Loch Tay

Not to be confused with Lough Tay.

Loch Tay
File:Loch Tay at Kenmore.jpg Loch Tay at Kenmore in spring
Location	Perthshire, Scotland
Coordinates
Lake type	Loch
Primary inflows	Dochart, Lochay
Catchment area	232 sq mi (600 km2)
Basin countries	United Kingdom
Max. length	14.55 mi (23.42 km)
Max. width	0.7 mi (1.1 km)
Surface area	10.19 sq mi (26.4 km2)
Average depth	60.66 m (199.0 ft)
Max. depth	154.8 m (508 ft)
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 mi (23.42 km) long, and typically around 1 to 1½ miles wide, following the line of the valley from the south west to north east. It is the sixth largest loch in Scotland by area and over 150 m (490 ft) deep at its deepest.

Ben Lawers on its north shore is at 1214 m the 10th 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.

The loch, 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.

Gallery

• Loch Tay at Kenmore2.jpg

  Loch Tay at Kenmore (in winter)

• Loch Tay from Kenmore.jpg

  Loch Tay at Kenmore (in summer)

• Loch Tay Crannog 01.jpg

  Loch Tay Crannog

• Loch Tay at Morenish.jpg

  Loch Tay looking east from Morenish

• 

  Loch Tay

• Lawers Inn ruin.JPG

  The ruined Lawers Inn in the now deserted village of Lawers

• Old jetty, Loch Tay.jpg

  Old Lawers jetty; part of the drove road south to Crieff

External links

• Killin.info community website, guides, photos, media, news.
• YouTube.com video of Killin area featuring Loch Tay.
• The Scottish Crannog Centre
• some facts about Loch Tay and its history