The Pencil monument at Largs commemorates the Battle of Largs where the Scots repelled the troops of King Haco of Norway in 1263. This was the culmination of a series of raids on the West Coast of Scotland in an attempt to recapture land the Vikings had lost in their battle against Alexander III. In 1263 a fleet of 160 long ships approached Largs only to be caught in a storm and attacked by the Scots on the shore at Largs. Although not a major battle it was the beginning of the end of Viking domination. The Pencil was built in 1912 and can be seen from miles around Largs. There is a pleasant walk from the Yacht Club to the town past the monument. For more information on the Vikings in Scotland visit the Vikingar centre in Largs.