Loch Ailsh
Loch in Highland, Scotland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Loch Ailsh is a freshwater loch in Sutherland, Scotland, located 2.6km northeast of the A837. It sits on the River Oykel among plantation woodland.
| Loch Ailsh | |
|---|---|
Loch Ailsh from its south shore, with Ben More Assynt in the background | |
  Loch Ailsh | |
| Location | Scottish Highlands |
| Coordinates | 58°03′18″N 4°51′25″W |
| Primary inflows | River Oykel, Allt na Cailliche |
| Primary outflows | River Oykel |
| Basin countries | Scotland, United Kingdom |
| Max. length | 1.46 km (0.91 mi) |
| Max. width | 1.42 km (0.88 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 150 m (490 ft) |
The loch's name likely derives from the same Scottish Gaelic root as Loch Alsh, Loch Aillse, meaning "foaming lake".
Benmore Lodge, a holiday cottage, sits on a sandy beach at the loch's northeast end.[1] A chambered cairn, dating from the Neolithic period, lies just south of the loch, on the west bank of the River Oykel.[2]
Loch Ailsh is a Site of Special Scientific Interest[3] and one of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency's designated protected areas, meaning any fish caught on the loch must be returned. It is a key breeding site for the UK's population of black-throated diver.[4] It is considered to be relatively oligotrophic.[3]
