Loch Broom
Encyclopedia
Loch Broom is a sea loch located in northwestern Ross and Cromarty
, in the former parish of Lochbroom, in the west coast of Scotland
. The small town of Ullapool
lies on the eastern shore of the loch. Alternatively, the reference to broom is thought to be derived from the spreading yellow gorse.
and opening into the Minch
. The village of Dundonnell
, is located at the mouth of the loch, linked by the A832
coast road to Camusnagaul
on the eastern shore, midway up the loch, and Badcaul
further north. The furthest southeast inlest to the loch a swamp. The loch is an important wildlife habitat, and a population of cormorants often bask on the rocks jutting out of the water.
Loch Broom opens from the Minch at a width of 12.5 miles, covers 7 miles
south-eastwards, and holds the Summer Isles
over that distance, and ramifies
into Loch Broom proper in the North, with the sea loch, Loch Kanaird to the
northeast close to Isle Martin
, which overlooks Annat Bay on the Scoraig
peninsula to the west which separates Loch Broom from Little Loch Broom in the middle and Gruinard Bay
in the South.
At its mouth proper, Loch Broom is 4 miles wide, and travels 5 miles south-eastward; contracts to 1 mile wide and changes direction to south-south-eastward and goes for about 9.5 miles where it is fed by the River Broom.
peninsula between 2 and 4 miles wide commencing in Caileach Head. The loch is 9.5 mile long, orientated in a south-eastward direction, similar to Loch Broom, and has a mean breadth of 1 mile.
Two rivers flow into Little Loch Broom; the Allt Airdeasaidh empties into the Loch at Ardessie Falls and Dundonnell river, which rises in the Dundonnell
forest 3 miles southeast of the loch and the innumerable small lochs and rivers that are in the forest.
, at 743m, on the Coigach
peninsula
, which has a view of Isle Martin
and Loch Kanaird. The peninsula separating Loch Broom from Little Loch Broom contains the mountains of Beinn Ghobhlach and Beinn nam Ban. The Marilyn
, Beinn Ghobhlach at 635m, is located at the head of the peninsula, overlooks the entrance to Loch Broom proper, to the northeast and Little Loch Broom to the south. It has a commanding view of Gruinard Bay
and Gruinard Island
to the west.
Beinn nam Ban at 580m, also a Marilyn (named after Marilyn Monroe
), is located at the base of the peninsula, overlooks Dundonnell
to the southwest and Loch Broom to the west and south.
Lying southwest of Dundonnell, ovelooking Little Loch Broom, and Gruinard Bay and Gruinard Island, to the northwest, lies the majestic ridge of An Teallach
, with 10 mountains over 914m. An Teallach meaning 'The Anvil' or 'The Forge' in Scottish Gaelic, are also Marilyn's.
Ross and Cromarty
Ross and Cromarty is a variously defined area in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. There is a registration county and a lieutenancy area in current use...
, in the former parish of Lochbroom, in the west coast of Scotland
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...
. The small town of Ullapool
Ullapool
Ullapool is a small town of around 1,300 inhabitants in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland. Despite its small size, it is the largest settlement for many miles around, and is a major tourist destination of Scotland. The North Atlantic Drift passes by Ullapool, bringing moderate temperatures...
lies on the eastern shore of the loch. Alternatively, the reference to broom is thought to be derived from the spreading yellow gorse.
Little Loch Broom
Its sister loch, Little Loch Broom, lies just to the west, at the foot of An TeallachAn Teallach
An Teallach is a mountain in Scotland. It lies to the southwest of Dundonnell and overlooks Little Loch Broom, in an area often nicknamed the "great wilderness"...
and opening into the Minch
The Minch
The Minch , also called The North Minch, is a strait in north-west Scotland, separating the north-west Highlands, and the northern Inner Hebrides, from Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides...
. The village of Dundonnell
Dundonnell
Dundonnell is a village in Ross and Cromarty, Scotland, on the south side of Little Loch Broom and at the foot of An Teallach, right at the north of the area commonly known as the "Great Wilderness". There is an independent youth hostel and a farm. Many semi-wild sheep roam the area, which is the...
, is located at the mouth of the loch, linked by the A832
A832 road
The A832 is a road in the Scottish Highlands, linking Cromarty, on the east coast, to Gairloch on the west coast, and beyond Gairloch to Braemore Junction. It is long and runs entirely in the former county of Ross and Cromarty...
coast road to Camusnagaul
Camusnagaul
Camusnagaul is a village on the south shore of the sea loch, Little Loch Broom in Garve, Ross-shire, Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland....
on the eastern shore, midway up the loch, and Badcaul
Badcaul
Badcaul is a village in Highland, Scotland, on the southern shore of Little Loch Broom....
further north. The furthest southeast inlest to the loch a swamp. The loch is an important wildlife habitat, and a population of cormorants often bask on the rocks jutting out of the water.
