List of lochs of Scotland

Last updated

This list of lochs in Scotland includes the majority of bodies of standing freshwater named as lochs but only a small selection of the generally smaller, and very numerous, lochans. This list does not currently include the reservoirs of Scotland except where these are modifications of pre-existing lochs and retain the name "loch" or "lochan".

Contents

It has been estimated that there are at least 31,460 freshwater lochs (including lochans) in Scotland, and more than 7,500 in the Western Isles alone. [1] Whilst lochs are widespread throughout the country, they are most numerous within the Scottish Highlands and in particular in the former counties of Caithness, Sutherland and Ross and Cromarty. The majority of the larger lochs are linear in form; their distribution through the West Highlands reflects their origin in the glacial overdeepening of the straths and glens they now occupy.

Loch is a Scottish Gaelic word for a lake or fjord (cognate with the Irish Gaelic loch, which is anglicised as lough and with the older Welsh word for a lake, llwch) that has been borrowed by Scots and Scottish English to apply to such bodies of water, especially those in Scotland. Whilst "loch" or "lochan" is by far the most widespread name for bodies of standing water in Scotland, a number of other terms exist. The Lake of Menteith is the only natural body of freshwater called a "lake" in Scotland, (although it is also known as Loch Innis Mo Cholmaig in Gaelic) and there are one or two other man-made "lakes", the Lake of the Hirsel being an example. Numerous lochs are called "water", particularly in the Northern Isles, e.g. Roer Water in Shetland and Heldale Water in Orkney. These are not to be confused with similarly named rivers, particularly in the south of Scotland, e.g. Yarrow Water and Blackadder Water.

Largest and deepest lochs

Loch Awe Loch Awe.jpg
Loch Awe

This table includes the twelve largest lochs by volume, area and length as listed by Murray and Pullar (1910). [2] [3] The volume of water in Loch Ness is nearly double that in all the lakes of England and Wales combined. [1] Murray and Pullar also note that the mean depth of Loch Ness is 57.4% of the maximum depth – higher than in any other large deep loch, with Loch Avich coming closest at 52.4%. [4] Lochs Maree, Shiel and Ness are recorded as being the narrowest of the large lochs in relation to their length. [5]

LochVolume
(km3)		Volume
(mi3)		Area
(km2)		Area
(mi2)		Length
(km)		Length
(mi)		Max. depth
(m)		Max. depth
(ft)		Mean depth
(m)		Mean depth
(ft) [6]
Loch Ness 7.451.79562236.222.5227745132433 [4]
Loch Lomond 2.60.627127362219062037121 [7]
Loch Morar 2.30.5526.710.318.811.73101,02087285 [8]
Loch Tay 1.60.3826.410.2231415049060.6199 [9]
Loch Awe 1.20.29391541259430832105 [10]
Loch Maree 1.090.2628.611.0201211437438125 [5]
Loch Ericht 1.080.2618.67.2231415651257.6189 [9]
Loch Lochy 1.070.26166.2169.916253170230 [11]
Loch Rannoch 0.970.23197.315.79.813444051167 [12]
Loch Shiel 0.790.1919.57.5281712842040130 [13]
Loch Katrine 0.770.1812.44.812.98.015149543.4142 [14]
Loch Arkaig 0.750.18166.219.312.010935846.5153 [15]
Loch Shin 0.350.08422.58.727.817.34916115.551 [16]

Neither the Loch of Stenness nor the Loch of Harray on Mainland Orkney is large enough to appear in the above table (Loch of Harray is 16th by area) but at higher stages of the tide they are connected to one another and to the marine waters of Hoy Sound. The former is the largest brackish lagoon in the UK [17] and the latter, whilst predominantly freshwater, does have a transition zone in the vicinity of the Bridge of Brodgar where the two are connected. [18] The two lochs together cover an area of 19.3 km2 (7.5 sq mi) [18] but have a volume of only 0.047 km3 (0.011 cu mi) as they are so shallow; Loch of Stenness has a maximum depth of 5.2 metres (17 ft). Although flow between the two lochs and the sea can be observed, the water levels only change slightly with the movements of the tide. [19]

Mainland

In reaching an alphabetically arranged list, the words "loch" and "lochan" have been ignored as have articles and prepositions in both Gaelic (a', an, an t-, na, na h-, nam, nan etc.) and English (of, the etc.). Those that have been converted to reservoirs for water supply or in association with hydroelectric projects and whose levels have been artificially raised by the construction of dams or barrages are annotated as reservoir.

