This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(February 2012) |
Loch Longis a body of water in the council area ofArgyll and Bute,Scotland.TheSea Lochextends from theFirth of Clydeat its southwestern end. It measures approximately 20 miles (30 kilometres) in length, with a width of between one and two miles (two and three kilometres). The loch also has an arm,Loch Goil,on its western side.
| Loch Long | |
|---|---|
 Looking down Loch Long from the torpedo testing facility. The houses to the left are at Ardmay. | |
  Loch Long | |
| Location | Cowal, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. |
| Coordinates | 56°02′04″N4°53′08″W/ 56.034395°N 4.8855839°W,grid referenceNS2031486146 |
| Type | Sea Loch |
| Basincountries | Scotland, United Kingdom |
| Frozen | No |
Its name is not a reference to is length; it actually comes from theGaelicfor "ship lake". Prior to their defeat at theBattle of Largsin 1263, Viking raiders sailed up Loch Long toArrochar,and then dragged theirlongships2 miles overland toTarbetand intoLoch Lomond.Being inland, the settlements around Loch Lomond were more vulnerable to attack.[1]
Loch Long forms part of the coast of theCowal Peninsula,and forms the entire western coastline of theRosneath Peninsula.
Loch Long was historically the boundary betweenArgyllandDunbartonshire;however, boundary redrawing in 1996 meant that it moved wholly within the council area of Argyll and Bute.
ThesteamboatChancellorused to traverse the loch, departingDunoonat 11:00 and returning about five hours later.[2]PSWaverleywas also built to serve Loch Long and Loch Goil from 1947,[3]a route that she still sailed as of 2021,[4]albeit as more of an attraction than a primary means of transport.
Villages on Loch Long
editVillages on the loch includeArrocharat its head andCoveon the east shore near its foot.
Fisheries
editSeveral Scottish sea fishing records are attributed to the loch:[clarification needed]
| Species | Weight | Angler / Date |
|---|---|---|
| Argentine | 00-05-03 | I. Miller, 1978 (Boat) |
| Herring | 01-02-00 | R. C. Scott, 1974 (Boat) |
| Rockling, Shore | 00-14-08 | A. Glen, 1982 (Shore) |
Sport
edit
The Ardentinny Outdoor Education Centre on the western shore uses the loch for watersports.
It is now a popular area fordivingon the numerous wrecks that scatter the loch.
Finnart Oil Terminal
editTheFinnart Oil Terminalis located on the eastern shore of the loch, linked to theGrangemouth Refineryvia a 58-mile-long (93-kilometre) pipeline.[5]
Navy use
edit
The eastern shore is also the location of theRoyal Naval Armaments Depot Coulport,part ofHis Majesty's Naval Base, Clyde,and the Glen Mallan jetty, linked toDefence Munitions Glen Douglas.
A testing range for torpedoes was established on the loch in 1912, in connection with the Clyde Torpedo Factory inGreenock.[6]It operated through both World Wars, closing in 1986.[7][8]The loch contains numerous wrecks.
References
edit- ^"Loch Long".Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park.Retrieved9 October2021.
- ^Colegate's Guide to Dunoon, Kirn, and Hunter's Quay(second edition)– John Colegate (1868), page 53
- ^"History – Waverley Excursions".Retrieved9 October2021.
- ^Dalton, Alastair."Historic paddle steamer Waverley to operate daily until at least August as she sets sail with first 2021 passengers".scotsman.Retrieved9 October2021.
- ^Fullarton, Donald (29 July 2011)."Americans built oil terminal".Helensburgh Heritage.Retrieved23 May2013.
- ^Brassey, Thomas, ed. (1913). "British Navy".The Naval Annual.Portsmouth: J. Griffin and Co. p. 23.
- ^Makeenko, Viktoriia (6 January 2021)."Loch Long Torpedo Range".Abandoned Spaces.Timera Media.Retrieved24 February2021.
- ^Nicol, James."Home on the Range – The Passing of an Era".Arrochar, Tarbet and Ardlui Heritage.Retrieved24 February2021.
External links
edit- Map sourcesfor Loch Long
- Gaelic place names of Scotland
- Map showing Loch Long, circa 1600,National Library of Scotland
- Video footage of the old Arrochar steamer pier
