THE FRESH- WATER LOCHS OF SCOTLAND. 241 





LOCHS OF THE SHIEL BASIN. 



ONLY two lochs belonging to this basin were sounded, viz., Lochs Shiel 

 and Dilate ; one or two other small lochs within the basin (the principal 

 one being Lochan Dubh, at the head of Glen Hurich) were not sounded. 



Loch Shiel (see Plates LII. and LIIL). Loch Shiel is one of the 

 larger Scottish fresh-water lochs, having a total length of 17^ miles. In 

 this respect it is inferior only to Lochs Awe, Ness, and Lomond, which 

 are 25J, 24^, and 22 J miles in length respectively, and is closely followed 

 by Loch Shin, which is 17^ miles in length. Its elevation above the sea 

 is only 11 J feet, so that a slight subsidence of the strip of land through 

 which the river Shiel flows would convert it into an arm of the sea. 

 Seals occasionally make their way into this loch from the sea at the 

 present time. The principal upper portion of the loch trends in a 

 north-east and south-west direction, but about 6 miles above the outflow 

 there is a bend in the outline of the loch, and the lower portion trends 

 almost due west. The river Shiel follows a north-westerly course for 

 about 2 miles before emptying itself into Loch Moidart. The scenery 

 around the loch is very fine, becoming grand and wild towards the 

 head. At the foot of the loch the surrounding ground is low, but on 

 proceeding up the loch mountainous country borders the loch on both 

 sides, culminating in heights exceeding 3000 feet at the head of Glen 

 Finnan. To 'the south rises Ben Resipol (2774 feet), between Loch 

 Shiel and Loch Sunart; to the east Sgor an Tarinachain (2474 feet), 

 Meall Mor (2487 feet), Meall nan Creag Leac (2474 feet), Glas Garbh 

 (2369 feet), Meall Doire na Mnatha (2094 feet); to the north Beinn 

 nan Tom (2603 feet), Streap (2988 feet), Sgor Choileam (3164 feet), 

 Sgor nan Coireachan (3133 feet), Fraoch-bheinn (2489 feet); to the 

 west Beinn Odhar (2895 feet), Druim Fiaclach (2851 feet), a' Chroit- 

 bheinn (2178 feet), and Beinn Gaire (2179 feet). The principal feeders 

 are the river Finnan, Amhainn Shlatach, and Gallop river, which enter 

 the loch at its head, Glenaladale river entering about 6 miles down on 

 the north-western shore, and the river Polloch (bearing the outflow 

 from Loch Dilate) entering about 11 miles down on the south-eastern 

 shore, where the bend in the trend of the loch occurs. There are 



