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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To fake a trip to loch ness for my son?

78 replies

exmrs · 29/03/2015 17:47

Ok son is 8 and has special needs, he is very obsessive about things and wants all the information and facts about his interests.

So he had a 3 year obsession with vacuum cleaners but now its the loch ness monster.

He wants to go to Loch ness and he thinks there will be a loch ness monster.
It is a long way from us about 8 hours in the car with no stopping and son can really only handle 1 hour in car at a time. Id say a 3 hour journey he could do in one day with lots of stops. There is only me and him so I cant entertain on car journey with me driving.
Train is even longer journey.
It would cost an absolute fortune for us to get there and it couldn't really be done in a weekend as too much travel for him.

Son has had a really rough couple of years and not much makes him happy other than his interests.
He has asked me to go as he watches documentaries on you tube and reads books etc.

Now I cant see me having the money or think he could do the journey to it but thought we could go to the lake district and I could say its the loch ness.

Is this absolutely crazy to pretend a lake is the loch ness so he can think he has been?

OP posts:
chicaguapa · 29/03/2015 17:49

You might find that he'll know it's not the right one if he's that into it.

Can you find another lake with an interesting story that's closer to home?

ShouldIworryornothelp · 29/03/2015 17:50

Oh bless you that's a lovely thing to do but it also crossed my mind he would notice it wasn't the right one

Can you try and divert him onto a new obsession?

oneofthegiantsisme · 29/03/2015 17:51

How obsessively does he watch the documentaries/read the books? Would he recognise the difference? Urquhart Castle , for example, would be a bit hard to fake/explain away if he's expecting to see it and it's not there.

LaurieFairyCake · 29/03/2015 17:51

He will know it's not if he's done any reading or viewing pictures, Loch Ness is very distinctive - won't he expect to see the castle and Drumnadrochit along with the fake monster outside the shop?

Imo if you do go to the Lakes, Coniston is the closest in atmosphere and if you approach from below and left of the lake there shouldn't be a sign I don't think

capsium · 29/03/2015 17:54

Personally I wouldn't fake a trip but try and expand his interests to include local myths.

What has fired his imagination the most? There are other stories of 'worms' and 'Dragons' around the British Isles.

SpiritOfTheRitz · 29/03/2015 17:56

If he wouldn't realise, then yes, I would do it. But mightn't he realise?

Could you fly there? Easyjet fly from London and Bristol to Inverness.

woowoo22 · 29/03/2015 17:56

Could you fly? Not sure where you are but book in advance and isn't too dear. Maybe £40 -50, but loads cheaper than the train.

I can send you some nice postcards of it if you like?

Original poster
exmrs · 29/03/2015 17:57

Good idea chicaguapa I' ll try and find a lake with a story, shouldiworry I cant divert what he obsesses about I've tried.

I'm afraid too that he will pick up on things and realise its not Loch ness but he hasn't mentioned the castle its more the monster he is interested in and whats in the loch although the castle is in pictures he has seen

OP posts:
FirstWeTakeManhattan · 29/03/2015 17:57

Oh OP, I really feel for you. I think it's a bit risky though. What if he did spot something which gave the game away? He would be upset, and so would you.

Whereabouts do you live? How about flying, is that a possibility?

woowoo22 · 29/03/2015 17:57

That price is return to London.

woowoo22 · 29/03/2015 17:59

Would he be upset to get there and not see the LNM? (do you like my acronym Smile )

There's a plastic one in the grounds of one of the exhibition centres.

MrTumblesBavarianFanbase · 29/03/2015 18:00

There is a lesser known monster in Windermere apparently :o

It depends whether you think youcould pull the fake trip off - Iit would be awful to be rumbled, if he's that obsessed he'd struggle to
forgive you!

Tell him about Nessie's cousin Bow Nessie and explain the journey to see Nessie is too long but you could go and look for Bow Nessie.

Dr0pThePirate · 29/03/2015 18:02

There are some Welsh lake monsters too OP. You could try piquing his interest in them?

FanFuckingTastic · 29/03/2015 18:03

My uncle travels to Glasgow a lot to see his son, and it's not particularly expensive, would saving for that be possible? If I was in your situation and I could afford it, I'd probably fly, then hire a car and stay in a hotel. I know that's no use if it's outside your budget, but perhaps the FamilyFund could help with that?

Original poster
exmrs · 29/03/2015 18:03

Im in Manchester, we have flown once and it wasn't easy but the cost is very expensive when I last checked but will have a look again.

Woo woo that would be lovely he would definitely appreciate them I ll send you my address.

im going to have a look at myths and monsters in manchester

OP posts:
woowoo22 · 29/03/2015 18:05

Excellent! Will be a week or so before I get to the "big town" Grin

MrTumblesBavarianFanbase · 29/03/2015 18:07

www.bownessiewindermere.co.uk/fun-things.asp

HagOtheNorth · 29/03/2015 18:07

Lake Bala in Wales has a monster that is similar to Nessie, called Teggie.
Right landscape mountains and rain...Smile
My Aspie would spot any deception about one of his interests when he was 8, so I'd be honest. There are quite a few lake monsters around the UK.

Original poster
exmrs · 29/03/2015 18:09

sorry I seem to have cross posted after a few replies have given links of things to check out near Manchester/wales etc Its much appreciated .

Someone also said another worry that he might be disappointed if we got there and there is no monster. I did think this but It might be going a bit far to get someone to swim into the lake and pretend to be a monster Grin

OP posts:
iwanttogotothechaletschool · 29/03/2015 18:15

I'm an Invernessian, if you'd like a few nessie bits and pieces, then I have some pencils and badges that you have.

iwanttogotothechaletschool · 29/03/2015 18:15
  • can have
Chillyegg · 29/03/2015 18:20

Ooo what about the beast of Bodmin ?
Is that still a thing?

minkGrundy · 29/03/2015 18:29

If you did go (by plane) then it is a very nice place to visit outside midgey season and there are the monster exhibitions etc. So if you did miss the monster Wink there are nessie related things.

But it is a long way to go for no monster!

minkGrundy · 29/03/2015 18:32

Ps. You sound like a lovely mum.

Does he like looking things up?.maybe you could go to the library and do some research on local beasties. Our library has a section on local legends.