Loch Ness- The Queen Beast

The Beginning

There are few places that are as magical as Loch Ness (Loch Nis in Scottish gaelic), a large freshwater lake in the Scottish Highlands. The lake extends for approximately 37 kilometres  along the length of the Great Glen southeast of Inverness. 

Loch Ness takes its name from the River Ness, which flows from the northern end. The river's name probably derives from an old Celtic word meaning 'roaring one'. 

Besides being a very large and beautiful lake, it's also the home of the very elusive cryptid; the Loch Ness monster (Uilebheist Loch Nis in Scottish gaelic).  It is often described as large, long-necked, and with one or more humps protruding from the water. The first written account appears in a 7th-century biography of Saint Columba. According to that work, in 565 ad  Irish monk Saint Columba encountered local residents burying a man by the River Ness. The explanation for the death was that a monster emerged from the deeps of the lake and bit the man.  It then prepared to attack another man when Columba intervened and saved the men by making noises.

Believers in the monster point to this story,  and actually claim that it's set in the River Ness rather than the loch itself,  and claim the creature's existence is evident as early as the 6th century. 

No matter when the monster was first seen, over the centuries since Saint Columbas encounter, occasional sightings has been reported. Many of these alleged encounters seemed inspired by Scottish folklore, which abounds with mythical water creatures.

A Growing Legend

It was not until in 1933 the Loch Ness monster’s legend began to grow. At the time, a road close to Loch Ness was finished, offering an unobstructed view of the lake.  In April a couple passing by in their car, saw a huge creature, which they compared to a “dragon or prehistoric monster”. It crossed their car’s path and disappeared into the water. The incident was reported in a Scottish newspaper, and after that, numerous sightings followed. 

Marmaduke Wetherell, a big-game hunter,decided to locate the lake monster. He found large footprints that he believed belonged to “a very powerful soft-footed animal about 20 feet [6 metres] long.”  along the lake’s shores. However, upon closer inspection, zoologists at theNatural History Museum determined that the tracks were fake, made by humans with an umbrella stand or ashtray with an animal foot as a base. Wetherell’s role in the hoax was unclear. What is clear, is that the news seemed to spur efforts to prove the monster’s existence.

The iconic image of "Nessie" was made by english physician Robert Kenneth Wilson in 1934, and shows what seems to be a plesiosaur gracing the surface. The Daily Mail printed the photograph, and thus sparked an international sensation that is still going strong. 

It had been described as fake in a 7 December 1975, and since 1994, most agree that the photo was an elaborate hoax. 

Photo evidences and explorations

Many people have throughout the years claimed to have captured Nessie on photo and on film. There have been numerous sonar-searches and also drone-images as well as satellite-images that shows something. What precisely that "something" is, has not been concluded. Most photos and videos have been debunked as either fakes or misidentifications. Like shadows from boats, logs or ripples on the surface. The human mind can play many tricks. There have also been about nine search-parties with eager people exploring the lake. In 2018, researchers conducted a DNA survey of Loch Ness as a way to determine what organisms actually live there. The results do not show any signs of a plesiosaur or other such large animals. However they did find indications of eels. This finding gives the possibility that Nessie, if she exists, is an oversized eel. 

The Search Continues

Throughout the years, the Loch Ness area have attracted numerous monster hunters, scientists and spectators. 

A number of explanations have been suggested to account for sightings of the creature, but there is probably no single explanation of the monster. According to Ronald Binns, a former member of the Loch Ness Phenomena Investigation Bureau, contends that an aspect of human psychology is the ability of the eye to see what it wants, and expects, to see. 

However, as some people point out, it could be that Nessie doesn't reside in Loch Ness at all, but in River Ness, where Saint Columba first witnessed the monster. Hence, the sightings in Loch Ness, could be a trick of the mind rather than an actual beast, whilst the presumed- actual Nessie, lives further up north. Who knows? 

Despite the lack of conclusive evidence, the Loch Ness monster remains popular and she's still the Queen Beast.