Loch Indaal

Loch Indaal (or Lochindaal) is a sea loch on the island of Islay, the southernmost of the Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland. Together with Loch Gruinart to the north, it was formed by the Loch Gruinart Fault, [cite journal| url=http://www.badleys.com/about/pdf/Roberts&Holdsworth1999.pdf| format=pdf| title=Linking onshore and offshore structures| author=Roberts, AM & Holdsworth, RE| journal=Journal of the Geological Society| location=London| volume=156| pages=1061–64| date=1999| accessdate=2007-12-22| doi=10.1144/gsjgs.156.6.1061] which branches off the Great Glen Fault.

Along the northwestern coast are the villages of Bruichladdich and Port Charlotte. Along its northeastern shore is the tiny village of Bridgend and on its southeastern shore is the island capital of Bowmore.

At night the lights of the villages along the three sides of the loch inspired the well-known folk song "The Lights of Lochindaal" by Iain Simpson. [cite web| url=http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~steve/islay/poem.htm| title=Lights of Lochindaal| author=Iain Simpson| accessdate=2007-12-22]

South of Bowmore the entire coastline is a six-mile-long sandy beach stretching to Kintra. This beach, known as the Big Strand, is very popular with holiday makers and locals alike in the summer.

Waters

Lochindaal slopes gently from its NE corner down to its opening into the Atlantic [Admiralty Chart 2168 Approaces to the Sound of Jura available from [http://catalogue.ukho.gov.uk/ Admiralty on line catalogue] ] . At the mouth of Lochindaal, equidistant between Portnahaven and the Monument on the Oa, the depth is around 40 metres, this slopes steadily upwards towards the northeast reaching a depth of barely 10 metres between Laggan Point and Port Charlotte.

The waters of the loch are calm and safe but the approaches are hazardous especially for small vessels. There are tidal streams, eddies, races and heavy overfalls both in the east and west flowing streams of the tide (see the admiralty chart for more details).

The Big Strand and Laggan Bay

The East of the loch is taken up by the six mile length of the Big Strand, the area as a whole being known as Laggan Bay. The Big Strand itself is sandy along its whole length being broken by a rocky outcrop half way along at the airport.

In the north the Big Strand is accessible by car along a stretch of unmade road leading from Island Farm, it is road signed off the A846 south of Bowmore. The river Laggan empties into the ocean at the very northern point of the beach.

In the south the Big Strand is accessible from Kintra Farm on the Oa.

The loch shelves away slowly towards the middle of the loch and is ideal for bathing and swimming.

Half way along the strand is Islay Airport (Glenegedale Airport). Although it has two runways, one is not in use. The approach from to the northwest runway takes the SAAB 340 service plane over Lochindaal at very low altitude giving superb views of Laggan Bay.

Gallery

Footnotes