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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:
giraffesNeedBigPoloNecks · 29/03/2015 18:32

Lol at hiring a fake monster Grin

SpiritOfTheRitz · 29/03/2015 18:40

Presumably you have seen the plesiosaur skeleton at Manchester University? (Nessie is meant to be a plesiosaur, isn't she?)

Original poster
exmrs · 29/03/2015 18:43

Thank you minkGrundy I was sure people would think I was crazy for thinking of doing something like this

Off now to check out other lake monsters from peoples posts Smile

OP posts:
londonrach · 29/03/2015 18:45

Your ds is lovely. I plan to visit loch ness one day (childhood dream). I dont have sen, just like most children found it magical. Made dh promise to take me. I wouldnt lie. I grow up in somerset and have seen with my own eyes and rescured by a random jack russell a very large black cat..... Closer to home is good!!! Look up other more local mysteries.... X

SnotQueen · 29/03/2015 18:53

It looks like there are a couple of webcams on the loch - could you have a Monster Spotting Day from home maybe?
Get some tartan blankets, make a Scottish picnic (Irn bru and Scotch eggs!) and watch webcam for a bit while reading Nessie books from library. Or do some activities - I'm sure there will be things on Pinterest.

If he does stay interested though, I would recommend a trip to Inverness/Loch Ness in the future. It's beautiful.

listsandbudgets · 29/03/2015 18:54

I think its too risky. It only takes him to read a signpost and you could be experiencing a full on melt down. Shame as its such a lovely idea and I can completely understand why you're considering it.

I hope you find a closer lake monster you can raise his interest in.

yellowsnownoteatwillyou · 29/03/2015 19:03

There's a 3d lochness thing in Edinburgh if that would be easier to get to.

Nerf · 29/03/2015 19:15

You'd need to drive from the airport - it's about forty minutes to Drum from memory , and some hair raising driving.
There's some good stuff - monster tours and things if you started saving and you think he will remain interested. Sleeper up ? Or air can be cheap depending on when you go.

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 29/03/2015 19:27

What happens when his next obsession is the Taj Mahal or the Sydney Opera House?

waithorse · 29/03/2015 19:33

You sound lovely and your ds sounds very sweet. Smile

ostrichmoose · 29/03/2015 19:37

I did a trip to Loch Ness with my DS (who has ASD) when he was small. It was very child-friendly and we had a lovely boat trip and visit to the castle, plus a seaside trip to Nairn. I was a single mum at the time and got a sleeper train on an excellent deal, if you check out the Scotrail website they may still do them. We travelled from London and it was a long journey but as he was asleep it wasn't a problem. I think we stayed at a Travelodge in Inverness during one of their sales so it can be done very cheap.

Have you heard of Family Fund who offer grants for things like holidays for disabled children? You can apply for a grant once a year and we've had holidays, toys like trampolines and consoles from them.

ChocolateEggFace · 29/03/2015 19:44

The thing is, he won't actually see the monster, will he. I think Loch Ness is disappointing for any 8yo, let alone one who's really interested in the monster.

ThinkIveBeenHacked, when you have a DC with an interest like this, you tend to get sucked into in yourself, so I can well imagine the OP saving up for two flights to where ever. Grin

HagOtheNorth · 29/03/2015 20:02

'ThinkIveBeenHacked, when you have a DC with an interest like this, you tend to get sucked into in yourself, so I can well imagine the OP saving up for two flights to where ever. '

Oh yes. Grin

RaggyAnnie · 29/03/2015 20:53

Would he be interested in the Wizard of Alderley Edge? The Alan Garner novels are great for young boys too.

Fxckedmywayuptothetop · 29/03/2015 21:42

We went to Scotland for 2 weeks last August, spent one week in Tobermory, Isle of Mull, and one week Loch Ness. It was quite expensive and the drive there was 10ish hours but I guess if you could risk it and be a bit more careful with money this year it would be a lovely experience! Although I also worry that he will get there, not be able to see it and then get very upset :( keep us updated though OP

Original poster
exmrs · 29/03/2015 21:44

Thank you to everyone who has replied I've got lots of ideas now to try and get him interested in other lakes monsters and mysteries

OP posts:
TarpalCunnel · 29/03/2015 21:57

I think SnotQueen's suggestion of the Scottish picnic is brilliant.

If he is still interested in going, I would save up for flights. It is a beautiful place.

ratspeaker · 29/03/2015 21:57

www.lochness.co.uk/livecam/
dark at the moment

SnotQueen · 29/03/2015 23:18

Aw thanks Tarpal I might even do it myself.
Though I hate Irn Bru. And am Scottish. So could get deported if anyone finds out...

Tobyjugg · 30/03/2015 01:39

We've got perfectly good monsters of our own in England. How far are you from the River Wear in Co Durham?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambton_Worm

RockinHippy · 30/03/2015 02:01

I was going to suggest the Lambton Worm too - you could visit Penshaw Monument, which is where the legend says that the worm sometimes slept - the hill it stands on looks like a giant worm has really coiled around it & re shaped the hill - I was obsessed with the place as a kid & thought it was real, so it's definitely worth looking into

RockinHippy · 30/03/2015 02:04

Here you go ...

the Lambton Worm & Penshaw

pollykinesis · 30/03/2015 04:12

Nothing useful to add other than saying you sound like a very lovely mammy!

sparechange · 30/03/2015 09:54

What about the legend of Finn MacCool and the Giant at Giant's Causeway?
RyanAir fly to Londonderry airport and then it is about 20 mins in a car from there to Giant's Causeway. The visitors centre has a great interactive display telling the story as well...
The geology element to it is also very interesting, and the surrounding area is WAY less tourist-y than Loch Ness, so hotels, meals etc will cost less. And the rest of that coastline is absolutely stunning

florascotia · 30/03/2015 10:15

Agree that picnic sounds like a wonderful idea.

In summer, outside, your son could perhaps have fun with chairs covered with old sheets etc for mountains, cardboard box cut-out castle, paddling pool for loch and one of those plastic blow-up seaside toys (eg mini-whale or shark) dressed up as the monster?

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