The Legend

Many people think that the first time the Loch Ness monster appeared was around 1930 but this is not accurate.  By the time the Picts lived on the Highlands, there were many stories about the monster.

Residents around the loch used to tell their children stories of a monster to keep them away from the dark dangerous waters of the loch. In the story, the monster lived in the loch and when hungry, it would leave the loch transforming itself into a beautiful horse which waited for unlucky people to climb on its back; then, it would gallop straight into the waters and feed on its victim. This story certainly kept the children away from the loch but the locals never stopped fishing its salmon.

The very first sight of Nessie dates back to 565 when St. Columba, an Irish Priest who was travelling through the Highlands teaching Christianity to the Picts, saw the creature. St. Columba met some local people who were burying one of their friends who, in an attempt to retrieve the boat that had come loose, was attacked by a great beast.

St. Columba asked one of his followers to swim into the loch and bring the boat to the shore and, when he did, the beast came out of it in order to attack the man. On seeing this, St. Columba held up his cross and shouted “Stop and do not touch the man”. The beast went into the loch.