Loch Ness and the Loch Ness  area is often the venue for a wonderful array of fundraising and awareness raising events from all over the world.

This week we have seen a large group from Ireland raising money by swimming accros the Loch. They join the many who have chosen to swim, canoe, kayak, sail, run, walk, cycle, dive, snorkle, windsurf, fly and more accross and around Loch Ness before them, and there will of course be many who will follow them in the future.

Its a testament to the hold that Loch Ness has in people’s imagination that they choose this location to come to to help them raise money for their favourite charity - especially when the cause is often based far away.

Whatever the charity - fundraisers always have a personal involvement, and the pleasure that they get from completing their challenge can only be mirrored by the feeling of support from the recipiants of thier hard work.

I came accross a news story this week that was a little closer to home.  It is about a little two year old girl called Phoebe who lives in the village of Lochend at the northern end of Loch Ness.  Pheobe has her own Monster to deal with in the form of an agressive childhood cancer. 

The article, and the link to Phoebe’s website which shows how you can help, is below.

Weekend home visit for brave Lochend toddler
Press & Journal By Samantha Chetwynd, Published: 14/07/2008

A  Lochend toddler who is getting gruelling treatment for a rare and aggressive cancer returned home at the weekend for a brief visit.

Two-year-old Phoebe Macaskill is fighting neuroblastoma, having been diagnosed earlier this year.

For the last 14 weeks she has been getting a variety of invasive procedures at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow. After 80 days of chemotherapy and a stem-cell transplant, doctors agreed to let the toddler return home to Lochend for the weekend.

Yesterday her mother Rhona, 30, who has two other children Jude, 5, and Laina, 4, said Phoebe’s latest scan showed her tumour has shrunk considerably.

“There is still a long way to go but this is really good news,” said the mother. “We’re just pleased to have been able to bring her home. We’re just spending time with family and friends. When we turned into Lochend she said ‘home, my home’. It’s really nice to have her home, although she seems just happy as long as mummy or daddy is there. She’s excited at being able to sleep in her own bed. We’ve had to bring all her feeding equipment home which is in her bedroom and Jude said its Phoebe’s own hospital.”

Neuroblastoma, a cancer of the nervous system, strikes around 100 children every year and has a survival rate of only 20%.

Phoebe was returning to hospital today for further treatment, including surgery on the tumour and more high-dose chemotherapy.

If necessary Mrs Macaskill and her husband, self-employed builder Chris, 36, will take Phoebe to New York for a special antibody treatment at a cancer centre, where there is a 60% success rate.

This will cost £250,000 and family and friends have started a fundraising drive which includes a tour on Loch Ness on August 9.

To find out more about the campaign visit www.phoebemacaskill.com.

The following story was sent to me and it had to be shared….

Lake’s Nessie the shark

July 10, 2008 - 11:53AM (Sorry - I don’t have the original source)

It’s the talk of town, the Central Coast’s own Loch Ness monster, but locals and experts are sceptical that a full-grown seven-metre great white shark could be lurking in Tuggerah Lake.

A commercial fisherman yesterday reported netting and releasing the monster while casting his fishing nets off Canton Beach, on Tuggerah Lake.

“He claimed that he actually caught the shark in his net and the shark came up and started thrashing about, and hit his boat,” said Chief Inspector Tim Winmill said.

A Tuggerah Lakes police spokesman today said there had been no further sightings of the shark.

“The Department of Primary Industries are running the operation, we’re not the shark liaison officers,” he said. The DPI has been contacted for comment.

But John West, Taronga Zoo’s shark expert, said: “I think it’s a hoax - great white’s don’t go into estuarine or lake systems. “In all my knowledge on shark biology and behaviour, that’s unlikely.

“It wouldn’t even fit in that lake, I don’t know how deep the entrance is but you’d need several metres for a shark that big to get into it.

“A large shark like that would stick out like dog’s b*lls.”

Soldiers Beach Surf Life Saving Club president Mick Crowe said the whopping carnivore was “the talk of the area”.

He was unsure if it had deterred holiday makers. “This time of year they don’t get too many people in the Lake anyway, other than a few diehards. It’s absolutely freezing cold and there’s a howling wind.”

He too was sceptical a great white could be in the lake.

“There’s no chance a shark that big could get into the entrance, you could just about walk across the entrance channel [because it’s so shallow].”

Chief Inspector Tim Winmill said there had been reports of a baby great white shark in the lake a few years ago.

