| They were fierce hill tribes in what is now | | | | have an elongated neck that quite often |
| Scotland, and we called them Picts. The name | | | | protrudes from the water with a small head, |
| seems to mean "The Painted People" for they | | | | diamond shaped flippers and three distinct humps |
| were known to love bright body art and | | | | on her back followed by a tail. Sone say that she |
| multi-coloured clothing. They were artists, prolific | | | | lives under or around Urquhart Castle and many |
| carvers of stone and from the carved standing | | | | photographs (mostly fake) have been taken of |
| stones still found in the region around Loch Ness, | | | | her in the vicinity.The sedimentary rocks which |
| we can see that the Picts were fascinated by | | | | cradle Loch Ness are some of the oldest in the |
| animals, carefully etching their likeness into the | | | | world. The sandstones were originally laid down in |
| surface of the stone. And they left us a | | | | warm seas when Scotland was located in the |
| mystery.For all the animals depicted on the Pictish | | | | latitude where Australasia is today. As the |
| stones are lifelike and easily recognisable, except | | | | continents drifted northwards the land became |
| for one. This exception is a strange beast with a | | | | squeezed into the dry centre of the |
| long elongated beak or muzzle, a head spout, and | | | | super-continent Pangaea.400 million years ago, the |
| with flippers instead of feet, somewhat like a | | | | Great Glen side slip fault was created. This Great |
| swimming elephant. This Pictish beast is the | | | | Glen, almost cutting Scotland in two, is home to |
| earliest known reference to the belief that took | | | | the black waters of Lochs Ness, Oich, Lochy and |
| hold in the Scottish Highlands at least 1,500 years | | | | LinnheAs the continents began to break up and |
| ago, that Loch Ness is home to a mysterious | | | | cluster around the north pole, great Scottish |
| underwater animal. The Loch Ness | | | | mountains, which would have been Himalayan in |
| Monster.Columba stood for no nonsense, even | | | | size were gradually worn down to the stumps |
| from a monster. He had ordered one of his | | | | which you see today. Scotland was still in the grip |
| monks to swim across the loch to fetch a boat | | | | of the ice twelve thousand years ago, but the |
| when, halfway across, the beast appeared and | | | | main advances were over and the land was |
| rushed at the swimmer, roaring in a most | | | | beginning to rebound from being depressed into |
| frightening way. The Saint himself jumped in the | | | | the mantle. The surface of Loch Ness would have |
| loch crying out at the monster "Go no further, | | | | been at a similar elevation to sea level.Anything |
| nor touch the man! Go back!". Thus commanded, | | | | living in the Loch today must have arrived from |
| the monster fled. The great Columba converted | | | | the freezing North Sea up the River Ness after |
| most of Scotland to Christianity and apparently | | | | the final retreat of ice.Many scientists and |
| converted Nessie too, for it is said that until he | | | | zoologists will admit to half- believing that a large |
| went out on the waters and soothed the beast, | | | | aquatic animal does in fact exist in Loch Ness. |
| she had been a murderess.In Scottish folklore, | | | | There are numerous theories as to her identity, |
| large animals are associated with many bodies of | | | | including a snake-like primitive whale known as a |
| water from small streams to the largest lakes, | | | | zeuglodon, a type of long-necked aquatic seal, |
| often labeled Loch-na-Beistie on old maps. These | | | | giant eels, walruses, floating mats of plants, giant |
| water-horses, or kelpies, are cousins of the Irish | | | | molluscs, otters, a "paraphysical" entity, mirages, |
| Pooka and have similar magical powers but often | | | | diving birds and most popularly, a plesiosaur. |
| malevolent intentions. They are dragons under | | | | Nessie was even given a scientific name |
| water, lurking with ravenous intent, waiting for the | | | | "Nessiteras rhombopteryx" named by Sir Peter |
| onset of darkness in the long Northern nights | | | | Scott so that Nessie could be added to the British |
| before they come forth and devour the | | | | Register of officially protected wildlife.The name, |
| Innocent.The monster, sea serpent, kraken and | | | | translated from Greek means "The wonder of |
| other mythological creatures have formed a part | | | | Ness with the diamond shaped fin". Over the |
| of folklore since the beginning of time. Around the | | | | years many have noted that if you rearranged |
| world there are reputed to be sea serpents or | | | | the letters of Nessiteras rhombopteryx, it can be |
| monsters in many bodies of fresh water. Nessie in | | | | made to read "Monster hoax by Sir Peter S".This |
| Loch Ness, Morag in Loch Morar, Shielagh in Loch | | | | may mean something - or it may mean nothing |
| Shiel, Lizzy in Loch Lochy, Champ in Lake | | | | at all.Nessie is either there, or she's not. I like to |
| Champlain, Ogopogo in Lake Okanagan and, | | | | think she has outwitted our efforts to trap her, |
| quaintly, Wally in Lake Wallowa.While research has | | | | pin her down, categorise her, tame her and turn |
| been conducted at many of these lakes, Loch | | | | her into tea towels. And one day you may get to |
| Ness is the icon for monsters and Nessie, the | | | | see her yourself. Long may she live in the loch |
| Loch Ness Monster is, without doubt, the | | | | !Susanna Duffy is a Civil Celebrant, grief counsellor |
| grandmother of them all. It is to Loch Ness where | | | | and mythologist. She creates ceremonies and |
| myriad researchers have flocked with their | | | | Rites of Passage for individual and civic functions, |
| cameras and sonars, webcams and mini | | | | and specialises in Croning and other celebrations |
| submarines, their hopes, fears and dreams of | | | | for women. |
| solving the mystery of Nessie.She is reported to | | | | |