Loch Long is a body of water in the council area of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The Loch extends from the Firth of Clyde at its southwestern end, to the Arrochar Alps at the head of the loch. It measures approximately in length, with a width of between . The loch also has an arm, Loch Goil, on its western side.
Loch Long forms part of the coast of the Cowal, and forms the entire western coastline of the Rosneath Peninsula.
Loch Long was historically the boundary between Argyll and
Villages on Loch Long
Villages and hamlets on the loch include.
Royal Navy
On the eastern shore of the Loch is the Royal Navy's Coulport Armament depot, with the Glen Mallan jetty, both part of Defence Munitions Glen Douglas. Part of the extensive Royal Navy's, His Majesty's Naval Base Clyde.
Historic
In Arrochar, the Royal Naval Torpedo Testing Station and Range was established on the Loch in 1912, in connection with the Clyde Torpedo Works on Eldon Street,
Greenock, established in 1910. Both sites are now closed.
Finnart Oil Terminal
The Finnart Oil Terminal is located on the eastern shore of the loch, linked to the Grangemouth Refinery via a pipeline.
Environment and concerns
Loch Long has a long term issue with rubbish collecting at the head of the loch. Rubbish mainly washed down water courses from the
Glasgow area.
History
Its name is not a reference to is length; it actually comes from the
Scottish Gaelic for "ship lake". Prior to their defeat at the Battle of Largs in 1263, Viking raiders sailed up Loch Long to Arrochar, and then dragged their
2 miles overland to Tarbet and into
Loch Lomond. Being inland, the settlements around Loch Lomond were more vulnerable to attack.
Transport
The
steamboat Chancellor used to traverse the loch, departing
Dunoon at 11:00 and returning about five hours later.
[ Colegate's Guide to Dunoon, Kirn, and Hunter's Quay (second edition) – John Colegate (1868), page 53] PS Waverley was also built to serve Loch Long and Loch Goil from 1947,
a route that she still sailed as of 2021,
albeit as more of an attraction than a primary means of transport.
Gallery
File:20210815 Loch Long-8813.jpg|20210815 Loch Long
File:'Fida' In Loch Long - geograph.org.uk - 3038572.jpg|'Fida' In Loch Long
File:Loch Long and Ardentinny.jpg|Loch Long and Ardentinny
File:Admiralty Chart No 3739 Loch Long torpedo range.jpg|Admiralty Chart No 3739
File:Loch Long At Ardentinny - geograph.org.uk - 1917619.jpg|Loch Long At Ardentinny
External links
