Natural Wonder · Inverness, United Kingdom
Loch Ness
Loch Ness is a large freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands.
Photo: Sam Fentress via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Inverness, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Type | Natural Wonder |
| Length | Length: 39 km |
| Coordinates | 57.3000° N, 4.4500° W |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Loch Ness is known for
Loch Ness is a large freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands.
About Loch Ness
Loch Ness is a large freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands. It takes its name from the River Ness, which flows from the northern end. Loch Ness is best known for claimed sightings of the cryptozoological Loch Ness Monster, also known affectionately as "Nessie" (Scottish Gaelic: Niseag).
History
Modern history Wellington ditching and rediscovery On New Year's Eve 1939, a Royal Air Force Vickers Wellington Bomber (serial no. N2980) with 20 Operational Training Unit based at RAF Lossiemouth, was forced to ditch on Loch Ness after running into engine trouble. Initially, the pilot, Squadron Leader David Marwood-Elton, ordered the crew to bail out, before quickly cancelling the order upon spotting Loch Ness; this second order came too late for the rear gunner, Sergeant J.S.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Inverness |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Inverness Airport (INV) |
| Distance from the airport | 21.9 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Aberdeen International Airport (ABZ) · Aberdeen, United Kingdom · 84.5 miles away
- Glasgow Airport (GLA) · Glasgow, United Kingdom · 98.7 miles away
- Edinburgh Airport (EDI) · Ingliston, Edinburgh, United Kingdom · 101.9 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in United Kingdom
More natural wonders
Frequently asked questions
What is Loch Ness?
Loch Ness is a large freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands.
Where is Loch Ness located?
Loch Ness is in Inverness, United Kingdom. Its coordinates are 57.3000° N, 4.4500° W.
How do I get to Loch Ness?
The nearest town is Inverness, and the nearest airport is Inverness Airport (INV), about 21.9 miles away (straight line).
What is the history of Loch Ness?
Modern history Wellington ditching and rediscovery On New Year's Eve 1939, a Royal Air Force Vickers Wellington Bomber (serial no. N2980) with 20 Operational Training Unit based at RAF Lossiemouth, was forced to ditch on Loch Ness after running into engine trouble.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loch_Ness — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q49650 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.