Nessie - 8 Facts About Loch Ness' Most Elusive Resident

8. A Long History

As with all good stories that straddle the line between reality and myth, there is a rich background and a long trail of historical references to the mysterious sightings of the Loch Ness Monster.

In the year 565 AD, St Columba was said to have encountered the beast, in what is generally accepted to be the first written reference to something strange living in the Loch. Saint Columba himself is a man who definitely existed according to many varying sources and his work spreading Christianity through Scotland is regarded as highly important in some circles.

The story goes that while a follower of the Saint was swimming across the water, he was approached by a beast that had recently killed another man. When Columba made the sign of the cross and spoke to the beast, it retreated and the local people were understandably impressed and grateful.

While this story sounds extremely fanciful and bears a lot of the common signs of over-egged tales about saintly men, people who believe in the existence of the Loch Ness Monster attach a great deal of worth to it, as it proves that there was something odd known to exist in the area as far back as the 6th century.

Sceptics point out the improbability of the story and the fact that it happened on the River Ness, rather than the Loch itself. It is up to each of us to decide which viewpoint appeals more.