Estate owner David Sumsion and his family remained in Ardkinglas while film crews did their work. He is a descendant of Andrew Noble, the original owner of the house. Daily life became a bit hectic, but the family grew accustomed to the assistant directors' cries of "Quiet, please." Occasionally there were slipups, said Maskell. An actor unintentionally interrupted a family member's bath. Berry, the Sumsions' pet dog, moseyed into a few scenes.

The woodland gardens surrounding Ardkinglas also play a role in the film. Audiences may focus on action on the bridge and not notice the champion trees. The tract contains one of the finest collection of conifers in Britain, including the "Mightiest Conifer," with a girth measuring more than 31 feet. Trails that are open to the public weave through masses of rhododendrons and azaleas and carpets of bluebells. The estate borders Loch Lomond National Park.

While Ardkinglas, known as Killin Lodge in the film, is key to setting the scene, this story of fantasy relies on computer animation. Special effects were completed by New Zealand's WETA, best-known for other supernatural films such as "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy and "The Chronicles of Narnia."

The phantom beast

Seekers of the supernatural find treasures in Scotland, a country with haunting lochs, windswept moors and unexplained sightings on mist-shrouded hills. Centuries-old Gaelic legends recount devious acts of water horses, or kelpies. Able to change their shape at whim, these vicious creatures slipped onto land in the form of gentle horses. They beckoned people, often children, onto their backs. In an instant, kelpies return to deep water, causing victims to drown and be consumed. Parents repeat the tales as a way to keep children from playing near the edges of deep, dangerous lochs, explained Derek Brash, a guide and collector of highland lore.

Ancient kelpie legends became intertwined with tales of sea dragons and serpents. A supernatural being was supposedly first seen in 565 by the Christian missionary St. Columba. He drove away a "monster of the water," according to historical accounts.

The magical, mythical beast has turned Loch Ness into a tourist attraction and marine research center. In 1933, a hotelier in the village of Drumnadrochit reported seeing "an enormous animal rolling and plunging." A parade of adventurers, scientists and thrill-seekers took up the quest. This effort intensified after the local newspaper published a photograph of a long-necked water beast. The picture was proved to be a fake, but this only fueled more efforts to locate the prehistoric-looking creature.