Loch of Forfar is a freshwater

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 ...

lying on the western side of the town of

Forfar Forfar (; , ) is the county town of Angus, Scotland, and the administrative centre for Angus Council, with a new multi-million-pound office complex located on the outskirts of the town. As of 2021, the town had a population of 16,280. The town ...

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 loch trends in an east to west direction and is approximately in length. The loch and area around it form ''Forfar Loch Country Park''. On the northern side of the loch there is a natural gravel projection which is named ''Queen Margaret's Inch'' or ''Saint Margaret's Inch''. The projection was named after Queen Margaret, the 11th century Queen of Scots. Several historical structures have been located on the Inch including a

crannog A crannog (; ; ) is typically a partially or entirely artificial island, usually constructed in lakes, bogs and estuary, estuarine waters of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Unlike the prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps, which were built ...

and a chapel.

History

named ''Queen Margaret's Inch'' once stood on the loch. It was exposed when the loch was drained in 1781. Several items were then retrieved including silver earrings, bone chess pieces and bronze objects. It is thought that around 1243 a cell of monks from Coupar Angus Abbey inhabited the Inch and that ''The Chapel of the Holy Trinity'' and several houses were built.

Recreation and leisure

The loch is a local centre for recreation and leisure activities including walking, sailing, canoeing,

orienteering Orienteering is a group of sports that involve using a map and compass to navigation, navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain whilst moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specia ...

and fishing. The ''Forfar Loch Country Park Ranger Service'' provide a range of environmental activities and talks. The ''Forfar Sailing Club'' has its facilities on the Inch. There are several paths and trails in and around the loch all of which are marked and fully wheelchair accessible.

Survey

The loch was surveyed on 26 June 1903 by Sir John Murray and later charted as part of Murray's ''Bathymetrical Survey of Fresh-Water Lochs of Scotland 1897-1909''.

References

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External links

Forfar Loch Country Park

Forfar Tay catchment