I sometimes wonder, in our attempts to make a place better for our visitors, do we sometimes lose sight of just what it is that makes this part of Scotland so special.

For many of us, it’s not the polished picnic benches, it’s sitting on a rock on the riverbank. It’s not the expensive restaurant, its devouring a cheese and Branston sandwich on a hill trail, squinting to glimpse a wheeling buzzard quartering the distant hillside. Its the wide open spaces without a soul in sight and a deep breath of clean air. Its the sky at night without the light pollution.

At Destination Loch Ness we do spend a lot of time trying to improve all sorts of beauty spots and attractions to make your visits more memorable, but it’s the little things that happen along the way that makes our Highland days so special. I can sum it up by telling you about my experience today on the way to Inverness.

First, I had to wait for a family of roe deer to browse their way across our garden before going out to my car. Then, within a mile of home, I slowed down to let a family of pheasants amble across the road, and as I slowed, a beautiful red squirrel scampered up a roadside birch tree, mouth full of hazelnuts. Then, a half mile farther on, a buzzard sat on a roadside post, lazily watching me drive slowly past.

These magical times are what we all want for our visitors to see, and more… I for one, didn’t have the heart to tell the lady, so excitedly telling us she had seen a Scottish wildcat on the forest centre picnic table at Inverfarigaig, that it was actually the local forester’s tabby cat cleaning up the picnic morsels!

Who am I to destroy her magical moment with a bombshell ? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  

 Continuing the series of Ideas for things to do at Loch Ness  

I absolutely do not advise anyone to participate in the practice recently called tombstoning anywhere! A local lad sadly lost his life this week after leaping into the Falls of Foyers. The growth in popularity of extreme sports is fine but I would stress that it is done under supervision of expert instructor, so it’s not that I say don’t do it, just learn how to do it first before going out on your own or with your mates. We have a number of great outdoor activity holiday guides around the Loch Ness area – adrenaline junkies use them till you are good enough to show others how it should be done. The last thing I want to see anywhere in the country is all our falls, riverbanks and crags fenced off for safety reasons. Health and safety regulations already dictate too much of what we can and can’t do. Come, enjoy, but exercise caution when messing about in the country – rocks get slippery and uneven surfaces can make accidents in even the most unlikely places, so be safe, be careful and go home with great memories.

Nuf, have a look at 10 more things below that you can safely do around Loch Ness without ruining your appetite, remember the old Malteser ads!

31) Hire a Cruiser on Loch Ness with Caley Crusiers

32) See the illusive pine marten ?

33) Visit the most famous castle ruins in the Highlands at Urquhart Castle

34) Find the ‘Black Rock’ a secret hard to find even for locals

35) Take a walk up the Corkscrew and enjoy the views of Loch Ness

36) Run the Loch Ness Marathon in October.

37) Buy some truly original Loch Ness rock (not the kind you eat!) at Dores, ask for Steve?

38) Have a picnic on Inverfarigaig pier

39) Visit the beautiful, historic and just ever so slightly spooky Boleskine Graveyard

40) And while you’re at it.. why not visit Dunlichity Graveyard with it’s enclosure to the memory of the Clan MacGillivray

Technorati Tags: loch ness,extreme sport,activity holidays

20 to 30 from the 100 things to do at Loch Ness

After days of recent torrential rain it’s strangely comforting to hear that it is nationwide and not just us at Loch Ness getting it all ! Staying dry at Loch Ness is easier said than done this week. These next ten things to do are obviously for reference and not all possible this minute! One glorious advantage of this rain is the torrents and waterfalls cascading off the crags everywhere – all so spectacular to see.

The main holiday season is now past and the kids are back at school. This is the time when many people, mostly without kids, choose to visit Loch Ness. Accommodation prices are falling and you can often get great weather (this week excluded ! ) and some great deals to be had, so if you have been working all through the summer hols, have a look, give yourself a break before Autumn starts to show itself for real. Check the site for deals Visitlochness.com 

21. Buy yourself a big green monster!

22. Decide for yourself about Nessie – visit the Loch Ness Exhibition Centre

23. Buy ‘the T-shirt’ at the Clansman Gift Shop

24. Learn about the history and heritage of Loch Ness with Inverness Tours

25. Walk the 10 miles around Loch Affric

26. Count red squirrels on south Loch Ness

27. Eat home grown strawberries and raspberries at the Larder Tomich Farm Shop

28. Find out about the Caledonian canal at the Caledonian Canal Visitor Centre Fort Augustus

29. Canoe on Loch Ness ( who needs Loch Ness ? – you could canoe down my drive right now ! )

30. Have lunch at the Lovat Arms Hotel Fort Augustus