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

Loch Gamhna Loch Gamhna 1.jpg
Loch Gamhna

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

No entries

Y

Z

No entries

Lochs on islands

There are a very large number of lochs on the islands of Scotland, with the greatest density occurring in the Outer Hebrides. North and South Uist and Lewis in particular have landscapes with a high percentage of freshwater and a maze and complexity of loch shapes. Harris has fewer large bodies of water but innumerable small lochans.

Larger

Those listed in this section are confined to the larger or otherwise notable lochs.

Loch Orasaigh in Lewis is only about 125 hectares (310 acres) in extent but the island of Rainish Eilean Mòr is probably the largest island in Scotland relative to the size of the body of water it sits in, as it takes up about 20% of the loch's surface area.

The meanings of the names are generally derived from Gaelic, Old Norse or Scots.

LochMeaning of nameIslandOS Grid ref.Area (ha)Area (acre)Depth (m)Depth (ft)Notes [20]
Loch a' PhuillGaelic: Loch of the bog or pool [21] Tiree NL955415 Located in the south west near Balephuil.
Loch Ascog Norse: Loch of ash bay [21] Bute NS094626 44.7110Located south of Rothesay. [22]
Loch Bà Mull NM569376 32480044144 [23]
Loch Barabhat Great Bernera NB156353
Loch Bì South Uist NF766438 1033South Uist's largest loch is in the north of the island and at 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) long it all but cuts the island in two.
Loch of Boardhouse Mainland Orkney HY268264 244600516 [24] In Birsay parish
Loch Carabhat Grimsay NF857566
Loch CarabhatNorth Uist NF846613 15137022.574North Uist's third largest loch [25]
Loch of Cliff Unst HP600117 1042606.5215 kilometres (3.1 mi) long and the most northerly loch in Britain. [26]
Loch Coruisk Gaelic: Loch of the corrie of water Skye NG482206 38.4126 [27] [28] Located in the heart of the Black Cuillin mountains on Skye.
Loch Druidibeag South Uist NF791374 5001,200 [29] Part of the Loch Druidibeg National Nature Reserve on the west coast of South Uist.
Loch Fad Gaelic: Long loch Bute NS074616 7118011.538 [30] Stocked with Brown and Rainbow Trout the loch is an SSSI. [31]
Loch Fada Colonsay NR385955 Colonsay's largest loch
Loch Fada Gobha Lewis NB245232 1253101446This loch, which lies between Lochs Treabhal and Langavat, is 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) long. [32]
Loch Finlaggan Loch of the white hollow [33] Islay NR387679 Eilean Mor was an administration centre of the Lordship of the Isles during the 13th—15th centuries. The English name is derived from Gaelic, but the Gaelic name itself is Port an Eilein and means "island port". [33]
Loch Frisa Mull NM490480 4301,10062.5205Mull's largest loch [34]
Loch of Girlsta Mainland Shetland HU433519 2066
Loch GormBlue lochIslay NR229657 Contains Loch Gorm Castle, once a stronghold of Clan Macdonald.
Loch of Harray Norse: Loch of the moundMainland Orkney HY295151 9712,400413 [35] Closely linked to the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage site.
