Loch Bracadale (

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic (, ; Endonym and exonym, endonym: ), also known as Scots Gaelic or simply Gaelic, is a Celtic language native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a member of the Goidelic language, Goidelic branch of Celtic, Scottish Gaelic, alongs ...

: ''Loch Bhràcadail'') is a

sea loch ''Loch'' ( ) is a word meaning "lake" or "inlet, sea inlet" in Scottish Gaelic, Scottish and Irish Gaelic, subsequently borrowed into English. In Irish contexts, it often appears in the anglicized form "lough". A small loch is sometimes calle ...

on the west coast of

Skye The Isle of Skye, or simply Skye, is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate from a mountainous hub dominated by the Cuillin, the rocky slopes of which provide some o ...

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

. It separates the

Minginish Minginish () is a peninsula on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. It is situated on the west coast of the island and runs from Loch Scavaig in the south (which separates Minginish from the Strathaird Peninsula), along the western coast of Skye to Lo ...

Peninsula in the south from the Duirinish Peninsula in the north. Loch Bracadale and its associated inner lochs - Loch Harport, Loch Vatten, Loch Caroy, Loch Bharcasaig, Loch na Faolinn and Loch Beag - form one of the largest areas of semi-enclosed inshore waters around the Skye coast. The shallow waters are used for salmon and mussel farms, crab and lobster creels as well as scallop diving. The loch contains four islands;

Harlosh Island Harlosh Island is one of four islands to be found in Isle of Skye, Skye's Loch Bracadale. Harlosh Island is from the coast of the Duirinish, Skye, Duirinish Peninsula and from the coast of the Minginish peninsula. At low tide it is only about ...

, Tarner Island, Wiay and the tidal island of Oronsay off Ullinish point. The mouth of Loch Bracadale (where it opens to the Atlantic) is some wide, from Idrigill Point on the Duirinish Peninsula to Rubha nan Clach on the

Peninsula. west of Idrigill Point are the three sea stacks known as Macleod's Maidens. On the south-western shore of the loch, from Rubha nan Clach are impressive sea cliffs, some high, dotted with caves and cascading waterfalls, up to Gob na h-Oa. Further eastwards Sgùrr nan Uan marks the westward side of Fiskavaig Bay which runs round to Ardtreck (from which Dun Ardtreck overlooks Loch Bracadale at grid reference
NG33503581
to the now automated lighthouse at Ardtreck Point which sits opposite Bracadale Point (between Bracadale and Ullinish.) This point, between Ardtreck Point and Bracadale Point (or Rubh' Ard-Chràighe & Rubha Bhracadale) is where Loch Bracadale becomes Loch Harport.

References

Seakayaking Bracadale 2007
Sea lochs of Scotland Lochs of the Isle of Skye {{SkyeLochalsh-geo-stub

See also

References