Creature comforts
Hot on Nessie s tail , Tom Carlin and his sons have a monster adventure from a dream Scottish base
The mystery of Nessie, the Loch Ness monster, has fascinated locals, tourists and experts for centuries. The legendary loch is the largest body of freshwater in the whole of the UK, with deep, murky qualities making it the perfect hiding place for a mythical creature.
Despite thousands of reported sightings, and millions of visitors, nobody has uncovered Scotland’s most famous secret. But my three young sons have always been convinced they’d find indisputable evidence to crack the case so we thought we’d make a family holiday of it and headed for the Highlands.
And our perfect base for this exciting exploration was just seven miles outside Inverness.
On the outskirts of the fishing village of Kilmuir, a 30-minute drive from the loch, The Secret Garden at Old Drynie House, found with Sykes Holiday Cottages, was a charming hideaway surrounded by woodland.
Three comfortable bedrooms all with TVS, modern bathrooms, a fully equipped open-plan kitchen and dining area plus an amazing games room with a snooker table, football table and dartboard – it was perfect for families with kids who need plenty to do.
The closest shop or pub was a few miles away, but there was lots to investigate on our doorstep including a viewing platform overlooking the Moray Firth, where you could enjoy a drink while keeping an eye out for dolphins or even a prehistoric monster who may have lost its way.
But despite the luxurious home from home, our trio of intrepid explorers couldn’t get to the loch quick enough.
We started with a Jacobite boat tour, a one-hour voyage across part of the loch during which we learned about its natural history, myths and mysteries. With a depth of