Mysteries of Loch Ness

The Loch Ness Monster is one of the mysteries that has made Loch Ness a legend, attracting visitors to Scotland for hundreds of years.

Below are some of the mysteries surrounding the famous Scottish lake, which has been associated with the legend of the "Loch Ness Monster" for over 100 years, as compiled and listed by CNN .

Secrets beneath the lake

The biggest mystery surrounding Loch Ness is what lies beneath its surface. Alistair Matheson, who guides tourists on sonar-equipped tours, says many people believe there's a monster at the bottom of the lake. Matheson also believes the lake holds a hidden secret.

This image is believed by many to depict a monster living in Loch Ness. The photograph was taken in 1934. Photo: AP

Loch Ness has an average water temperature of 4-5 degrees Celsius year-round, is 37 km long, and about 230 m deep—deep enough to "submerge Edinburgh Castle" twice, according to CNN. Mud from surrounding rivers and streams flows into the lake, giving the water a dark brown, tea-like color. At the bottom of the lake, it's difficult for visitors to see a 120-meter-long submarine from a distance of half a meter.

"The underwater scene is like a lost world ," said Alan McKenna, founder of Loch Ness Exploration, an organization that researches and searches for the Loch Ness Monster. McKenna said many people "have seen unexplained things." According to him, these images could be of the monster, or they could be caused by natural phenomena.

The first person to photograph the "Loch Ness Monster"

The legend of the Loch Ness Monster has existed for a long time, but it wasn't until November 12, 1933, that Hugh Gray, a worker at a nearby factory, took the first photograph of the "monster" of Loch Ness.

Earlier that year, in April 1933, Aldie McKay, the manager of a nearby hotel, created a "global sensation" when he reported seeing a giant monster near the lake shore.

This information attracted a large number of tourists who flocked to the lake in search of the creature over the past century. McKay's hotel, located in the nearby village of Drumnadrochit, became famous and benefited greatly. Today, the hotel is the Loch Ness Center, valued at $1.8 million, which specializes in tours related to the mysterious monster.

In August 2022, a monster hunt was organized, becoming the largest in 50 years. As always, the search failed to produce convincing evidence of photographic evidence of the monster in the lake.

Mysteries around the lake

Even when visiting the lake on a gloomy weekday afternoon, under a gray sky, Loch Ness still attracts more visitors than they expect. Although no monster is seen, visitors are still drawn in by the strange stories surrounding it.

A view of Loch Ness. Photo: CNN

These stories range from the Irish monk Saint Columba's alleged expulsion of a sea serpent from the River Ness in the 6th century to the strange occurrences of the English mystic Aleister Crowley at his Boleskine estate on the southeast side of the lake.

The house, which was destroyed by fire in 2015, is currently being renovated and occasionally opens to visitors. The Boleskine House Foundation, a charity, is now managing the house and its surrounding land, with the aim of restoring and preserving it.

Nevertheless, no legend surrounding the lake surpasses the image of the monster in the public imagination.

People whose lives are intertwined with monsters.

Naturalist Adrian Shine, who founded the Loch Ness Project in 1973, has spent 50 years exploring the lake. Shine has inspired and mentored generations of lake explorers, including Alan McKenna, who regularly travels three hours from Edinburgh to the lake each month to begin a hunt for the monster. Another is Steve Feltham, who has lived near the lake since 1991.

Visitors to this area can meet them and the community of Loch Ness enthusiasts. Their portraits portray them as people who love the environment, are passionate about scientific exploration, and are fascinated by the mysteries of life.

Naturalist Adrian Shine is pictured taking a boat ride on Loch Ness. Photo: Reuters .

Water illusion

Loch Ness doesn't freeze in winter because the water below is warm. The shifting layers of water at varying temperatures create enormous underwater waves and strong surface currents that carry logs and debris, leading many to mistakenly believe they are seeing the tail or neck of a large creature.

Occasionally, the lake has spouts, columns of fog, and swirling air currents even when the water is calm. From a distance, the scene resembles the long, writhing neck of a monstrous creature. McKenna and Shine both believe that much of the image of the Loch Ness Monster is a water mirage.

Shine explained in a video that when large cargo ships pass through a long, deep, and narrow lake like Loch Ness, they can create large ripples that resemble the ridges and valleys of a dinosaur's spine, especially when viewed from a low angle, such as standing on the shore.

The idea of ​​a dinosaur-like creature living in the lake was dismissed years ago. A study showed no reptilian DNA in the water. And the water was also too cold for such a creature to survive.

The lake is also connected to the sea and many rivers. Therefore, theories explaining the image, which is believed to be a monster, could be attributed to seals or whales swimming by.

The existence of the monster has never been proven, but it cannot be dismissed either. And it is this belief that keeps its followers searching.

(By Anh Minh , according to CNN )

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