No Sign of the Monster - Inverness-Shire, Scotland

Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness, Inverness-Shire, Scotland

When one thinks of Scotland, one of the first things (other than golf) that comes to mind are its castles, and, of course, the Loch Ness Monster. We visited Urquhart Castle several years ago as part of a bus tour. It was a pretty miserable day, which can be common in Scotland. Our group was the first one to get to the castle, and, when the gates were opened, I skipped the pre-tour movie and headed to the castle to get some shots without a hundred people milling around. The castle was built in the 13th century and had a role in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century. All that is left of the castle are the ruins that you see here.

The lake (or Loch) you see behind the castle is the famous Loch Ness that is supposedly the home of "Nessie" the famed monster. Even though I kept a keen eye on the lake, I was unable to prove that Nessie exists.