LOCH AWE 359 



contour line three separate areas. A deep channel runs from 

 below Loch Awe Station to the Pass of Brander. A deep 

 channel also runs down the long narrow main Hire of the loch. 

 It is noticeable that between the right angle point at New 

 Inverawe and the point N.E. of Inistrynich a long shallow runs 

 out, including Inishail and several lesser islands, and that only 

 a narrow channel of water deeper than 50 feet exists near the 

 Inistrynich shore. This almost suggests that the present loch 

 was at one time two ; that the line from the Orchy through 

 the Pass of Brander formed one, and the long narrow stretch 

 from Inishail to Ford another. In this case the more southern 

 loch may have fed into the more northern, as the line of the 

 various hill burns from the Cladich to Sonachan House on the 

 east side, and the line of the Avich on the west side, rather 

 seem to indicate. Or it may be as explained when dealing with 

 the Add later on, that the outlet of the whole loch was originally 

 at Ford into Loch Grin an, and that a great dislocation of the 

 earth's surface along the south of Ben Cruachan, where the 

 Pass of Brander now is, opened a new outlet. It is more than 

 likely, I should think, that the glaciation of the district indicates 

 the line along which former outflow came about, and I have 

 no doubt great glacial outflow went on at one time where Ford 

 now stands. 1 



We need not, however, concern ourselves here with these 

 speculations. The peculiarity of Loch Awe is that the greater 

 part of it, some 20 miles in length, is simply a blind end. The 

 main line of ascent for fish is from the Brander across a few 

 miles of water to the Orchy mouth. In this line depths of 

 fully 200 feet are found most of the way, till the gradual 

 shallowing opposite Loch Awe Station announces the approach 

 to the peninsula upon which old Kilchurn Castle stands. 



The castle seems to divide the honours of the loch with Ben 

 Cruachan and the Pass of Brander, although the islands have 

 more interest connected with them than most people suppose. 

 Tradition gives it a very early origin, and apparently the ground 

 upon which the castle now stands had a fortress in the days of 

 the MacGregors before it passed to Sir Duncan Campbell of 

 Lochow, and then to his youngest son, Sir Colin Campbell, the 



1 Vide reference to the Longus fluvius in account of the R. Add, 

 p. 371. 



