The dangerous depths of Scotland’s Highland lochs have been illustrated as part of a water safety campaign.
VisitScotland has released images of the five deepest lochs in Scotland, which includes four located in the Highlands.
They have been released ahead of Water Safety Week which will run from June 18 to 25 to help highlight the extreme depths of the lochs to swimmers this summer.
The tourism organisation said although lochs may seem calm on the surface, they are full of crevices, underwater currents, sharp drops, and “even rumoured creatures”.
It said recent reports estimate that wild swimming in the UK has increased by threefold since 2019.
What are Scotland’s five deepest lochs?
1. Loch Morar in the Highlands – 1,016ft
Loch Morar in the Lochaber area of the Highlands takes the crown as the deepest loch in Scotland.
It is about the same depth as the height of the UK’s tallest building, The Shard in London at 1,016ft.
At its deepest point, the loch reaches depths of around 1,020ft, which is deeper than most of the seabed off Scotland’s west coast.
It is the third deepest loch in Europe and, according to local legend, it is even home to a mysterious creature known as Morag, who is said to resemble Loch Ness’ Nessie.
2. Loch Ness in the Highlands – 745ft
Not only is Loch Ness perhaps Scotland’s most well-known loch, but it is also Scotland’s second-deepest loch coming in at about 745ft at its deepest point.
It is about the same height as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California, the towers of which sit at a height of 746ft above water.
However, Loch Ness is Scotland’s biggest loch by volume and contains more freshwater than all the lakes in England and Wales combined.
3. Loch Lomond in the Trossachs – 620ft
The third deepest loch in Scotland is Loch Lomond, which comes in at about 620ft at its deepest point.
Interestingly, Loch Lomond is also the biggest loch in the UK by surface area, spanning a whopping 44 square miles and 24 miles long.
That’s about the same depth as two Statue of Liberty monuments stacked on top of each other at 305ft each (including the pedestal statue it sits upon).
4. Loch Lochy the Highlands – 531ft
Loch Lochy, the fourth deepest, reaches depths of around 531ft, which is around four Boeing 737-800 planes stacked from tail to nose.
It is also about the same depth as a tower made up of around 16,875 Lego bricks.
5. Loch Ericht in the Highlands – 512ft
Loch Ericht is the fifth largest loch in Scotland and sits on the border between Perth and Kinross and the Highlands.
At its deepest point, Loch Ericht reaches depths of about 512ft which is around the same height as the Blackpool Tower.
Lofty lochs campaign brings lochs to life
Vicki Miller, VisitScotland director of marketing and digital said: “Our research has shown the positive influence water can have on wellbeing and in recent years we’ve seen an increase in popularity of activities embracing this such as wild swimming and paddleboarding.
“Through this campaign we wanted to bring to life the majesty of these waters and show that while our lochs offer plenty of opportunities, there is a need to remain safe when enjoying them.”
James Sullivan, chair of Water Safety Scotland, said: “Lofty Lochs is a thought-provoking campaign that visibly highlights the extreme depths of Scotland’s lochs.
“The breathtaking beauty of Scotland’s lochs makes them very alluring, but it is important that people are aware of the inherent dangers posed by their extremes in both depth and temperature.”
Conversation