Scottish Lochs - Hillwalking in Scotland

Walk The Walk - Scottish Walks.

Over the millenniums, the character and structure of Scotland has been dictated by weather conditions, earthquakes and continent displacemants, therefore in this small, insignificant web page, I have decided to portray what I can of the landscape as it exists today. Here, I can give you most of the principal Scottish lochs, formed by glaciers, their locations and the surrounding mountains. The lochs can be sea or land lochs, most of which can be used for sailing, fishing and watersports. If travelling around Scotland, the following dictionary should be of use to you. Pictures to follow soon.

Affric.
Loch Affric in the Highland district is some 10 miles long and can be
accessed from the west from Morvich on the A87 although this entails
at least a 12 mile walk or from the eastern side from the small
village of Cannich on the A831 after a 6 mile walk. You are really
out in the wilds here.

Alsh.
A sea loch on the A87 that starts after the Eilean Donan Castle
past the Kyles of Lochalsh, leading to Skye.

Loch Awe.
Loch Awe has its northern most tip at the village of Lochawe(A85)
on the road between Tyndrum and Oban in Argyllshire and reaches in
a southwesterly direction for around 20 miles.
The loch supports 3 castles, Kilchurn Castle, Froach Eilean Castle
and Innis Chonnell Castle.

Broom.
Loch Broom in the Highland district is sited on the A835 with the main port
of call being Ullapool, whose ferry service will take you to Sornaway on the
Isle of Lewis. As is usual with Scottish lochs, sailing and fishing bring much
needed revenue to the area. Attractions are the Lochbroom Highland Museum and
the Ullapool Museum.

Carron
Surrounding the small village of Plockton, Loch Carron is a sea loch with
many islands and has Strome Castle overlooking the loch. The town of Lochcarron
is famous for it's tartans and ties. Fine views of Skye can be seen across
the water.

Creran.
Caught between the Isle of Lismore and the village of Barcaldine on the mainland
along the A828, Loch Creran boasts its own Sea Life Centre, where salmon, seals
bass, cod and dogfish are all in view.

Cuithir.
Loch Cuithir on the north of Skye is a small loch, very much overshadowed by the
Trotternish Ridge and only accessed by a landrover track off the A855.

Doon.
A hydroelectric Scottish loch just north west of New Galloway which onced housed Loch
Doon Castle which was moved to the shoreline to allow the loch to be flooded
for hydroelectricity.

Duich.
Sited in the Highland area on the A87 between Shiel Bridge and the famous
Eilean Donan Castle at its more northerly end.

Earn.
A well respected fishing and sailing inland Scottish loch just north of Strathyre
with the village of Lochearnhead at one end and St Fillans at the other.

Eil.
Just a few miles west of Fort William, Loch Eil is a sea loch and is connected
to Loch Linnhe.

Eriboll, durness.
One of Scotland's more northerely sea lochs, Loch Eriboll can be found just
south of Durness and has a sister loch in Loch Hope.

Ericht.
Loch Ericht is another rather long loch stretching some fifteen miles south
west from Dalwhinne facing the Drumochter Pass on the A9.

Etive.
This narrow sea loch stretches from Connel on the west coast, through Bonawe
and then northwards almost as far as Glencoe and is some 16 miles long.

Faskally.
A man made reservoir, just north of Pitlochry, which was created in 1950
when the River Tummelwas dammed. Well known for its salmon fishing and
also a breeding site for greylag geese. Great walks on the north and south
shores.

Finlaggan, Islay.
A small inland loch west of Port Askaig, famous for its castle of the same
name. The castle was once the parliament of the Lord of the Isles and from
here the clan Donald ran most of the Atlantic coastal area in the 14th and
15th centuries.

Fleet.
Loch Fleet is situated between Dornoch and Golspie and is one of
the very few sea lochs on Scotland's east coast.

Fyne.
Another massive sea loch that cuts deeply into the west coast and houses the
main towns of Inveraray and Lochgilphead. The main thoroughfare around the
loch is the A83. The Crinan Canal connects the loch to the Sound of Jura
and the Atlantic Ocean.

Gare Loch.
A sea loch at the north end of the Firth of Clyde that is surrounded
by beautiful scenery and has Gairlochhead and Helensburgh as its main
towns. Also famous for the Nuclear naval base at Faslane.

Garry.
A beautifully scenic inland loch just past Invergarry in the Highlands
which if seen from the roadside (A87) resembles a map of Scotland,
pictured on our home page.

Katrine.
A big favourite with tourists as it falls within the Trossachs area, the
loch has many fine forest walks, bike rides, pleasure cruise and a
visitor centre. The loch once supplied Glasgow with all its water.

Laggan.
Set in the Grampian mountains, off the A86, near Newtonmore, Loch
Laggan is some twelve miles long and reaches Glen Spean at its
southern end. Hillwalking and fishing are popular in the area.

Loch Gairloch.
A small sea loch on the west coast, in Wester Ross, giving access
to the small village of Gairloch on the A832.

Lochy.
A 12 mile sretch of loch in Lochaber, this loch runs alongside the
A82 and is part of the Caledonian Canal. At Achnacarry at its southern
end one can find the Clan Cameron Museum.

