Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 33 on 22/06/2007.

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Everything you need to know about... The Loch Ness monster

The Loch Ness Monster, or ‘Nessie,’ as he, she or it is known locally, has become a popular Scottish icon inspiring poems, books and songs. Over the years, Nessie’s image has been transposed onto coffee cups, posters, board games and children’s toys, but despite hundreds of alleged sightings, photographs and scientific investigations, nobody can be entirely certain that such a creature exists.

Loch Ness is a freshwater loch which runs 23 miles (37 kilometres) south west from the River Ness, the gateway of the Caledonian Canal through the town of Inverness from the Moray Firth. It sits 52 feet (15.8 metres) above sea level, is the second deepest loch in the United Kingdom, and forms the largest expanse of water in the geological fault known as the Great Glen.

Because of the peaty nature of the surrounding soil and Loch Ness’s depth (754 feet/230 metres at its most extreme), underwater visibility is minimal. On the loch floor there is a layer of sediment more than 25 feet in depth, which makes it impenetrable to light. One hundred feet below the surface is a thermocline line which ensures that the water temperature remains constant at 44° Farenheit. As the surface water nears freezing point on winter days, it sinks and is replaced by the warmer water from below. This can cause the loch to steam on excessively cold days.

The Great Glen Fault, in which Loch Ness is situated, occurred approximately 400million years ago. The present day expanse of water dates from the last Ice A.....

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By Roddy Martine

Section : Scottish Legends

Page number : 74