Can lochs freeze?

The climate of Scotland is so temperate that no lochs are in normal winters frozen over for long periods, as they are in Europe generally. The smaller lochs may be frozen over for a few days, or a few weeks, several times in the course of the winter.



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What is the warmest loch in Scotland? One of the warmest Scottish lochs is Loch Lubnaig which can be found in the Scottish Highlands. If you fancy trying some wild swimming whilst in Scotland, Loch Lubnaig is a good place to start.

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Loch Ness has the largest volume of any Scottish loch. It contains more water than all the English and Welsh lakes put together! It's also the coldest - the water temperature averages a chilly 5 degrees Celsius all year round.

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Loch Ness is part of the Caledonian Canal, which was built in the 19th century to allow ships to make their way from the North Sea to the Atlantic without having to face the dangers of the Pentland Firth. 4. The waters of Loch Ness are very dark due to the peat washed from the hills into the Loch.

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Lochs can be lakes but they can also be fjords (a narrow inlet with steep sides), so some are closed freshwater lochs, while others are open to the sea and subject to tides. To showcase these beauties for all their glory, we've mapped out what we think are some of the best lochs in Scotland.

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So what is the difference between a loch and a lake? Well, the main distinction is where they are located. Lochs can be found in Scotland and Ireland whilst lakes are found elsewhere in the world. This is because the word 'loch' comes from the Gaelic languages which were historically used in these parts of Britain.

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Famous as being Scotland's only lake, rather than loch, the Lake of Menteith is discovered in the Carse of Stirling, close to the city. Strangely, and for no known reason, the small lake was called the Loch of Mentieth until the 19th century.

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There are also around 18,000 kilometres of coastline (including numerous sea lochs). With so much water, we are certainly spoilt for choice when it comes to swimming. The Scottish Outdoor Access Code legally allows us the 'right to roam' ? and swim ? without restrictions, as long as we do so responsibly.

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