Loch Vatachan

Loch Vatachan
Loch Bhattachan
Loch Vatachan from its east shore
Loch Vatachan
Location	Scottish Highlands
Coordinates	58°02′37.8″N5°21′32.1″W / 58.043833°N 5.358917°W / 58.043833; -5.358917
Primary inflows	Allt Braigh an t-Sratha, Allt an Fhealing, Fèith Ruadh
Primary outflows	Loch Raa
Basin  countries	Scotland, United Kingdom
Max. length	1.4 km (0.9 mi)
Max. width	510 m (1,670 ft)
Surface elevation	11 m (36 ft)

Loch Vatachan or Bhattachan is a freshwater loch in Wester Ross, Scotland, just over a kilometre north of Achiltibuie.

The name is an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic bhàthaichean, meaning "of the byre" i.e. "Loch of the Byre". ^[1] The loch's name appeared as "Bhattachan" on OS Maps until the 1900s. ^[2] Several ruined shielings and hut circles of uncertain age have been found on the braes above its shores. ^{[3] [4]}

Loch Vatachan feeds into Loch Raa via a short burn, which in turn flows into Achnahaird Bay.

References

1. midasiak (7 November 2019). "The Gaelic origins of place names in Britain". OS GetOutside. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
2. "Digimap Discovery Service". digimap.edina.ac.uk. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
3. "Loch Vatachan | Canmore". canmore.org.uk. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
4. "Loch Vatachan | Canmore". canmore.org.uk. Retrieved 28 March 2025.