Linlithgow Loch lies immediately north of the town of Linlithgow in West Lothian, Scotland. 1.3 kilometres in length and 0.4 in breadth, [1] its area of 41 hectares [2] makes it the largest natural freshwater loch in Lothian. [3] It is, however, shallow, with a mean depth of 2.3 metres and a maximum depth of 9.2 metres. [2] The loch is fed by four small streams, the Hatchery Burn, the Bonnytoun Burn, the Springfield Burn, and Bell's Burn, [4] and drained by the Mill Burn on its western side, which eventually joins the Avon. [5]
The loch is the source of the town of Linlithgow's name; the British llyn laith cau translates to "lake in the damp hollow". [6] Two islets in the loch, Cormorant Island and the Rickle, are thought to be the 5,000 year old remains of crannogs. [7]
In the winter of 1847/8 Linlithgow Loch in its frozen state played host to the Grand Curling Match, a major sporting event, which was depicted by artist Charles Lees. [8]
Linlithgow Loch was once famed for its brown trout, but most of the sport today comes from stocked rainbow trout, regularly released by the Forth Area Federation of Anglers. [9]
The Low Port Centre, which was run by West Lothian Leisure, provided facilities for sailing, canoeing, kayaking, and windsurfing on the loch prior to the closure of the building in 2021. The future of the LPC site is currently uncertain. [2]
Urban and agricultural runoff make eutrophication a concern. [4] Algal blooms have affected the loch's value for wildlife and recreation. [2]
Linlithgow Loch is a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to it being an example of a lowland eutrophic loch and supporting representative examples of aquatic and emergent plant communities. [3]
West Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and was one of its historic counties. The county was called Linlithgowshire until 1925. The historic county was bounded geographically by the Avon to the west and the Almond to the east. The modern council area occupies a larger area than the historic county. It was reshaped following local government reforms in 1975: some areas in the west were transferred to Falkirk; some areas in the east were transferred to Edinburgh; and some areas that had formerly been part of Midlothian were added to West Lothian.
The Avon is a river largely in the Falkirk council area of Scotland.
Loch Leven is a fresh water loch located immediately to the east of the burgh of Kinross in Perth and Kinross council area, central Scotland. Roughly triangular, the loch is about 6 km (3.7 mi) at its longest. Prior to the canalisation of the River Leven, and the partial draining of the loch in 1826–36, Loch Leven was considerably larger. The drop in water level by 1.4 m reduced the loch to 75% of its former size, and exposed several small islands, as well as greatly increasing the size of the existing ones.
Loch Morar is a freshwater loch in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland. It is the fifth-largest loch by surface area in Scotland, at 26.7 km2 (10.3 sq mi), and the deepest freshwater body in the British Isles with a maximum depth of 310 m (1,017 ft). The loch was created by glacial action around 10,000 years ago, and has a surface elevation of 9 metres (30 ft) above sea level. It separates the traditional district of North Morar, from Arisaig and Moidart.
Lake of Menteith, also known as Loch Inchmahome, is a loch in Scotland located on the Carse of Stirling.
Linlithgow is a town in West Lothian, Scotland. It was historically West Lothian's county town, reflected in the county's historical name of Linlithgowshire. An ancient town, it lies in the Central Belt on a historic route between Edinburgh and Falkirk beside Linlithgow Loch. The town is situated approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of Edinburgh.
The Loch of Stenness is a large brackish loch on Mainland, Orkney, Scotland and is named for the parish of Stenness. It is 2 miles northeast of the town of Stromness, lies immediately to the south of the Loch of Harray and is close to the World Heritage neolithic sites of the Stones of Stenness and Ring of Brodgar. In Old Norse its name was Steinnesvatn.
Gladhouse Reservoir, formerly known as Moorfoot Loch, is a reservoir in Midlothian, Scotland, five miles (8 km) south of Penicuik. It is the most southerly reservoir in Midlothian, as well as being the largest area of freshwater in the Lothians. It is used to supply Edinburgh with drinking water.
