The Loch Ness Monster

Before we delve deeper into tales of sightings and theories, let’s look at Nessie’s epic playground – Loch Ness. Just how might a monster manage to hide in these waters?

One of the best ways to experience Loch Ness is from the water because, quite simply, this loch is on a scale you’ve never seen before. Here, monster, myth and legend meet vast, wild and beautiful landscapes. Picture dark waters, ancient forests and cloud-kissed mountains under soaring skies and fiery sunsets, the majestic ruins of Urquhart Castle standing guard. 

Legend tells us that Loch Ness was created in anger by the Celtic Winter Queen, the goddess Dark Beira, or Cailleach Bheur. When her maid Nessa was late to attend to her duties, Beira raged and transformed Nessa into a river – the river Ness. Nessa eventually managed to escape the confines of the river, stretching to become the deep waters of Loch Ness.
The perfect location for a mystery then, and for an unforgettable adventure. Whatever you discover here, one thing is for certain – Loch Ness is a place like no other.

The number of recorded monster sightings increased through the 1900s, at the same time as visitor numbers to the area began to grow. However, compelling sightings were recorded by local residents too – in 1916 the gamekeeper from a local estate reported a huge animal surfacing by his boat; then in 1933, the manager of the Drumnadrochit Hotel reported seeing a beast resembling a whale. Soon after, a couple driving along the south shore of Loch Ness saw an enormous animal, like a “dragon or prehistoric monster”, cross in front of their car. These 1933 sightings were reported in newspapers, bringing the legend of the Loch Ness Monster to the nation’s attention. Then, in 1934, Nessie became an international sensation when one of the most famous photographs of Nessie was taken, showing a small head and long neck appearing from the water. This reinforced the idea of a prehistoric animal, such as a plesiosaur, living in the loch. However – spoiler alert! - in 1994 the photograph was revealed as a hoax. It wasn’t the first hoax, and sadly wouldn’t be the last. Now however, an impressive 1141 sightings have been recorded to date, including four already in 2022 and six in 2021.

Yes indeed, such a register exists! The current 1141 sightings are all recorded on the Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register, created and kept by the voluntary registrar, Gary Campbell. A local man, Gary’s interest in the monster only began in 1996, when he saw something in the north end of Loch Ness. Despite only observing it for a few seconds, Gary remembers seeing a black, shiny hump that came out of the water twice. When he realised there was nowhere to record his sighting, he and his wife decided to start the official register – and he continues to act as registrar, more than 25 years on. Grandly dubbed the “Keeper of the Register of Sightings at Loch Ness”, Gary says his hobby is a lot of fun: “I enjoy speaking to folk about Nessie, and I get to speak to people from all around the world. I like that Nessie and the mystery are open to everyone, whatever people’s backgrounds or beliefs. I’ve been registrar of sightings for a long time, but what still drives me is that I want an explanation for what I saw in the loch.” Despite the huge number of sightings on the register, Gary stresses that the majority of claimed sightings can be explained and are not included. In addition, any registered sightings that are later explained – or proven to be a hoax – are removed from the register. This leaves from 10 to 20 unexplained sightings each year.

The Loch Ness Project
Naturalist Adrian Shine of The Loch Ness Project has been studying Loch Ness for more than 50 years. He reiterates the power of illusion and misconception on the water, and the results of decades of research to understand the loch’s habitats. He explains: “Loch Ness may be the most famous loch in the world but that doesn’t mean that it is understood. To understand it, and to make sense of the mystery, you must do more than just look at the loch – you must discover what you can’t see by looking at the surface.” Adrian welcomed the results of the recent environmental DNA study, with the new evidence contributing to the bank of scientific knowledge about Loch Ness. He believes that researchers are now left with three possible Loch Ness Monster theories, all of which are large fish: sturgeon, European catfish, and the giant eunuch eel. In considering each of these possibilities, Adrian noted: “While the sturgeon evaded the DNA study, we should keep in mind that this is a migratory fish, not usually found in our freshwater lochs – it is possible that there are rare occurrences when a large sturgeon has entered the loch in search of a mate, before returning to sea. The European, or Wels, catfish is not native to the UK, although some were introduced here in the 1900s. It’s possible one or two have made their way into Loch Ness – and these fish can live for a long time. However, they wouldn’t breed in Loch Ness due to the cold water temperatures. “Eels are known to be in Loch Ness, and this corresponds with the volume of eel DNA found in the survey. A eunuch eel which doesn’t return to breed at sea might stay in the loch and grow unusually large – however the DNA study would return the same results whether there were lots of smaller eels, or a few large eels. Adrian concludes: “And so, the mystery, the fun, remains. There will be a Loch Ness Monster as long as people want there to be.”

Another man who has devoted much of his life to the search for Nessie is Steve Feltham, known as the Monster Hunter. After a family holiday to Loch Ness in 1970, when he was seven, Steve became fascinated by the mystery. In 1991 Steve became a full-time monster hunter, living in a former mobile library van. First touring the loch-side, and now based at Dores Beach, Steve has set a world record for the longest vigil of looking for the monster. Steve says: “When I first came, I was looking for something like a plesiosaur, like the rest of the general public – but over the last 25 years I’ve found that that wasn’t likely. My best guess now? The jury is out, but I’d suggest a Wels catfish, but we really don’t know. “The best evidence I’ve seen are the sonar contacts made by the Cruise Loch Ness boat, which has made several large contacts near the very bottom of the loch near Invermoriston – including one the size of a Transit van. There is definitely something big at that end of the loch.”