Surely you have ever heard of the legend of the monster of the Lake Ness. This side has been the target of numerous legends of the existence of monsters that has caused Scotland to be visited exclusively to verify the existence of said monster. It is a body of fresh water located in the highlands of Scotland.
In this article we are going to tell you everything you need to know about Loch Ness.
Key features
This lake is surrounded by the coastal towns of Fort Augustus, Invermoriston, Drumnadrochit, Abriachan, Lochend, Whitebridge, Foyers, Inverfarigaig, and Dores. It has been frequently visited since a rumor spread that a monster existed in the lake. It has a distinctive shape compared to other lakes, being quite large and narrow. Its maximum depth is about 240 meters, which makes it the second deep bombshell in all of Scotland.
Its total length is 37 kilometers. These dimensions allow it to hold the largest volume of water in all of Great Britain. The surface is 16 meters above sea level and is located along the Great Glen Fault. There is numerous geological data that indicate that This fault is 700 million years old. Due to the existence of this fault through the surface of the lake, 1768 earthquakes near the fault have been reported from 1906 to 56. This makes it one of the lakes, seismic activity on the entire planet.
The origin of Loch Ness dates back to approximately 10.000 years ago. It is estimated that it was formed at the end of the last ice age at the time of Holocene. Its average temperature is situated at 5.5 degrees centigradeOne of the surprising features of this lake is that it has never frozen. Despite Scotland's fairly icy winters with sub-zero temperatures, the lake has never frozen over.
Main tributaries
In order for it to accommodate this amount of water, it needs to have enough tributary rivers. These rivers are as follows: Glen Moriston, Tarff River, Foyers River, Farigaig River, Enrick River, and Coiltie River, as well as the Caledonian Canal effluent.
If we analyze the total of the basin we can see that it covers an area of 1.800 square kilometers and is connected to Lake Oich. On the eastern side, it connects with another side called the Dochfour, which ultimately leads to the River Ness, which flows into two formations: Beauly Firth and Moray Firth. For those unaware, a fjord is simply a fairly long and visible inlet created by the melting of a glacier. On the sides of this fjord, you can see the cliffs that form as a result of a submerged valley landscape.
A fact that not many people know is that Within Loch Ness there is a small artificial island called Cherry Island. Hardly anyone knows about this island, which was built during the Iron Age. This very small island lies about 150 meters from the southern coast and was originally larger. However, over the years, the rising lake level has reduced the island's surface area. The Caledonian Canal is responsible for the rise in lake level. This canal is an artificial construction completed in 1822. Over the years, it has become a navigable waterway, stretching 97 kilometers from the northeast to its destination.
In addition, that inside Loch Ness we find some ruins of Urquhart Castle. This castle has a date that It dates back to the 13th to 16th centuries and offers guided tours to its visitors. This castle is located in a prime location offering stunning views of the lake and is one of the region's main tourist attractions.
Loch Ness flora and fauna
Before moving on to the monster, let's mention the flora and fauna that are proven to exist. This lake is notable for having very little flora in its waters due to the rise and fall of the water level. Being quite deep just a few meters from the shore and having little fauna inside is what makes it quite poor.
Although its biodiversity isn't particularly impressive, we can find species such as the European eel, European pike, common sturgeon, various varieties of salmon, brook lampreys, and other species. For those interested in nature, observing these species can be a unique experience.
What we can highlight apart from its scarce biodiversity is that the waters of this lake are not crystal clear and transparent at all. On the contrary, it has a very low visibility due to the fact that its soil has a high content of peat and all the surroundings. This peat is high in carbon and is what people say hides the great Loch Ness monster.
Legend of the Loch Ness Monster
The legend of the Loch Ness Monster has been carried on for generations. The legend tells of a large, long-necked sea creature that mysteriously hovers in the waters, and which very few people have been able to observe because it only occasionally emerges. It is thought that this enormous monster hides beneath the vast amount of peat at the bottom of the loch.
Not having been able to have direct contact with the specific species It is not known whether it is hostile or if it could be capable of harming a human being. Nothing is known about their behavior, feeding, true size and any other physical characteristics. This unknown causes a large number of people to visit the lake over the years, even today.
The only characteristics that are known about this monster are its greenish coloration and a very long neckMany compare it to a brachiosaurus, but with smaller body dimensions, obviously. Whether this monster exists or not will be determined with the passage of time.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about Loch Ness.