Loch Heilen

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Loch Heilen
Loch Heilen - geograph.org.uk - 1917885.jpg
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Loch Heilen
Location Caithness
Coordinates 58°35′30″N3°16′22″W / 58.59167°N 3.27278°W / 58.59167; -3.27278
Type freshwater loch
Primary outflows Burn of Inkstack
Basin  countriesScotland
Max. length1 mi (1.6 km)
Max. width1⁄2 mi (0.80 km)
Surface area191 acres (0.298 sq mi; 0.77 km2)
Average depth2.5 ft (0.76 m)
Max. depth5 ft (1.5 m)
Water volumetwenty-one million cu ft (590,000 m3)
Surface elevation113 ft (34 m)

Loch Heilen is a loch in the civil parish of Dunnet in Caithness, Scotland. St. John's Loch and Loch Heilen are the two largest lochs in the parish. It is about two miles (3.2 kilometres) inland from Dunnet Bay to the west, which is on the north coast of Scotland. The town of Thurso is about eight miles (13 kilometres) to the west. [1]

The loch has had various spellings - ,Hayland, Haelan, Hailan, Heilen. [2]

The loch is orientated in an east to west direction, and is over one mile (1.6 kilometres) long. Its breadth (north-south) reaches almost a half a mile and the surface area is 191 acres (0.3 square miles; 0.8 square kilometres). The centre of the loch is the deepest part, approximately, 5 ft (1.5 m) deep. [3]

The overflow of the loch is through the Burn of Inkstack, which exits from the north shore. This flows northwards, joining the Burn of Ham, and flowing into the sea on the north coast of Caithness, at Ham. [3] [4]

The loch has an abundance of ducks and other wild birds, [3] especially Mallard, Wigeon and the Common goldeneye. [5]

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St. John's Loch is a loch in the civil parish of Dunnet in Caithness, Scotland.Loch Heilen and St. John's Loch are the two largest lochs in the parish. It is about two-thirds mile inland in a north-easterly direction from Dunnet Bay on the north coast of Scotland.

References

  1. ↑ Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland, by Francis H. Groome; publ. Thomas C. Jack, Edinburgh,1901. (Article on Dunnet)
  2. ↑ Caithness OS Name Books, 1871-1873 Caithness volume 03 OS1/7/3/102 scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/digital-volumes/ordnance-survey-name-books – retrieved Feb 2024
  3. 1 2 3 Bathymetrical Survey of the Scottish Fresh-Water Lochs, ed. Sir John Murray K.C.B., F.R.S., D.Sc., and Laurence Pullar F.R.S.E., F.R.G.S., publ. Challenger Office, Edinburgh, 1910; Vol 2, part 2, pp. 17-18 and Vol. 5, Plate 5:: St John's Loch, Loch Heilen
  4. ↑ Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps of Great Britain, Sheet ND27 & Part of ND17 - B, Publ. 1963
  5. ↑ Wildfowl in Great Britain, ed. G. L. Atkinson -Willes (for the Wildfowl Trust), Publ. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London 1963; p.225


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