Loch Hourn

Hole Hourn, view from Beinn Sgritheall east

Hole Hourn is a Sea loch in the Highlands at the Scottish west coast. The long fjord-like estuary empties into the Sound of Sleat, which separates the mainland of Scotland from the Isle of Skye.

To the south, the total of about 14 km long hole Hourn is limited by the Knoydart peninsula, north of the western foothills of Kintail. At the mouth of the Sound of Sleat hole horn is about 2 km wide, then narrows to about 1.5 km until it is narrowed at approximately half the length to about 300 to 400 meters wide from the Barrisdale Bay. The tidal range is about three to four meters. Some of the more than a dozen small islands near the shore of the hole can be reached at low tide.

Hourn hole is lined on both sides by mountains with steep sides, the hole is therefore often referred to as that of sea loch, the most reminiscent of Norwegian fjords. South of the hole is dominated by Ladhar Bheinn, the highest Munro on Knoydart, north is to the Beinn Sgritheall another Munro.

At the eastern end is the small settlement of Kinloch Hourn, which is accessible via a 36 km long single track road from Invergarry to the A87 through Glen Garry. The south bank is largely uninhabited, on the north shore are the small towns Arnisdale and Corran at the end of a street of Loch Duich over Glenelg. Along the shores of Loch Hourn exist only footpaths.

Similar to Loch Ness and Loch Morar is also available at Loch Hourn legends and occasional reports of a sea monster.