Searching for Nessie: a day in Loch Ness

The Loch Ness monster is one of the most famous parts of Scottish mythology. I remember hearing the story as a kid; It was one of the first times I truely realized how terrifying deep water is when you start to think about it. The blackness, the unknown. Even today, we have no idea how many indiscovered species sit at the bottom of the ocean. While Loch Ness isn’t quite the ocean, it functioned as a reminder to not get too cocky or confident in human knowledge.

I knew a visit to Loch Ness was inevitable, and when the University of Glasgow brought in the Keltic Ginger, I knew that this is the kind of trip I wanted to do with a guide that prides themselves on their storytelling and knowledge of the space. I’m so thankful that I did.

The trip involved a couple distinct parts. The three hour drive up to the loch included stories, jokes, and a couple stops for coffee. The Keltic Ginger (Gary) told a breadth of stories, including clan stories of the highlanders, and mythological tales about the town of Ness and the origins of the landscape, along with the lesser known origin of Nessie itself. The Keltic Ginger has a true gift for engaging storytelling, and it was incredible to watch a bunch of college kids reignite the imagination that has been locked away in so many for so long.

We stopped in the town of Invermoriston. It was a tiny town, shrouded in fog and greenery. We split up, walking the paths and exploring the green space the town had to offer. It was so incredibly peaceful, and there were no other tourists. If you find yourself in this neck of the woods, stop for an hour; you feel like you can actually see Scotland.

The paths through the woods and along the waterfall were absolutely stunning, and very easy to walk.We were truly immersed in nature.

The second stop on the trip was my favourite, personally. We were set loose on the Old Pier Farm, a farm/bed and breakfast that homes a handful of highland cows, horses, and some of the sweetest dogs.

To say I’m slightly obsessed with these cows is an understatement. Maybe I’m just jealous of their hair.

Practically twins. I felt a kinship.

Highland cows are a scottish breed of cattle that are from the highlands and the heberdes. They have the most amazing wooly coats that allow them to be comfortable in the scottish highland winters, and are known for their massive horns. They are also typically ginger.

The Old Pier farmhouse is something out of a hallmark movie. Stunning views, friendly animals, and kind people create an environment that it’s hard to believe exists in the modern world. Located on Loch Ness, it’s a truly breathtaking. Given the oppertunity, I’d love to go back and stay in the BNB; I can only imagine what early mornings look like on the farm.

There were several situations during this trip where I felt like I was looking at pictures from a travel book-primarily when the highland bull posed in front of the flag pole.

After the farm, we wandered over to Fort Augustus Village, where we enjoyed lunch at the The Lock Inn and stocked up on every Nessie souvenir we could find. The recommendations given to us by Gary(the Keltic Ginger) were fantastic, and though I wish we had more time, it was a perfect bite of Loch Ness.

While we couldn’t explore the old fort, we enjoyed it from afar. I really recommend visiting Fort Augustus VIllage if you can; while it is a touristy spot, it isn’t overrun and still maintains the Scottish charm. The views of the loch itself are beautiful, and the town itself is super friendly.

The drive home had several stops so we could appreciate the sunset-drenched view and get some pictures

The landscape of Scotland explains why mythology was so strong and prevelent here; from witches to giants to lake monsters, it feels like you’ve fallen into a storybook.

It’s hard not to believe in magic with views like this,and it’s not hard to understnad why highlanders once thought the mountains were living beings; enshrouded in clouds and fog, dappled with sun, it feels like they’re moving everytime you turn your head.

This trip is a no-brainer. It was beautiful, Gary was hilarious and managed to make 6 hours of driving disappear in a flash of bus bingo, stories, and jokes, and the places we visited were awe-inspiring. I may not have seen Nessie, but I was ok with it; there was more than enough magic for me.

If you’te interested in touring with Gary, his company can be found at The Keltic Ginger and I highly recommend this experience. Having someone who knows the stories (and how to avoid the tourist traps in a place as touristy as loch ness) truly made the experience what it was.