Storm Rising Loch Laggan Highland Scotland

by OBT Imaging

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Storm Rising Loch Laggan Highland Scotland

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OBT Imaging

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Photograph - Photograph

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There was a storm rising over Loch Laggan, when I took this image on the way home from Aviemore, via a round trip. It had been the most beautiful summer clear blue sky day, then everything changed, it was a perfect end, really a fine excuse to head home and light the fire which we so often do here in Scotland after a day in the hills. Alas I love the blue sky I love the drama storm sky, it's all good.

Loch Laggan is a freshwater loch situated approximately 6.5 mi (10.5 km) to the west of Dalwhinnie in the Scottish Highlands. The loch has an irregular shape, runs nearly northeast to southwest and is approximately 7 mi (11 km) in length. It has an average depth of 68 ft (21 m) and is 174 ft (53 m) at its deepest. The eastern end of the loch features the largest freshwater beach in Britain. Since 1934 Loch Laggan has been part of the Lochaber hydro-electric scheme. At the northeast end of the loch is the hamlet of Kinloch Laggan.

The loch was surveyed[2] on 2 and 3 of June 1902 by Sir John Murray, T.R.N. Johnston, James Parsons and James Murray and was later charted[3] as part of the Bathymetrical Survey of Fresh-Water Lochs of Scotland 1897-1909.

The A86 road from Spean Bridge to Kingussie follows the loch's north shore. The River Pattack flows into the head of the loch just below the road bridge at Kinloch Laggan. The boundary of the Cairngorms National Park wraps around the head of the loch. A short section of the River Spean connects the natural loch with the reservoir downstream and this river continues westwards below Laggan Dam. Two other substantial watercourses empty into the loch, the Allt Labhrach which drains Lochan na h-Earba which lies southeast of Loch Laggan and Allt Coire Ardair which rises beneath Creag Meagaidh. The remains of an island dwelling lie in the middle of the loch near Ardverikie.[4]The lands historically belonged to Clan Macpherson. The 20th chief, Ewen Macpherson, leased Benalder and Ardverikie in 1844 to The 2nd Marquess of Abercorn, an Ulster-Scots peer, "one of the trend setters in the emerging interest in deer stalking in Scotland." The Marquess expanded the original shooting lodge. He served as Groom of the Stool to Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, who along with the prince spent three weeks at Ardverikie in the late summer of 1847.[2]

In 1860, Lord Abercorn transferred the lease to Lord Henry Bentinck, another stalking enthusiast, who lived there until his death in 1870.[2]

Sir John Ramsden purchased the Ardverikie and Benalder forests in 1871 for £107,500 (equivalent to £10,083,219 in 2019). In 1873, the house was destroyed by fire, and was rebuilt from 1874 to 1878. It was rebuilt in the popular style of Scottish baronial architecture, designed by the architect John Rhind.[2][3]

Ramsden's son, Sir John Frecheville Ramsden, inherited the lands after his father's death in 1914. The majority of the land was sold off following the two World Wars, and in 1956 Sir John transferred the Ardverikie Estate to a family company under the chairmanship of his son, Sir William Pennington-Ramsden. The company, Ardverikie Estate Limited, still owns and manages the estate today. The estate does business renting cottages and letting the property for weddings.[2]

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March 7th, 2021

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