Loch Ness

For a wide world of active outdoor family fun in the Highlands head to Loch Ness. Loch Ness is world renowned for the Loch Ness Monster, but the area is also famous for its beauty and historic sights  such as Urquhart Castle and the Caledonian Canal. The loch has a great deal to offer, not just on the water, but in the area surrounding it too.

One of the best ways to enjoy Loch Ness with the family is to experience it from the water, and boat cruises are available all year round from quite a few locations. Chief amongst these are standard cruises (www.loch-ness-cruises.co.uk) offered from Fort Augustus and Dochgarroch (where there is free parking). Bespoke cruises are also available from Dochgarroch  (www.jacobite.co.uk) for a more intimate family experience.

Other activities available both on and around the Loch include fishing, canoeing and a wide range of walking activities. For the seasoned walker The Great Glen Way and The South Loch Ness Trail offer a bit more of a challenge, but there are many gentler walks and pathways through the stunning Highland landscape more suited to smaller visitors. For the more adventurous and the thrill seeker there are quads, mountain biking, paragliding and wind surfing at various locations around the Loch.

Further information can be found at the information centres in Fort Augustus, Drumnadrochit and Castle Wynd in Inverness as well as Daviot Wood, South of Inverness, which is easily accessible from the A9 and also offers picnic areas and level paths and trails.

Of course no visit to Loch Ness is complete unless you learn more about the most famous inhabitant of the area – Nessie! And you can do this at The Loch Ness Centre & Exhibition, established for over 30 years, it is now a hi-tech multi-media presentation which leads you through 7 themed areas and 500 million years of history, natural mysteries and legend which help to reveal the environment of Loch Ness and the famous legend herself. (www.lochness.com)