved. Visitors climb it to admire the beauty of nature and in the hope of seeing Nessie. Near the ruins of the castle there is a real catapult, with the help of which Urquhart was destroyed in the 17th century.

Fort Augustas.

Fort Augustus stands in the western part of Scotland's Loch Ness. You can see the traditional life of a Scottish farmer by visiting a working farm. But the main attraction of the fort is the “Staircases of Neptune” - the Caledonian Canal, which begins here, consisting of 29 locks.

Fort William.

The main tourist center of Loch Ness in Scotland is Fort William, located near Mount Ben Nevis, the highest point in Great Britain. Here you can ride the cable car and enjoy stunning views of the mountain landscapes, or ski down the mountain in winter. A favorite activity of tourists is a ride on an old steam locomotive from the Harry Potter films along the railway running between the mountains. Fans of active recreation will be interested in routes designed for walking and cycling.