While stressing it was highly unlikely, Mr West said it was possible a baby great white may have snuck through the entrance to the lake.

“But if it got into there it would be trying to find its way out. They don’t tolerate the drops in salinity.

“It could probably survive for a period but how long I don’t know because they don’t go into those areas.”

Mr West said if there was a shark in the lake, it was more likely to be a bull shark.

“It’s part of a bull shark’s natural behaviour to move up into fresh water,” he said. “But they only grow up to three metres long.

“The fisherman saying it was seven metres could have been an exaggeration, but that’s a story he’ll have to explain.”

We recently spotted this news item in The Mirror - click through to the link to see for yourself!

Could this be the Loch Ness Monster?

By Hannah Wood, Mirror.co.uk 2/07/2008

New video footage has emerged of a potential sighting of dinosaur-like creature the Loch Ness Monster.

David Garside and his dad Graham were on holiday in Scotland in April when they believe the creature of legend appeared to them.

During a tourist boat trip on the loch, they spotted something strange in the distance so zoomed in with their video camera to get a better look.

David, 31, said: “I couldn’t really see what it was but I thought it looked sort of like a crocodile’s back or something. I was videotaping the boat tour though so I used my zoom lens to get a closer look and luckily I caught it on camera.

See full article and video HERE

Summer is getting  in full swing here in the Loch Ness area, and today we have the weather to match! Blue skies and sunshine! (Honest!)

 When your out and about in a rural area, be it here  (or indeed anywhere!) its best to keep the country code in mind…..so here it is again!

Nessie thanks you in advance for helping her to look after this wonderful area!

Enjoy The Countryside And Respect Its Life and Work
Help those who live and work in the countryside by being a careful and considerate visitor, and by following the Country Code. A courteous approach to all you meet will help us all enjoy the countryside better.

Guard Against All Risk of Fire:Accidental fire is a great fear of farmers and foresters. Be careful to put out all used cigarettes and matches, and cook by stove rather than by fire. Be especially careful during dry periods, and never throw a cigarette out of a car window.

Leave All Gates As You Find Them:But if you find a gate closed, always make sure that you leave it closed, to avoid farm animals straying. Farmers sometimes leave gates open to allow their animals to graze in the next field or to get water. So help a farmer by leaving gates as you find them but, if in doubt, do close a gate.

Keep Your Dogs Under Close Control:Always keep your dog on a lead when walking on roads or when close to farm animals. Your dog may be well behaved but the farmer does not know this. At other times always keep your dog under close control so as not to disturb wildlife, or annoy or alarm other visitors.

Keep To Paths Across Farmland: Avoid damage to growing crops by walking around the edge of fields or by keeping to an existing path across it. Avoid entering fields with farm animals, especially where there are young animals, and if you are with a dog.

Use Gates And Stiles To Cross Fences, Hedges And Walls: Damage to a fence, wall or hedge can allow animals to get out, so help the farmer by using gates and stiles. If you must climb a gate because it is difficult to open, always do this at the hinged end.

Leave Livestock, Crops And Machinery Alone: Crops, animals and machinery are all of high value. Help the farmer, and care for your own safety too by not interfering with any equipment or animals - and don’t let others do so.

Take Your Litter Home: Broken glass, tins and plastic bags can be dangerous to people and farm animals, and wildlife can also be trapped and die. All litter is unsightly so always take yours, and any that you may come across, home with you to dispose of properly.

Help Keep All Water Clean: Not everyone living in the countryside is on the public water supply, so take care with your personal hygiene to avoid causing any pollution. Farm animals need clean water too, so don’t interfere with water troughs provided for livestock.

Protect Wildlife, Plants and Trees: Leave all natural places as you find them. Never uproot plants as they’ll be gone forever. If you come across wildlife, keep your distance and don’t watch for too long lest you cause disturbance and stress, especially if adults are with their young and in winter, when food may be scarce or weather harsh.

Take Special Care On Country Roads: Always drive with care and reduced speed on country roads. Park your car with consideration to others needs, especially to avoid blocking gateways or other drivers sight-lines. Walkers, particularly large groups, should take special care on country roads.

Make No Unnecessary Noise: People go to the countryside to enjoy its peace and quiet, so avoid noise or disruptive behaviour which might annoy residents or visitors, or frighten farm animals or wildlife.

Enjoy yourself and the wonderful scenery around you - and don’t forget your camera!

For more info on the Scottish Outdoor Access code click HERE