Your essential guide to Rock Ness

Cook scoured as far afield as Australia and Brazil to find a suitable venue for the outdoor gig, before deciding that the Scottish scenery and propensity to party made Loch Ness the perfect location.

"The site is a beauty, the Celts are renowned for their partyability and we've got some cracking special guests on the bill," said Cook on the festival website, www.rockness.co.uk.

So, whether you plan to listen to it at Loch Ness or on the radio at home make the most of what could become an annual fixture in the Scottish musical calendar with our guide to who will be performing, how to get there, and what to do once you have arrived.

HOW DO I GET THERE?

CITYLINK will be running special bus services out of major Scottish cities to and from the gig, and rail services run to Inverness station from all Scottish cities. If you're driving, bear in mind that the area will be quite congested and schedule extra time for traffic delays. For information on journey times to the area, visit the AA's route planner, www.theaa.com.

WHAT TIME SHOULD I ARRIVE?

TO avoid the worst of the traffic you're best to leave home early. Campsites and car parking, which are directly adjacent to the site, open at 5pm today and are accessible via the B862 from Inverness. The gates to the gig open at noon on Saturday and the music finishes at 11pm on Saturday.

WHO IS ON THE BILL?

DJS Fatboy Slim, Carl Cox and Mylo are the main attractions, and a stellar line-up of some of the hottest names in dance music will play throughout the day as special guests.

The event will have two stages playing host to acts simultaneously, so it's worth checking out the programme ahead to make sure you catch your favourites. The main stage will be situated directly opposite the main entrance and at 12 noon, Linus Loves will kick off the programme there followed by Caged Baby at 1:30pm, The Audio Bullys at 3pm, Slam at 4:30pm, Mylo at 6pm, Carl Cox at 7:30pm, climaxing with Fatboy Slim at 9pm. Stage two, located to the left of the main entrance, will play host to Tom Blackburn at 12pm, Nathan Detroit at 1:30pm, Deadly Avenger at 3pm, Stanton Warriors at 4:30pm, Scratch Perverts at 6pm, and X-Press 2 at 7:30pm.

CAN I STAY OVER?

FOR the proper festival experience, camping is essential. A campsite is provided at a charge of 5 per head, and tickets should be bought in advance, so visit www.rockness.co.uk to secure yours. If you can't face roughing it, and you're not already booked in to a B&B, tough. Almost every hotel and guest house in the area is now fully booked.

WHAT'S THE WEATHER FORECAST?

PREDOMINANTLY light showers, unfortunately, with temperatures peaking at 15C - nothing that would deter a hardy Scot. The midge forecast predicts relatively few of the biting beasties this weekend.

WHAT SHOULD I TAKE WITH ME?

START with the most essential item - your ticket: it's the one thing most easily forgotten in all the excitement. Bring waterproof clothing, something waterproof to sit on (a bin-bag is ideal), and sensible headgear and footwear. T-shirts and light but warm layers are recommended. Despite the wet forecast, sunblock is a must when you're spending a day outdoors, and midge-repellent is vital.

WHAT CAN I EAT?

YOU'RE not allowed to take your own food, so leave the picnic basket at home - it will save time a trouble in the long run. There will be a vast choice of food outlets on site, including Mexican, Chinese, noodle bars and, of course, the customary burger vans. You can find vegetarian options in both the arena and the campsite (which also has a 24-hour caf).

ANY ALCOHOL?

THREE bars in the main arena and one on the campsite, but you're not allowed to bring alcohol in from outside.

WHERE ARE THE LOOS?

PORTALOOS will be located on either side of the main entrance and in the campsite. Best to take your own loo roll, though, as there's never any left by the time you get to the front of the queue.

ACCESS AND FACILITIES FOR THE DISABLED?

THERE is a special viewing area at the concert as well as car-parking spaces for the disabled, adapted loos in the main arena, and a camping area for people with disabilities and limited mobility.

FESTIVAL FASHION?

IF you're a woman who can't bear to abandon her impeccable sense of style even for one day, take a few tips from Kate Moss and Sienna Miller on how to look festival-fabulous. Trench foot is so not a good look, so don your wellies (Hunters and Le Chameaux are de rigueur). Wear them with a denim miniskirt and a stylish waterproof jacket. If you can get hold of one, team your look with that most sought-after of festival accessories, the elusive backstage pass. Men: you won't look chic in wellies, you'll just look like a farmer, so stick with hiking boots or Birkenstocks to go with your jeans or knee-length shorts. Make a fashion statement with your choice of T-shirt, and a Patagonia fleece for warmth.

WHAT TIME SHOULD I LEAVE?

