Loch Leven (Highlands)
Encyclopedia
Loch Leven 'is a sea loch on the west coast of Scotland
. It is spelled Loch Lyon in Timothy Pont
's map of the areaand is pronounced Li' un. There is a Leven in Lennox
and another in Glen Lyon
similarly pronounced. The local Gaelic pronunciation is Lee' oon
Loch Leven extends 8¾ miles (14 km), varying in width between 220 yards (200 m) and just over a mile (1.8 km). It opens onto Camus a' Chois at North Ballachulish, part of Loch Linnhe
at its western end. There are nine small islands, some rocky and covered with heather and some just smooth green grass, near the western end of the loch.
The village of Glencoe
(Scottish Gaelic: A' Charnaich) lies on its southern shore. The burial place of the MacDonald clan of Glencoe
lies on an island - Eilean Munde
, St.Munda's or St Munn's or Saint Fintan Munnu
's Island, opposite the village. The island burial place was also shared by the Camerons of Callart, on the north shore of the loch, the Stewarts of Ballachulish
and Appin
and other local families.
The village of Kinlochleven
at the head of the loch was established when the aluminium smelter was built there during the first decade of the twentieth century. It was originally the hamlets of Kinlochmore (Inverness-shire) and Kinlochbeg (Argyll) either side of the River Leven. It lies on the road north to Fort William (Scottish Gaelic: An Gearasdan Inbhir-Lochaidh, built in 1927, which followed the shores of the loch, but a bridge was built across the mouth of the loch at Ballachulish
in 1975 to replace the Ballachulish Ferry.
Under the Ballachulish Bridge, at the entrance to the loch, is the narrows Caolas Mhic Phàdraig. The settlements either side are North and South Ballachulish - Baile a' Chaolais (the settlement on the narrows). There is a fast tidal stream through the narrows, running at up to seven knots at springs; it is wise, therefore, to time any passage through the narrows with the tides. Further up the loch, there are several other narrows - principally Caolas na Con - with significant, but diminishing tidal streams. The loch is navigable as far as Kinlochleven, and was used by ships bringing alumina to the smelter there until its closure.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It is spelled Loch Lyon in Timothy Pont
Timothy Pont
Timothy Pont was a Scottish topographer, the first to produce a detailed map of Scotland. Pont's maps are among the earliest surviving to show a European country in minute detail, from an actual survey.-Life:...
's map of the areaand is pronounced Li' un. There is a Leven in Lennox
Lennox
Lennox may refer to:* Lennox , often referred to as "The Lennox", an historic mormaerdom, earldom and then dukedom, in Stirling, Scotland* Lennox International, a global manufacturer of furnaces and central air conditioners....
and another in Glen Lyon
Glen Lyon
Glen Lyon may refer to:*Glen Lyon, Scotland , a glen in the Perth and Kinross area of Scotland*Glen Lyon, Pennsylvania, a U.S. village named after the Scottish glen...
similarly pronounced. The local Gaelic pronunciation is Lee' oon
Loch Leven extends 8¾ miles (14 km), varying in width between 220 yards (200 m) and just over a mile (1.8 km). It opens onto Camus a' Chois at North Ballachulish, part of Loch Linnhe
Loch Linnhe
Loch Linnhe is a sea loch on the west coast of Scotland....
at its western end. There are nine small islands, some rocky and covered with heather and some just smooth green grass, near the western end of the loch.
The village of Glencoe
Glencoe, Scotland
Glencoe Village is the main settlement in Glen Coe, Lochaber, Highland, Scotland. It lies at the north-west end of the glen, on the southern bank of the River Coe where it enters Loch Leven a salt-water loch off Loch Linnhe)....
(Scottish Gaelic: A' Charnaich) lies on its southern shore. The burial place of the MacDonald clan of Glencoe
Clan MacDonald of Glencoe
The MacDonalds of Glencoe also known as Clann Iain Abrach are a branch of Clan Donald.-History:The founder of the MacDonalds of Glencoe was Iain Fraoch MacDonald The MacDonalds of Glencoe also known as Clann Iain Abrach are a branch of Clan Donald.-History:The founder of the MacDonalds of Glencoe...
lies on an island - Eilean Munde
Eilean Munde
Eilean Munde is a small island in Loch Leven, close to Ballachulish. It is the site of a chapel built by St. Fintan Mundus , who travelled here from Iona in the 7th Century. The church was burnt in 1495 and rebuilt in the 16th Century. The last service in the church was held in July, 1653...
, St.Munda's or St Munn's or Saint Fintan Munnu
Saint Fintan Munnu
Saint Fintán, or Munnu , was the founder and abbot of the abbey at Teach-munnu, today Taghmon in the County Wexford, Ireland.- Life :...
's Island, opposite the village. The island burial place was also shared by the Camerons of Callart, on the north shore of the loch, the Stewarts of Ballachulish
Ballachulish
The village of Ballachulish in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, is centred around former slate quarries. The name Ballachulish was more correctly applied to the area now called North Ballachulish, to the north of Loch Leven, but was usurped for the quarry villages at East Laroch and West Laroch,...
and Appin
Appin
Appin is a remote coastal district of the Scottish West Highlands bounded west by Loch Linnhe, south by Loch Creran, east by the districts of Benderloch and Lorne, and north by Loch Leven...
and other local families.
The village of Kinlochleven
Kinlochleven
Kinlochleven is a village in Lochaber, in the Scottish Highlands and lies at the eastern end of Loch Leven, a sea loch cutting into the western Scottish Highlands. To the north lie the Mamores ridge; to the south lie the mountains flanking Glen Coe...
at the head of the loch was established when the aluminium smelter was built there during the first decade of the twentieth century. It was originally the hamlets of Kinlochmore (Inverness-shire) and Kinlochbeg (Argyll) either side of the River Leven. It lies on the road north to Fort William (Scottish Gaelic: An Gearasdan Inbhir-Lochaidh, built in 1927, which followed the shores of the loch, but a bridge was built across the mouth of the loch at Ballachulish
Ballachulish
The village of Ballachulish in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, is centred around former slate quarries. The name Ballachulish was more correctly applied to the area now called North Ballachulish, to the north of Loch Leven, but was usurped for the quarry villages at East Laroch and West Laroch,...
in 1975 to replace the Ballachulish Ferry.
Under the Ballachulish Bridge, at the entrance to the loch, is the narrows Caolas Mhic Phàdraig. The settlements either side are North and South Ballachulish - Baile a' Chaolais (the settlement on the narrows). There is a fast tidal stream through the narrows, running at up to seven knots at springs; it is wise, therefore, to time any passage through the narrows with the tides. Further up the loch, there are several other narrows - principally Caolas na Con - with significant, but diminishing tidal streams. The loch is navigable as far as Kinlochleven, and was used by ships bringing alumina to the smelter there until its closure.