Long.
This long loch on the west coast cuts deeply into the land and has
Arrochar at its head. Excellent scenery surrounds the loch with
The Cobbler, Beinn Narnain and The Saddle on the west shore.
Seafishing is popular.

Lhinne.
One of Scotland's largest sea lochs, Loch Lhinne cuts right into
the heart of the Highlands on the west side. The loch stretches
from north of Oban to South Ballchullish and has many ferry
crossings to the islands and also contains the island of Lismore.

Lomond.
The largest loch in Scotland, being some 23 miles long, 5 miles
wide and as deep as 630ft, it is also one of the most visited
of lochs, thanks to the scenery, cruises, fishing and watersports
available. It also has many small islands that can be visited.

Lubnaig.
Set in the picturesque area of the Trossachs and overshadowed
by Ben Ledi, Lubnaig on the A84 is an unsung loch of great beauty
as the many lochside picnic areas will testify to.

Maree.
An inland loch on the A832 and in the heart of the Torridon
this loch has many islands and is set in a very mountainous
climbing area, Siloch being the best well known.
The famous Inverewe gardens are at the western end and the
Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve is close by.

Morar.
A somewhat isolated inland loch on the west near Mallaig,
it is dominated by Beinn nan Cabar.

Nevis.
Cutting into the mainland just south of Skye and off the Sound
of Sleat, the loch has Mallaig as its nearest major town, with
its Marine World Centre and Carn a Ghobhair at the lochs
entrance.

Ness.
Another world famous Scottish loch and one of the longest and
deepest, it forms part of the Caledonian Canal and is a great
tourist attraction for its alleged monster. Major nearby towns
are Inverness and Drumnadrochit and Urquhart Castle sits
halfway up the loch.

Oich.
Another, be it smaller, loch on the Caledonian Canal, this loch
has the link up village of Invergarry on its shores and Fort
Augustus at its head. ( A82 )

Rannoch.
A very remote loch surrounded by lowland hills in the heart
of the Grampian Mountains with the eastern end village of
Kinloch Rannoch as the last outpost before Rannoch Moor.
However the loch boasts many varieties of watersports for
those like minded.

Rusky.
A small loch off the A81 just south of Callander in the Trossachs,
popular with anglers.

Ryan.
An 8 mile long sheltered bay in Wigtonshire which was once the old
Roman naval base of Rerigonium, near present day Stranraer. Once
famous for its oyster beds.

St.Mary's Loch.
Northeast of Moffat on the A708, St Mary's Loch derives its name from
the ancient kirk on the northwest shore. A small isthmus separates the
loch from the smaller Loch of the Lowes and here we find the hotel of
Tibbie Shiels where a statue to local writer and poet James Hogg now
stands. The loch is some 3 miles long and is a sailing and angling
centre.

Scridain
On the southern coast of the Isle of Mull, the loch has Ben More at its
eastern end and the A849 on the southern shore leads to the famous Isle
of Iona and its abbey.

Shiel.
Loch Shiel, in Ardgour, with Glenfinnan ( A830 ) at the northern end
of the the loch is quite remote but is a popular fishing destination.

Shin.
Loch Shin neaer Easter Ross is a very remote inland loch
with the village og Lairg at its southern end and fine
views of Ben More Assynt can be had from the loch's
northside road, A838.

Snizort, skye.
A 6-8 mile wide sea loch on the north west coast of Skye,
containing the small village of Uig which is the main
ferryport for the Hebrides.

Sunart.
Loch Sunart cuts into Scotland's west coast just to the
north of the Isle of Mull, it can be accessed on the north side
on the B8007 and offers a Natural History and Visitor Centre.
Also at its most western end stands Mingary Castle.

Sween, Jura.
A deep sea coastal loch on the west just south of Crinan,
with Castle Sween at its southern end and a few islands
thrown in to add to the scenery.

Tay.
Set in the heart of Perthshire on the southern side of the A827
Loch Tay has excellent facilities for yachting and various
watersports, not to mention the salmon fishing. Ben Lawers
overbears the loch on the northside.

Torridon.
On the north west coast of Scotland, this loch offers awesome
views of the Torridon mountain range, even more so as you progress
eastwards and onto Upper Loch Torridon, where Beinn Alligin and
Liathach dominate. The loch boasts great sea fishing.

Tulla.
Just north of Bridge of Orchy on the A 82, Loch Tulla is surrounded by
many fine hills and smaller lochains. The Inveronan Hotel, an old drovers
resting place sits on its western shore.

Tummel.
Loch Tummel on the B8019 west of Pitlochry was once a famous
haunt of Queen Victoria and there is a fantastic viewpoint
called the Queen's View which takes in the whole loch and has
the Schiehallion mountain in the distance.

Venachar.
Set in the beautiful surroundings of the Trossachs, off the A821,
this is a relatively calm loch, much favoured by anglers, who if
they are having no luck with the bites can still enjoy the scenery,
with Ben Ledi, Ben A'n and Ben Venue encircling the loch.

Voil.
Just off the A85 at Balquhidder, Loch Voil is another picturesque
inland loch in the Trossachs, surrounded by low lying hills, although
the Munros of Ben More and Stobinnein can be seen to the west and
Ben Vorlich to the east.