During a 12 hour whirlwind tour of the Scottish Highlands, I had the opportunity to take a one-hour boat tour on Loch Ness, the legendary home of the mysterious monster who has gained the pet name "Nessie". Needless to say I braved the freezing winds coming off the loch and jumped at the chance!
We went with the Jacobite Tour Company - the boat had an upper, open air deck that I lasted for about 15 minutes on before taking my wild hair and streaming eyes downstairs into the warmth of the enclosed area, complete with cushy booths, large windows, and a bar. There was a deck to the front and back of the lower area, giving you the chance to pop outside for a better photo if you wanted to without putting yourself to the elements of the upper deck.
Loch Ness is the second largest loch (aka "lake") in Scotland, weighing in at 22 square miles in surface area and 744 feet deep at it's deepest point. Our tour guide explained that all of the fresh water could be drained out of England and Wales combined, and this loch alone could fill the empty bodies of water and still have plenty left over. Nessie has a big playground.
The cruise took us by the ruins of Urquhart Castle, dating back to the 13th century and also playing a role in the Scottish War of Independence.
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