Drumnadrochit: Caught between
the Loch and a Hard Sell?

By T Bruce Tober

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Plans to upgrade visitor facilities at Urquhart Castle
have put the castle’s caretakers at odds
with the wishes of the nearby townspeople.

On the shores of Loch Ness, on the outskirts of the little village of Drumnadrochit, stands Urquhart Castle, a favourite perch for thousands of inquisitive visitors hoping to catch sight of the famous Loch Ness Monster. At the castle’s well-used visitor centre, some major renovations are scheduled to take place, but, surprisingly, local villagers aren’t at all pleased with the idea.

Visitors come to this area with the Monster of Loch Ness, not the castle, uppermost in their minds. And while most tourists will never see ‘Nessie’ in the flesh (some would say she’s not there to be seen), those who visit Drumnadrochit will likely be left speechless by the area’s breathtaking beauty. From the mountain peaks to the glens, from the farmhouses to the loch, the endless verdant vista is one of nearly unspoilt natural beauty. Whether sparkling in the sunlight or shrouded in grey cloud cover and mist, it’s a photographer’s dream.

The castle’s ruins lie at the water’s edge, about two miles north of the village. They are indeed ruins–barely a single room remains intact, let alone an entire building, at the historic site. Currently, visitors must reach the castle by car or tour coach. The car park can accommodate 40 cars and four coaches. From there, visitors trek down the steep bank of the hill to the castle.

Historic Scotland plans to expand these modest facilities into a car park that will accommodate 12 coaches, four caravans, and 118 cars. A new business centre will include a restaurant, audiovisual display, and a larger souvenir shop. ‘That will be built into the hillside, but not much of it is going to be seen,’ says Trevor Briggs, a staffer at the Castle, ‘only the frontage and it will be composed of red sandstone screened by trees. It will have approved access for disabled people.’

Not everyone is pleased with the planned expansion. Mikko Takala, a local computer programmer, has launched a campaign on the Internet’s World-Wide Web to oppose further development near the loch . The site, called ‘Nessie on the Net’, can be found at http://www.lochness.co.uk. Besides articles on the planned ‘improvements’, the site also includes a petition, aimed at preventing Historic Scotland from proceeding with the renovations.

According to Takala, ‘The Castle is already under attack.’ Last summer, visitors arriving at the castle found a rather disappointing blemish amid the ruins, in the shape of a dull green prefabricated gift shop. Takala alleges that ‘during the dawn hours, with no one about to see them, Historic Scotland ordered a helicopter to airlift a monstrous porta-cabin over the heads of the local community and right into the middle of the delicate and sensitive Castle grounds.’ Historic Scotland described the building as temporary, pending the completion of the new visitor centre, but then moved it to a more out-of-the-way location in July, following the unfavourable local reaction.

George Edwards, another leading opponent of the redevelopment of the castle, wages his campaign in his own forum. He works for The Original Loch Ness Exhibition and Hotel, providing visitors with a lengthy bit of patter about the loch and its monster.

On the day I went out onto the loch with George, the heavily overcast sky and choppy water enhanced the experience. The loch, heavily laden with peat, is normally so black that tourists swimming just under the surface can hardly see their hand in front of their face.

The nearly black water and the grey skies combine to create a matte-black velvet water surface that produces a variety of strange visual effects. At least twice during the hour or so the trip took, I would have sworn I’d seen a monster out of the corner of my eye.

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