"One thousand people insist there is a creature in Loch Ness," said naturalist Adrian Shine, while guiding a cruise across the loch on a blue-sky day. He has explored the loch's immensely deep underwater world for 34 years. He will not say for certain whether he believes there really is a Nessie.

"People are always looking at the water in search of something," said Capt. John Minshal as he navigated the research vessel. We keep our eyes focused on every ripple of the slate-gray water. Was a tree branch stirring the water, or a multi-humped sea serpent?

Loch Ness is 22 miles long, one mile wide and 700 feet down at its deepest. The lake is the largest body of water in Scotland by volume. "You could put everyone in the world into Loch Ness three times over," Shine calculated.

The Great Glen

Sea-monster lore has attracted tourists for decades, yet the villages and countryside are remarkably untainted by signage and kitschy souvenir shops. In Drumnadrochit, the Loch Ness Exhibition Centre features a multimedia presentation to describe 500 million years of Loch Ness history. In six themed chambers, visitors learn about sonar searches and exhaustive studies into wave and wind action. People pose for pictures at a Nessie sculpture in a pond.

Scenic tour boats carry people from the village to Urquhart Castle, a ruin dating from the 16th century. Sailboats glide on the 60-mile Caledonian Canal, a water passage from Inverness to Fort William.

A scenic highway hugging the north shore connects Inverness to Fort Augustus. The roadway isn't crowded, even though the weather is perfect for touring. Cows and sheep graze in steep-sided pastures, and lush forests are stippled with waterfalls. Blooming heather covers softly rounded peaks.

Loch Ness is part of the Great Glen, a natural geographic fault line that stretches across the breadth of Scotland. This region has an abundance of historic attractions, natural wonders, superb restaurants and cozy places to stay. Culloden Moor is the site of the famous Battle of Culloden where Bonnie Prince Charles and his Jacobite Army were defeated in 1746. People from around the world make pilgrimages to this important historical site. Cawdor Castle, a splendidly furnished medieval fortress, features beautifully manicured gardens.

Glen Affric, one of Scotland's most beautiful valleys, wears a tapestry of lochs, rivers and mountains clad in ancient Caledonian pine trees. The valley of Glencoe stretches about 10 miles. Velvety-green conical peaks, often wreathed in clouds, create a serene landscape resplendent with towering waterfalls.

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Linda Lange is the travel editor of The News Sentinel in Knoxville, Tenn. She may be reached at lange@knews.com.