Heldale Water Hoy ND259924 One of the largest bodies of freshwater in Orkney not on the Mainland
Loch Langavat Gaelic/Norse: Long lake [36] [37] Lewis NB197205 906.52,2403098 [38] This loch lies at 33 metres (108 ft) above sea level, is over 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) long and is at the head of the Grimersta system.
Loch LangavatGaelic/Norse: Long lake Harris NG044897
Loch LeathanGaelic: Broad LochSkye NG500507 This loch to the east of Portree, which includes Loch Fada, is about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) long.
Loch Mealt Skye NG507656 Located south of Ellishadder, on the eastern side of the Trotternish peninsula
Loch MòrGaelic: Big loch Boreray NF850813 A shallow loch that make up about an eighth of the area of the island
Muckle WaterScots: Big lake Rousay HY393901 One of the largest bodies of freshwater in Orkney not on the Mainland
Loch nan CinneachanGaelic: Loch of the "heathen" or "gentiles". [39] Coll NM187562 Contains the crannog Dùn Anlaimh
Loch Olabhat Benbecula NF798509 One of Benbecula's larger lochs, it contains numerous islands.
Loch OrasaighGaelic: Tidal island loch?Lewis NB388281 Contains Rainish Eilean Mòr (see above).
Loch Righ MòrGaelic: Great loch of the king Jura NR540852
Loch Sgadabhagh Norse: Possibly Loch of tax bay North Uist NF847685 4531,1201549 [40] According to Murray and Pullar (1910) "there is probably no other loch in Britain which approaches Loch Scadavay in irregularity and complexity of outline." [40]
Loch an Sgoltaire Colonsay NR386972
Loch of Spiggie Shetland HU370165 8621012.541 [41] Part of an RSPB Nature reserve, the surface is only just over a metre above sea level.
Loch of Stenness Norse: Loch of the headland of the stoneMainland Orkney HY280126 6471,600516 [42] The largest brackish lagoon in the UK, [17] the Stones of Stenness are on the south east shore.
Loch of St TredwellLoch of St Tredwell Papa Westray HY492508 1033Named after St Triduana, the loch's waters were traditionally believed to be medicinal. [43]
Loch SuaineabhalLoch of Sweyn's FellLewis NB069297 226560 [44] 66.7219This glaciated loch basin has a mean depth of 33 metres (108 ft) and is the most voluminous on Lewis. [45] The loch may be the deepest on any offshore island in the British Isles.
Loch of SwannayOrkney HY309283 244600516Located in the north west of Mainland Orkney there are numerous stony shoals in the loch. [24]
Loch of TankernessNorse: Possibly Loch of Tannskári's point. [46] Mainland Orkney HY514092 6015026 ft 7 inNorth east of Kirkwall, the loch's mean depth is only 1.4 metres (4.6 ft). [47]
Loch Tanna Arran NR921430 Arran's largest loch is 321 metres above sea level.
Loch of TingwallNorse: Loch of the field of the parliamentMainland Shetland HU416425 431101239 [48] West of Lerwick
Loch TrealabhalLewis NB277236 15739010.534 [49] Another shallow Hebridean loch with a complex shape.
Loch of WatleeNorse:Unst HP592054

Smaller

Less substantial lochs include the following.

Loch Leathan, Skye Loch Leathan from near Storr 2007-08-22.jpg
Loch Leathan, Skye

