Armchair monster hunters can now search for Scotland’s most famous resident from the comfort of their own homes anywhere on the planet.

Five new webcams have been erected around Loch Ness in a bid to get more eyes on the prize in the search for Nessie, making it the most watched body of water anywhere in the world.

Visit Inverness Loch Ness (VILN) has installed the latest webcams along the length and breadth of the loch to make it easier for avid Nessie fans to keep a look out for the monster 365 days a year.

The new cameras are located at Craigdarroch Hotel, Foyers; the Drovers Lodge near Drumnadrochit; Shoreland Lodges, Fort Augustus; the Loch Ness Clansman Hotel; and Airanloch B&B, Lochend.

The continual live feeds will be available to watch from VILN’s website https://www.visitinvernesslochness.com/live-stream from Monday 29 August 2022.

For almost 15 centuries thousands of people, including St Columba in 585AD, claim to have glimpsed a mysterious creature swimming in the murky waters of the Highland loch.

Until now - apart from a single outdated webcam erected in the 1990s - the only way to have a chance of spotting Nessie was to visit in person, along with up to half-a-million other tourists each year. However, technology has advanced considerably and VILN is keen to provide a better view of the loch for Scotland lovers and monster hunters around the world.

Michael Golding, CEO at Visit Inverness Loch Ness said: “We are delighted to be able to provide live footage of the beautiful Loch Ness every day of the year. For people all over the world to watch Loch Ness through the changing seasons and get a glimpse of the beautiful scenery and abundant wildlife is very special. Of course, the webcams will also give Nessie fans another way of spotting our elusive and most popular resident!”

To date there have been more than 1,100 recorded sightings of something mysterious in the loch, with four of them in the last five months alone.

Although famous as the home of the legendary creature Loch Ness is an area of outstanding natural beauty. It has so much more to offer visitors, including an abundance of flora and fauna - ranging from golden eagles, osprey and ptarmigan to deer, Highland cows and pine Martens.

Karl Engel, owner of the Airanloch B&B said: “We are lucky enough to get a stunning view of Loch Ness every day and we never tire of it. To have one of the webcams here, knowing that it is being watched by potentially millions of people around the world is just amazing and we hope it inspires people to come and visit Inverness and Loch Ness.”

At 23 miles long, one mile wide and over 400 feet deep Loch Ness has more fresh water than than all the lakes in England and Wales combined.

The loch is also highly popular among sports enthusiasts, especially boaters, sailors, anglers, kayakers and wild swimmers. The lack of light pollution also means it’s a highly desirable destination for romantics eager to catch a glimpse of the aurora borealis or Northern Lights.

Chris Taylor, VisitScotland Regional Leadership Director, said: “Loch Ness is renowned the world over for its most elusive resident, Nessie, but these cameras will also give people from around the world the chance to see how beautiful the loch and its surrounds are, as well as possibly spotting some local wildlife – on or off the water!

“By having the opportunity to see Loch Ness from so many different viewpoints, more potential visitors will be inspired to travel to this beautiful part of the Highlands, to see for themselves why it is such a must-visit destination.

“In Scotland’s Year of Stories, it is great to see Visit Inverness Loch Ness offering people around the globe the chance to catch sight of Nessie – the subject of so many myths, tales and stories over the years.”

To discover Loch Ness and Inverness visit https://www.visitinvernesslochness.com