Loch Long is a body of water in the council area of

Argyll and Bute Argyll and Bute (; , ) is one of 32 unitary authority, unitary council areas of Scotland, council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area. The current lord-lieutenant for Argyll and Bute is Jane Margaret MacLeod ...

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 ...

. The sea loch extends from the

Firth of Clyde The Firth of Clyde, is the estuary of the River Clyde, on the west coast of Scotland. The Firth has some of the deepest coastal waters of the British Isles. The Firth is sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre, Kintyre Peninsula. The ...

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 Peninsula, and forms the entire western coastline of the Rosneath Peninsula. Loch Long was historically the boundary between Argyll and Dunbartonshire; however, boundary redrawing in 1996 meant that it moved wholly within the council area of Argyll and Bute.

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. In September 2024, it was announced that the oil terminal is scheduled for closure.

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 Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

area.

History

Its name is not a reference to is length; it actually comes from the 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

longship Longships, a type of specialised Viking ship, Scandinavian warships, have a long history in Scandinavia, with their existence being archaeologically proven and documented from at least the fourth century BC. Originally invented and used by th ...

s 2 miles overland to Tarbet and into

Loch Lomond Loch Lomond (; ) is a freshwater Scottish loch which crosses the Highland Boundary Fault (HBF), often considered the boundary between the lowlands of Central Scotland and the Highlands.Tom Weir. ''The Scottish Lochs''. pp. 33-43. Published by ...

. Being inland, the settlements around Loch Lomond were more vulnerable to attack.

Transport

The

steamboat A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. The term ''steamboat'' is used to refer to small steam-powered vessels worki ...

''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

References

External links

Official website, HMNB Clyde

Gaelic place names of Scotland

Map showing Loch Long, circa 1600
National Library of Scotland
Video footage of the old Arrochar steamer pier
{{DEFAULTSORT:Loch Long Long Long Firth of Clyde Cowal Wreck diving sites in Scotland