THE clean-up operation will be pretty daunting, so, if you're camping, avoid outstaying your welcome by vacating the campsite by noon on Sunday. Day visitors should be back on the road home well before midnight.

ANY OTHER MUST-SEES?

THERE are Loch Ness cruises available, and for history buffs, the recently refurbished Culloden Visitor Centre. For those wishing to experience more traditional sounds, there's Hootenanny, a great local pub that has become the in place to hear traditional Celtic music. Go to www.visitscotland.com for full details.

WHERE WILL I GET THE BEST VIEW OF THE ACTS?

THE gig site is unique in more ways than one. The field gently rises, much like an amphi-theatre, around the main stage which is situated at the bottom. This means that everyone, from hardcore fans on the front row, to families who want to chill out away from the ravers, gets a premium view. Result!

IS IT SUITABLE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN?

FAMILIES are well catered for, with a big-top tent, face-painting and plenty of other activities to keep the small ones amused while mum and dad rock out. There is also a cinema on site.

STAYING SAFE?

LEAVE the family jewels at home and try not to bring any items of great beauty or value - no-one wants to see granny's pearls trampled into the mud. Only bring what items of value you can carry securely or afford to lose: and remember, tents don't come with burglar alarms. Leave a note of your credit card numbers at home to make cancellation easier if they go missing, and carry your mobile number with you so you can use someone else's phone to report and block it straight away if you lose it.

ANY RULES THAT ARE MADE FOR BREAKING, ROCK 'N' ROLL STYLE?

ALL the usuals. Anti-social behaviour of any kind won't be tolerated by the security team on site, and that includes lighting fires and carrying weapons. The under-18s must be accompanied by an adult, so bring a form of ID such as a driving licence or NUS card - unless of course the last time you were mistaken for a teenager was at Woodstock in '69.

HOW CAN I GET AN AUTOGRAPH?

THERE is no signing tent, but Fatboy Slim is famous for his impromptu walks through the crowd, so keep your eyes peeled and your pen to hand.

WHAT ABOUT NESSIE?

IF you absolutely must try to catch a glimpse of the elusive Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster Visitor Centre will be open for business, with a Nessie exhibition and cinema. Alternatively, grab a blanket, a camera and some binoculars, park yourself on the bonny banks and commence spotting. Be warned, though: you may be in for a long wait. Visit www.lochness-centre.com

WHAT ABOUT TICKETS?

If you don't have your ticket yet, the best option for getting hold of one is to log on to www.rockness.co.uk where a limited number of returns are still available.

HELP, I HAVE NO CHANCE OF GETTING THERE!

OK, so it's not quite the same, but for those who can't see it live, the gig will be broadcast live on XFM Scotland from 7pm on Saturday. Log on to www.xfmscotland.co.uk for details.

Novices' guide to music festivals

TRAVEL as light as possible. If you're camping you'll have to haul everything you've brought to your tent. If you're not, you'll have to carry it around all day.

IF YOU can't wait in the queues for the Portaloos, there's always the bushes, although for women and girls that can be a rather prickly experience. Great for festival time is a nifty device called the P-mate, a disposable gizmo for women that allows you to urinate standing up. Visit pmate.co.uk

IF YOU can't bear the stench of the loos, bring some scented oil with you and rub a little under your nose before entering the cubicle. You'll remain blissfully ignorant of the pong.

IT'S surprisingly easy to forget where you set up camp, particularly after a visit to one of the four bars available, so look for a landmark to navigate to near your tent's location, and tie something distinctive to your tent-pole to guide your weary carcass to bed. A torch is essential as well - and don't forget spare batteries.

PLASTIC bin bags are indispensable for sitting on and keeping things dry, but do take them home with you when you leave, as littering won't be appreciated.

DON'T use a can of beans to bash in your tent pegs, for obvious reasons. Pack a mallet.

THE campsite is unlikely to ever be silent, so pack some earplugs if you want any sleep.

PREARRANGE a rendezvous point in case you get split up from your mates, as mobile phone signals can be unreliable.

MAKE sure you know what time your favourite artist is on. There's nothing worse than suddenly hearing them from afar, only to find that they've finished their set by the time you've struggled to the front. Finally, a chance to put the reminder or alert function on your mobile phone to good use!

STAY one step ahead of the midges with midgeforecast.co.uk, designed to help you avoid a nasty onslaught of biters. You can also get a daily midge forecast sent to your mobile phone by texting MIDGE to 84070. At present, low midge levels are predicted.

• AND FINALLY, RESPECT the organisers, the locals and other happy campers by keeping your camping area tidy and peaceful, behaving impeccably, taking nothing but photographs and leaving nothing but your footprints behind.