Historic lochs

See also

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References

Notes

  1. 1 2 "Botanical survey of Scottish freshwater lochs" Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine SNH Information and Advisory Note Number 4. Retrieved 1 January 2010.
  2. ↑ The 13 lochs listed include the 12 largest in these categories. Loch Treig and Loch Glass are listed as the 9th and 12th deepest respectively.
  3. ↑ This was not an exhaustive survey, and several of the larger lochs in the Outer Hebrides were not included. However it is highly unlikely any would appear in this tabulation, were full data to be available. Loch Langavat is listed as the 14th longest and 19th largest by area. For Loch of Harray see main text.
  4. 1 2 Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of the Ness Basin" [ permanent dead link ] pp.381–385, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
  5. 1 2 Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of the Ewe Basin" [ permanent dead link ] p.211, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
  6. ↑ Source for all quantities is the same unless otherwise stated.
  7. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of the Clyde Basin" Archived 2012-09-04 at archive.today Page 262, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
  8. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of the Morar Basin" Page 197, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
  9. 1 2 Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of the Tay Basin" [ permanent dead link ] Page 80, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
  10. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of the Etive Basin" Page 270, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
  11. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of the Lochy Basin" Page 356, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
  12. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of the Tay Basin" Archived 2012-09-05 at archive.today Pages 68–69, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
  13. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of the Shiel Basin" Pages 241–42, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
  14. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of the Forth Basin" Archived 2012-09-08 at archive.today Pages 1–2, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
  15. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of the Lochy Basin" Page 359, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
  16. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of the Naver Basin" Pages 293–94, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
  17. 1 2 "Loch of Stennes". JNCC. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  18. 1 2 "Lochs of Harray and Stenness Site of Special Scientific Interest" Midas 1083. SNH
  19. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of Orkney" Pages 224–25, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 19 June 2011. Murray and Pullar provide a lower estimate of the combined area.
  20. ↑ Source for area, depth and notes is the same unless otherwise stated.
  21. 1 2 Iain Mac an Tàilleir. "Placenames A-E" (PDF). Pàrlamaid na h-Alba. Retrieved 15 December 2009.[ dead link ]
  22. ↑ "Argyll and Bute Council Reservoirs Act 1975 Public Register" Archived July 8, 2013, at the Wayback Machine (pdf) Argyll and Bute Council. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
  23. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of Mull" Page 175, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
  24. 1 2 Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of Orkney" Page 227, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
  25. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of North Uist" Archived 2012-09-13 at archive.today Page 197, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  26. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of North Shetland" Archived 2012-09-08 at archive.today Page 246, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  27. ↑ "Central Skye" (pdf) skye.co.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2009.
  28. ↑ Douglas, W. (1898) recorded a depth of 96 feet or 29 metres. See "The Climbers' camp at Coruisk" Scottish Mountaineering Club Journal 5 No. 1. Retrieved 29 December 2009.
  29. ↑ The Loch Druidibeg National Nature Reserve extends to 1677 ha, of which the loch makes up about 30%. See "Loch Druidibeg National Nature Reserve: ‘Where Opposites Meet’ " Archived 2010-05-13 at the Wayback Machine SNH. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
  30. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of Bute" Archived 2012-09-04 at archive.today Page 84, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  31. ↑ "Loch Fad" Archived 2010-03-27 at the Wayback Machine Isle of Bute.com. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  32. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of Lewis" Archived 2012-09-06 at archive.today Page 209, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  33. 1 2 Iain Mac an Tàilleir. "Placenames F-J" (PDF). Pàrlamaid na h-Alba. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 April 2008. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
  34. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of Mull" Page 174, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
  35. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of Orkney" Archived 2012-09-04 at archive.today Page 225, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
  36. ↑ Iain Mac an Tàilleir. "Placenames K-O" (PDF). Pàrlamaid na h-Alba. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2007.
  37. ↑ Maxwell, Sir Herbert (1894) Scottish Land-Names: Their Origin and Meaning Archive.org. Retrieved 28 December 2009. Originally published by William Blackwood and Sons of Edinburgh.
  38. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of Lewis" Page 213, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
  39. ↑ Beveridge (1903) pp. 25–29. "Gentiles" is a possible reference to Vikings.
  40. 1 2 Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of North Uist" [ permanent dead link ] Page 188, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
  41. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of Shetland" Page 244, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  42. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of Orkney" Archived 2012-09-05 at archive.today Page 224, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
  43. ↑ "Holy Wells and Magical Waters" Orkneyjar. Retrieved 29 December 2009.
  44. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) state that its area is "nearly a square mile, or about one-fourth that of Loch Langavat".
  45. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of Lewis" Archived 2012-09-10 at archive.today Page 216, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  46. ↑ "Orkney Placenames". Orkneyjar. Retrieved 28 December 2009.
  47. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of Shetland" Archived 2012-09-13 at archive.today Page 227, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 28 December 2009.
  48. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of Shetland" Archived 2012-09-17 at archive.today Page 243, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  49. ↑ Murray and Pullar (1910) "Lochs of Lewis" Archived 2012-09-06 at archive.today Page 209, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
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