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Loch Ness

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Loch Ness (Scottish Gaelic: Loch Nis) is a large, deep, freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands extending for approximately 37 km (23 miles) southwest of Inverness. Its surface is 15.8 meters (52 feet) above sea level. Loch Ness is best known for the alleged sightings of the legendary Loch Ness Monster, also known as "Nessie".

Loch Ness is the second largest Scottish loch by surface area after Loch Lomond at 56.4 km² (21.8 sq mi), but due to its great depth is the largest by volume. Its deepest point is 230 m (754 feet) , deeper than the height of London's BT Tower at 189 m (620 feet) and deeper than any other loch besides Loch Morar. It contains more fresh water than all lakes in England and Wales combined. and is the largest body of water on the Great Glen geologic fault, which runs from Inverness in the north to Fort William in the south. The Caledonian Canal, which links the sea at either end of the fault, uses Loch Ness for part of its route. It is one of a series of interconnected, murky bodies of water in Scotland; its water visibility is exceptionally low due to a high peat content in the surrounding soil.

Loch Ness acts as the lower storage reservoir for the Foyers pumped-storage hydroelectric scheme, which was the first of its kind in United Kingdom. The turbines were originally used to provide power for a nearby aluminium smelting plant, but now electricity is generated and supplied to the National Grid.

The only island on Loch Ness is Cherry Island, visible at its southwestern end, near Fort Augustus. It is a crannog, an artificial island usually dating to the Iron Age. At Drumnadrochit is The Loch Ness Exhibition Centre which examines the controversy through the natural history of Loch Ness. Boat cruises operate from various locations on the loch shore, giving visitors the chance to look for the monster.

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Last updated on Monday March 10, 2008 at 16:49:24 PDT (GMT -0700)
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