Loch Veyatie is a large freshwater loch in north-west Scotland. It stretches for 6 km north-westwards from the settlement of Elphin, and lies between Suilven and Cùl Mòr. The loch is located in an area known as the Assynt-Coigach National Scenic Area, one of 40 such areas in Scotland.
Lindores Loch is a freshwater loch, situated in North Fife in the Parish of Abdie, in the Central Belt of Scotland. The Loch has for many years been used as a fishery and is well known for its abundant fish life. A curling pond is situated on the Northern shoreline and is nominally used by the Abdie Curling Club and Abdie ladies Curling Club. A speculative study suggests that the loch was created by glacial deposits from the surrounding Ochil Hills at the end of the last ice-age. The water level and shoreline have changed over time due to roads, railway, sluice gate and farmland.
Kilbirnie Loch is a freshwater Loch situated in the floodplain between Kilbirnie, Glengarnock and Beith, North Ayrshire, Scotland. It runs south-west to north-east for almost 2 km (1.2 mi), is about 0.5 km (0.31 mi) wide for the most part and has an area of roughly 3 km2. It has a general depth of around 5.2 metres to a maximum of around 11 metres. The loch is fed mainly by the Maich Water, which rises in the Kilbirnie Hills near Misty Law, and is drained by the Dubbs Water that runs past the Barr Loch into Castle Semple Loch, followed by the Black Cart, the White Cart at Renfrew and finally the River Clyde. The boundary between East Renfrewshire and North Ayrshire, in the vicinity of the loch, runs down the course of the Maich Water along the northern loch shore to then run up beside the Dubbs Water.
Beecraigs is a country park in West Lothian, approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) south of the town of Linlithgow and 3 miles (4.8 km) north-east of Bathgate and is a 4 star Visitor Attraction (Visitscotland). The Park comprises around 913 acres (369 ha) of upland forest, woodland and open country, and offers a range of amenities including walks & trails, play area, skills area & mountain bike trails, BBQ hire, caravan & camping site including 2 lodges, Countryside Ranger Service, animal attraction, fly fishery, Visitor Centre and Cafe. In 2010 prehistoric remains were uncovered on the site of the current visitor centre. To the west of the country park is privately owned Cockleroy Hill, which is topped by the remains of a prehistoric hillfort.
Fail Loch or Faile Loch was situated in a low-lying area near the old monastery of Fail in the Parish of Tarbolton, South Ayrshire, Scotland. The old Lochlea Loch lies nearby and its waters still feed into Fail Loch via the Mill Burn.
The Blae Loch is a small freshwater loch situated in a hollow in a low-lying area beneath Blaelochhead Hill in the Parish of Beith, North Ayrshire, Scotland.
The Luggie Water is one of two streams which flow out of Cumbernauld. The Scottish New Town’s name derives from the Gaelic for "the meeting of the waters", which possibly refers to the Luggie Water and the Red Burn, both of which run through Cumbernauld but which never meet.
The Loch of Trabboch or Dalrympleston Loch (NS440211) was situated in a low-lying area below the old Castle of Trabboch, once held by the Boyd family in the Parish of Stair, East Ayrshire, Scotland.
Loch Libo is a freshwater loch in East Renfrewshire, Parish of Neilston, Scotland. The Lugton Water has its source from the southern end of loch, running 14 miles before reaching its confluence with the River Garnock near Kilwinning. The village of Uplawmoor and the hamlet of Shillford lie nearby. 3 mi (4.8 km) away to the northeast is the town of Neilston.
Loch of Lintrathen is a man-made loch occupying a glacial basin at the southern end of Glen Isla, approximately 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) west of town of Kirriemuir in Angus, Scotland.
Banton Loch, also known as Kilsyth Loch, Townhead Reservoir and once nicknamed Bakers' Loch, is an artificial freshwater lake located to the east of Kilsyth, North Lanarkshire, Scotland, UK, and which supplies water to the highest stretch of the Forth and Clyde Canal.
...the extreme length being 6 ½ furlongs, and the width 2.