Loch Tay

Not to be confused with Lough Tay.
Loch Tay

Loch Tay at Kenmore in spring
Location Perthshire, Scotland
Coordinates 56°30′56″N 4°08′46″W / 56.51556°N 4.14611°W / 56.51556; -4.14611Coordinates: 56°30′56″N 4°08′46″W / 56.51556°N 4.14611°W / 56.51556; -4.14611
Lake type Loch
Primary inflows Dochart, Lochay
Catchment area 232 sq mi (600 km2)[1]
Basin countries United Kingdom
Max. length 14.55 mi (23.42 km)[1]
Max. width 0.7 mi (1.1 km)[1]
Surface area 10.19 sq mi (26.4 km2)[1]
Average depth 60.66 m (199.0 ft)[1]
Max. depth 154.8 m (508 ft)[1]
Islands 7
Settlements Killin, Kenmore, Lawers

Loch Tay (Scottish Gaelic, Loch Tatha) is a freshwater loch in the central highlands of Scotland, in the Perth and Kinross and Stirling council areas.

It is a long, narrow loch of around 14.55 miles (23.42 km) long, and typically around 1 to 1½ miles wide, following the line of the strath from the south west to north east. It is the sixth-largest loch in Scotland by area and over 150 metres (490 ft) deep at its deepest.

Ben Lawers on its north shore is, at 1,214 metres (3,983 ft), the tenth-highest mountain in the British Isles, and is the highest peak in a group of seven munros.

Reconstructed crannóg on Loch Tay

Killin at the head of the loch, and Kenmore at the outflow of the River Tay, are the main settlements on the lochside today. The smaller settlements of Acharn, Ardeonaig and Ardtalnaig are located on the south side of the loch whilst Fearnan and Lawers are on the north side. The loch is fed by the rivers Dochart and Lochay at its head and numerous smaller streams.

The loch is a popular spot for salmon fishing, and many of its surroundings feature in the traditional Scottish 'Loch Tay Boat Song' (Scottish Gaelic, Iorram Loch Tatha).

Loch Tay railway station was on the Killin Railway. It is now closed.

In ancient times (in the Iron Age) people lived on defensible, man-made islands on the loch, called crannogs. More than 20 submerged crannogs have been identified in the loch. An example has now been reconstructed on the south side of the loch at the Scottish Crannog Centre.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bathymetrical Survey of the Fresh-Water Lochs of Scotland, 1897-1909, National Library of Scotland, 1909
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