Loch Eck

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Loch Eck
2008-08 - Plum Island and Cowal Games 409.jpg
A view of the loch, looking south.
Loch Eck is located in Argyll and Bute
Loch Eck
Loch Eck
Loch Eck Bathymetry
LocationArgyll and Bute, Scotland.
Coordinates56°04′46″N 4°59′40″W / 56.079508°N 4.9944191°W / 56.079508; -4.9944191Coordinates: 56°04′46″N 4°59′40″W / 56.079508°N 4.9944191°W / 56.079508; -4.9944191
National grid reference NS 13753 91453
TypeFreshwater Loch and Reservoir.
Native nameLoch Eich  (Scottish Gaelic)
Primary inflowsCur
Primary outflowsRiver Eachaig
Catchment areaCowal.
Basin countriesScotland, United Kingdom.
Surface area4,259,000 m2 (45,840,000 sq ft)
Max. depth43 m (141 ft)
Water volume67,400,000 m3 (2.38×109 cu ft)
Surface elevation24 m (79 ft)
References[1]

Loch Eck (Gaelic: Loch Eich) is a freshwater loch located on the Cowal peninsula, north of Dunoon, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is seven miles (11 kilometres) long. Along with Loch Lomond, it is the only naturally occurring habitat of the Powan (fish).[2][3] The loch also has salmon, sea trout, brown trout and arctic charr.[4]

Loch Eck is within the Argyll Forest Park which, is itself part of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.[5][6] It is close to the Benmore Botanic Garden and the Benmore Outdoor Centre, which uses the loch and its surrounding for outdoor learning.[7]

The A815 road bounds the east side.[8] A pathway runs along the west side of the loch, and gives access to the Paper Caves, set in the steep hillside with caving access to a platform set above a steep scarp within the cave.[9] A legend holds that the Argyll family documents were hidden in the caves when the 9th Earl of Argyll was arrested, to prevent his lands from being made forfeit.[7]

The loch is also an impounding reservoir with a water treatment works, that were upgraded in 2012 by Scottish Water, which supplies the freshwater to much of the southeast of Cowal, including Dunoon.[10]

In July 2013, two dogs died due to algal bloom present in the loch. Warnings were then posted advising that people and animals should avoid contact with the water.[11][12] Recently, three further incidents have happened, one in June 2019 and two in July 2021.[13]

The actress Emma Thompson owns a house on the shore of the loch.[14]

See also[]

  • List of reservoirs and dams in the United Kingdom

References[]

  1. ^ Murray, Sir John; Pullar, Laurence (1910). Bathymetrical Survey of the Scottish Fresh Water Lochs. Edinburgh.
  2. ^ Freyhof, J. & Kottelat, M. (2008) Coregonus clupeoides. In:IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.1. (Accessed 17 April 2010)
  3. ^ "Vendace and powan". NatureScot. Scottish Natural Heritage. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  4. ^ "Loch Eck | Fishing | Argyll & the Isles | Welcome to Scotland". www.welcometoscotland.com. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
  5. ^ "Argyll Forest Park - Forestry Commission Scotland". Scotland.forestry.gov.uk. Retrieved 2017-02-01.
  6. ^ "Map of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park" (PDF). Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Of Interest: Things to look out for". Benmore Centre for Outdoor Learning, Dunoon Argyll, Scotland, UK. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  8. ^ Smith, Fraser (4 November 2019). "Loch Eck | Cowal | Argyll". Wild About Argyll. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  9. ^ "Loch Eck, Paper Caves". Canmore. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  10. ^ "Clearer, fresher drinking water for 20,000 people in Cowal" (Press release). Scottish Water. Archived from the original on 2017-01-18. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  11. ^ "Loch Eck water warning issued as two dogs die suddenly after swimming | Glasgow & West | News | STV".
  12. ^ "Argyll, Cowal and Dunoon News | Dunoon Observer and Argyllshire Standard". www.dunoon-observer.com.
  13. ^ "Our Dunoon surgery has recently seen 2 separate cases of suspected blue-green algae poisoning in dogs". Bute & Cowal Vets. 2021-07-19 – via Facebook.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ Hattersley, Giles. "Emma Thompson On Playing Fashionable Villain Baroness Von Hellman In 'Cruella' | British Vogue". www.vogue.co.uk.

Sources[]

External links[]

  • Lock Eck page on Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park website
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