Loch Loyal

Loch Loyal is a freshwater lake in the Scottish Highlands. The lake is located in the unitary authority in the former Highland County Sutherland.

Loch Loyal has the typical elongated shape of a lake during the Ice Age glacial origin. He is almost 10 km long, but only about 1.5 km wide. The maximum depth is about 40 m. The lake receives water from numerous streams. The largest of these is the Allt Dionach - caraidh, which opens at the southern tip of Loch Loyal, and feed him with water from Loch Coulside. Other tributaries are Allt gate at Tairbh and Allt Achadn to sac. In the north of Loch Loyal drained via a only about 100 m long drain hole in Craggie, from where the water over the River Borgie ultimately flows into the Atlantic.

Loch Loyal is in since the Highland Clearances extremely sparsely populated northern Scotland. Only the western shore of the lake, from which the Ben Loyal rises, is being developed by one single track road with passing places ( A836 ). The eastern shore is accessible only on foot. The lake is an important breeding area for gray geese. Occasionally, golden eagles can be spotted. Loyal hole is surrounded by the typical treeless landscape of the northern Highlands. This barren environment gives the lake a harsh look that clearly distinguishes it from the idyllic hole in the south of Scotland.