Notes: black tea, buttery Scottish shortbread biscuits, lakewater, highland heather, peat smoke You’re snugly ensconced in a charming bed and breakfast, taking a break from exploring the highland hills and warming up under a cozy throw with a big cup of steaming black tea and a plate of freshly baked, buttery shortbread biscuits, hand delivered to your window seat overlooking the loch. The thick old window panes are tapped by the light rain that’s been misting down all morning, blanketing the last vestiges of the heather and turning the landscape into a watercolor. In the distance, the lake is the color of gunmetal, darkly reflecting the hazy sky. Its cold deep waters are tranquil today, retaining their mysteries and maybe a mysterious resident.  It has been almost 1500 years since the first sighting of Nessie was reported. She wasn’t sighted again until 1933, but that hasn’t stopped Loch Ness monster fans from searching. In fact, the biggest hunt of its kind took place just two years ago, with over a hundred in person searchers and many more hunting digitally. Whether you’re an enthusiast or a skeptic, it seems like a good excuse for a jaunt to Scotland.