Finding Nessie

Nessie, what a beautiful name!

I had never heard about it before until my recent trip to the highlands of Scotland, a place known as Loch Ness, situated a few miles away from the small town of Inverness. It was an instant plan, we booked two tickets a night before with the much recommended 'Loch Ness by Jacobite.' It was a guided tour of approximately three hours. We had to reach the pickup point at Inverness Bus station. The adventure started as soon as we boarded the bus. Our bus driver, Ian, took us on a short ride of the city Inverness and then told us the legend of 'Nessie' the monster.

Wait, a monster! All this while I thought it was a cute little animal. No, it was indeed a monster. According to the Scottish folklore, the Loch Ness monster—or the Nessie—is an aquatic being that inhabits in the river Ness, I guess that is why it is called Nessie. St Columba fought with this monster and drove him away, however, people believe that Nessie's offsprings still dwell in the river.

Ian dropped the whole group at another point where we were to catch a boat and find Nessie. Well, to my surprise, it was not a boat but a small cruise! We boarded this white and black cruise and were all ready to sail. The barracks of the canal opened and we sailed towards the river Ness. As we moved ahead, the canal met into the river and the river widened. It was a breathtaking experience! Mist all around, and our cruise moving ahead to the next destination, which was the Urquhart Castle.

While we were sailing, we tried the whiskey hot chocolate drink on the deck to beat the cold. It was one of the best drinks I had ever tried. I took many pictures and videos on the way. After an hour, we could see the glimpse of this castle. It seemed like I was on a trail to find a hidden treasure. The minuscule castle got bigger and bigger as we approached it and there it stood; tall, handsome, dark, and strong.

The sail was dropped and we landed near the castle to explore its beauty. Urquhart castle is one of the most visited castles in the UK. As we stepped inside the giant doors, I could feel the strength of this fort. More than a thousand years old, well conserved, it speaks the history of this land. One of my favorite spots was the stairs that took me near the river Ness, and I could feel the cold water. The view was spectacular!

After exploring this enticing castle, we headed back to our tour bus and Ian asked us if we were able to spot Nessie the monster, and I said, "well I bet if I would have had a few more whiskey hot chocolates I might have caught one of them!"

Well, I could not find my Nessie. I hope you would find one if you visit the magnificent highlands of Scotland!