Q and A
Searching for Nessie
Q. My 12-year-old son is obsessed with the Loch Ness monster, so I have decided to take him to the source next month. Can you provide information on what Nessie-themed tours or sites there are in Drumnadrochit, Scotland? -- Sam Payne, Newport, R.I.
A. It has been described as resembling everything from a dragon to a giant sturgeon, but whatever it may or may not be, Nessie, the legendary inhabitant of Loch Ness attracts tens of thousands of tourists each year. Many of the monster sightings have been near your destination, the tiny village of Drumnadrochit on the northern side of the lake, about 15 miles from Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. That is where you'll find the greatest concentration of Loch Ness monster sites, as well as shops selling everything from stuffed Nessies to refrigerator monster magnets.
Local historians say the first recorded sighting of the beast was by the Christian missionary St. Columba in 565. In 1886 the Inverness Courier noted the 'local tradition of a strange fish in the Loch.' Some 50 years later newspapers throughout  Britain carried reports of a surging mass of water in the center of the 23-mile-long loch created by an enormous animal rolling and plunging. One of the most recent sightings was reported on June 1, following 11 in 1997.
Over the years, high-tech investigations involving submarines, sonar and underwater video cameras have neither proved or disproved Nessie's existence.
In Drumnadrochit, you'll find two major exhibitions on the lake and the monster. At the Official Loch Ness Monster Exhibition, which is housed in a former Victorian hotel in the center of Drumnadrochit, a 40-minute presentation uses video, photographs, music, narration and dramatic lighting to describe the geology, history and legends surrounding the 800-foot-deep lake, whose basin was carved out by glaciers some 300 million years ago; it is the largest body of fresh water in Britain. Ample time is devoted to the myths surrounding Nessie and the various attempts to locate her. Exhibits include the John Murray, a sonar research vessel used in search of the monster in the 1970's. The center is open from 9:30 A.M. to 8:30 P.M.; admission is $7.60 (figured at a rate of 59 pence to the dollar), $4.25 for children. From late October to next spring, the center will be partly closed for renovations. Information: (44-1456) 450573.
Next door is the Original Loch Ness Visitor Center, where you can view another multimedia presentation, as well as photographs of the creature (probably faked, a spokesman for the center says). Admission is $6, $4.65 pounds for children. The center is part of the Loch Ness Lodge Hotel, a 350-year-old 60-room inn with modern double rooms available for $119, including breakfast. Information and reservations: (44-1456) 450342, fax (44-1456) 450429.
The winding one-mile-wide lake, rimmed by forested hills and glens, is an attraction in itself. Among the sightseeing cruises available is an hourlong trip on the Deepscan research vessel, which carries up to 12 people and departs hourly in the spring, summer and fall from 10:30 A.M. through 5 P.M. Besides learning about the Nessie legend from well-informed guides, you'll pass the imposing ruins of the 500-year-old Urquhart Castle (the castle, about two miles southeast of Drumnadrochit, is open to visitors, admission is $6). The cost of the cruise is $13.50; $8.50 for children. The trip can be booked at both exhibition sites mentioned above.
For more information, contact the Highlands of Scotland Tourist Board, Post Office Box 9, Dunoon, Argyll PA23 8QQ; (44-1997) 421160.
Maui Day Hikes
Q. I'm looking for companies offering guided day hikes on Maui. Can you help? -- Susan Wolff, New York, N.Y.
A. Here are two possibilities:
Hike Maui has a variety of half-day and full-day hikes on the island; most are described as moderate hikes, meaning they are suitable for people in reasonable physical shape. Prices range from $75 to $115 and include snacks and sandwiches. Participants are transported by van to trail heads; during the trip -- which, depending on the itinerary, could last up to two hours -- guides lecture on the geology, flora and fauna of the volcanic island. For example, a seven-hour three-mile hike along the arid coastline above La Perouse Bay costs $90, $70 for children 15 and under. Snorkeling equipment is included. Information: (808) 879-5270, fax (808) 876-0308.
Soul Journeys to Paradise, which organizes kayaking, driving and hiking trips, has a Haleakala Hiking tour that lasts six to eight hours and covers eight miles. Participants start at an altitude of 8,000 feet and hike into the Haleakala Crater. The cost is $79 and includes transportation to the trail, lunch and snacks. Information: (888) 232-3601 or (888) 345-7685.
Castles in Catalonia
Q. Do you know of a Spanish organization that offers tours to a group of private castles in Catalonia? -- Janice P. Mincks, New York, N.Y.
A. You're probably thinking of the Castle Cultural Foundation of Catalonia, a relatively new foundation committed to preserving 77 privately owned castles, most of them in the region of Catalonia in eastern Spain. Only four of the castles are open throughout the year (except in August), although the owners of the majority of the castles will participate in the second annual 'open door' visit on Sept. 27, when free guided tours are scheduled at 11 A.M. and 12:30, 4 and 5:30 P.M.
Among the four that are open year round is the 11th-century Montsonis Castle, in the village of the same name, 36 miles northeast of the provincial capital of Lerida. The idea for the foundation was conceived in 1991 by the castle's owner, Baron Carlos Montoliu. His 30-room palace is five stories tall and has a former prison and a secret escape passageway. Mr. Montoliu, a corn and alfalfa farmer, lives there with his family.
Montclar Castle, about 15 minutes away, and two castles in the nearby towns of Florejachs and Pallargas, also share the same year-round schedule of guided tours, which are on Sundays at 11 A.M. and 12:30 P.M. Admission is $3.30 for each. Group visits are held on other days, by appointment; individuals may be able to join the groups by contacting the foundation's office in Montsonis, at (34-973) 402 045, fax (34-973) 400 735.
SUZANNE MacNEILLE