Loch Broom
Loch Broom is fed by River Broom which rises in the Dirrie mountains. issuing from two lochs, Loch Bhraoin and Loch Droma. Loch Bhraoin feeds the river Abhainn Cuileig which is joined by the Allt Breabaig stream that rises in Sgùrr Breac to the south. Loch Droma feeds the river Abhainn Droma. The two rivers join close to Cuileig Power Station, 4.75 miles southeast of Loch Brown, passing Leal Forrest before joining the loch as a fast flowing river with a strong current.Loch Broom opens from the Minch at a width of 12.5 miles, covers 7 miles
south-eastwards, and holds the Summer Isles
Summer Isles
The Summer Isles are an archipelago lying in the mouth of Loch Broom, in the Highland region of Scotland.-Geography:The only inhabited isle, Tanera Mòr, is also the largest. It is home to an Atlantic salmon fish farm, some rental holiday homes, a café and a post office, which has operated its own...
over that distance, and ramifies
into Loch Broom proper in the North, with the sea loch, Loch Kanaird to the
northeast close to Isle Martin
Isle Martin
Isle Martin is an uninhabited island in Loch Broom, on the west coast of Scotland. It is the closest of the Summer Isles to Ullapool and has been the site of a monastery, a herring curing station and a flour mill. Now recognised as a bird sanctuary it is owned and managed by a community...
, which overlooks Annat Bay on the Scoraig
Scoraig
Scoraig is a settlement located on a remote peninsula between Little Loch Broom and Loch Broom, south of Ullapool in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland, roughly at ....
peninsula to the west which separates Loch Broom from Little Loch Broom in the middle and Gruinard Bay
Gruinard Bay
Gruinard Bay is a large remote coastal embayment, located 12 miles north of Poolewe, in northwestern Ross and Cromarty, and is in the former parish of Lochbroom, in the west coast of Scotland.-Settlements:...
in the South.
At its mouth proper, Loch Broom is 4 miles wide, and travels 5 miles south-eastward; contracts to 1 mile wide and changes direction to south-south-eastward and goes for about 9.5 miles where it is fed by the River Broom.
Little Loch Broom
Little Loch Broom is separated from Loch Broom by a ScoraigScoraig
Scoraig is a settlement located on a remote peninsula between Little Loch Broom and Loch Broom, south of Ullapool in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland, roughly at ....
peninsula between 2 and 4 miles wide commencing in Caileach Head. The loch is 9.5 mile long, orientated in a south-eastward direction, similar to Loch Broom, and has a mean breadth of 1 mile.
Two rivers flow into Little Loch Broom; the Allt Airdeasaidh empties into the Loch at Ardessie Falls and Dundonnell river, which rises in the Dundonnell
Dundonnell and Fisherfield Forest
The Dundonnell and Fisherfield Forest covers a large mountainous area of Wester Ross in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland, lying between Loch Maree and Little Loch Broom. It is sometimes nicknamed The Great Wilderness, as the area is entirely devoid of permanent settlements.Although termed a...
forest 3 miles southeast of the loch and the innumerable small lochs and rivers that are in the forest.
Mountains
The entrance to Loch Broom is overlooked by mountain of Ben More CoigachBen More Coigach
Ben Mor Coigach is a long, table shaped mountain in the far north west of Scotland. It dominates the Coigach peninsula, in the county of Ross and Cromarty, 10 kilometres north-west of the town of Ullapool. It reaches a height of 743 metres...
, at 743m, on the Coigach
Coigach
Coigach today refers to the peninsula "beyond the big rock" north of Ullapool, in Wester Ross in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. Anciently till changes in civil registration districts in 1857 the Barony also included Isle Martin, the lands down to Corrie beyond Ullapool, the various farms of...
peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
, which has a view of Isle Martin
Isle Martin
Isle Martin is an uninhabited island in Loch Broom, on the west coast of Scotland. It is the closest of the Summer Isles to Ullapool and has been the site of a monastery, a herring curing station and a flour mill. Now recognised as a bird sanctuary it is owned and managed by a community...
and Loch Kanaird. The peninsula separating Loch Broom from Little Loch Broom contains the mountains of Beinn Ghobhlach and Beinn nam Ban. The Marilyn
Marilyn (hill)
A Marilyn is a mountain or hill in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland or Isle of Man with a relative height of at least 150 metres , regardless of absolute height or other merit...
, Beinn Ghobhlach at 635m, is located at the head of the peninsula, overlooks the entrance to Loch Broom proper, to the northeast and Little Loch Broom to the south. It has a commanding view of Gruinard Bay
Gruinard Bay
Gruinard Bay is a large remote coastal embayment, located 12 miles north of Poolewe, in northwestern Ross and Cromarty, and is in the former parish of Lochbroom, in the west coast of Scotland.-Settlements:...
and Gruinard Island
Gruinard Island
Gruinard Island ) is a small, oval-shaped Scottish island approximately long by wide, located in Gruinard Bay, about halfway between Gairloch and Ullapool. At its closest point to the mainland it is just more than offshore...
to the west.
Beinn nam Ban at 580m, also a Marilyn (named after Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
), is located at the base of the peninsula, overlooks Dundonnell
Dundonnell
Dundonnell is a village in Ross and Cromarty, Scotland, on the south side of Little Loch Broom and at the foot of An Teallach, right at the north of the area commonly known as the "Great Wilderness". There is an independent youth hostel and a farm. Many semi-wild sheep roam the area, which is the...
to the southwest and Loch Broom to the west and south.
Lying southwest of Dundonnell, ovelooking Little Loch Broom, and Gruinard Bay and Gruinard Island, to the northwest, lies the majestic ridge of An Teallach
An Teallach
An Teallach is a mountain in Scotland. It lies to the southwest of Dundonnell and overlooks Little Loch Broom, in an area often nicknamed the "great wilderness"...
, with 10 mountains over 914m. An Teallach meaning 'The Anvil' or 'The Forge' in Scottish Gaelic, are also Marilyn's.