Full-time Nessie hunter says revamped visitor experience is an "exciting prospect"
The Loch Ness Centre in Drumnadrochit is re-opening on Saturday
Last updated 29th Jan 2024
A man who has dedicated more than 30 years of his life to finding the Loch Ness Monster is welcoming the re-opening of a refurbished attraction which focuses on the mystery.
The Loch Ness Centre, which has recently received a ÂŁ1.5 million revamp, includes seven rooms giving a modern twist to an old tale.
Kitted out with computerised projections and artefacts, the experience is welcoming visitors 90 years on from Aldie Mackay's famous sighting of a "whale-like fish" in the Highland waters.
The 45-minute tour also features David Tennant as narrator.
Steve Feltham feels local businesses are much better at marketing the phenomenon compared to when he moved to the region in 1991.
He said: "Aldie Mackay's sighting really gave birth to the modern day mystery and it's great that it is so acknowledged now.
"Especially with the new exhibition really leaning in to her story and the importance of that story which set the modern day mystery in motion, it's a fantastic ingredient.
"In the last 30 years, the local businesses have definitely got up to speed with presenting this mystery to the public.
"Tourists have always been coming here hoping to glimpse something and last century they might have found the experience maybe a little bit under whelming.
"This new exhibition is going to make it a much more exciting prospect to the visitors, it's really bringing things up to date.
"I think the public expect to find Disneyland round every bend here and it's really not like that, it's still unspoiled."
The Loch Ness Centre was previously the Drumnadrochit Hotel, where Aldie Mackay worked as a manageress on the day she reported seeing Nessie.
Those at the Centre say visitors will hear real people’s stories, discover artefacts, and hear scientific debate on the existence of Nessie, alongside lots of unexplained evidence.
General Manager Paul Nixon said: "We tried to recreate the majesty of the Highlands and the mystery, the myth and the legends, but also take people on a quest.
"I guess we've gone some way into answering some of the questions people may have about Loch Ness.
"But, there are still so many unanswered questions out there, so hopefully people will leave us and continue on their own quests."
Despite spending more than three decades trying to find Nessie in a Loch which is about 23 miles long and 240 metres in depth, Steve is still as hopeful as ever he will solve the mystery.
He added: "I'm always optimistic that tomorrow I'm going to get that photograph, that piece of video that is the final explanation as to what we're looking for.
"I realise the limitations of what I do which is surface observation, I'm really only looking at the first mile wherever I am, but I think the evidence will keep trickling."