BATHYMETRICAL SURVEY OF 



LOCHS OF THE HELMSDALE BASIN. 



THIS large basin extends from the shores of the North Sea at Helmsdale 

 to the flanks of Ceann Garbh and Cnoc nan Tri-Clach on the north, and of 

 Creag na h-Iolaire and Ben Armine on the west, the total area being about 

 220 square miles. The ten lochs within this basin that were sounded by 

 the Lake Survey Staff, viz., Lochs an Ruathair, Coire nam Meann, Leum 

 a' Chlamhain, Araich-Lin, Truid air Sgithiche, nan Cuinne, a' Chlair, 

 Baddanloch, Allt an Fhearna, and na Moine, all lie towards the head- 

 waters of the basin, while the river Helmsdale, after leaving the lochs, 

 flows through a large tract of country before reaching the sea, and with its 

 many tributaries drains the larger portion of the basin. The area draining 

 into the lochs under consideration is about 82 square miles, as will be 

 seen from the summary table, while the area draining into the river 

 Helmsdale irrespective of these lochs is about 138 square miles. In 

 this respect the Helmsdale basin contrasts strongly with the Brora 

 basin, where the river Brora, after leaving Loch Brora, drains a very 

 small area not more than 3 square miles. The loch nearest the source 

 of the river Helmsdale is Loch an Ruathair, the stream issuing from 

 which, on being joined about a mile from the loch by the Knockfin river, 

 receives the name of Helmsdale. A short distance seawards the river 

 Helmsdale is joined by the Claggan Burn, bearing the overflow from Lochs 

 Coire nam Meann, Leum a' Chlamhain, and Araich-Lin, and still a little 

 farther on it is joined by the Allt Ach' na h-Uai', bearing the overflow 

 from the remaining lochs in the basin already mentioned. 



This series of lochs is interesting on account of the variation in their 

 outlines, most of them departing from the usual long and narrow form 

 characteristic of Scottish lochs, while one of them is almost circular in 

 outline. 



Loch an Ruathair (see Plate II.). Loch an Ruathair (or Loeh-an- 

 Ruar) is situated close to the Highland Railway line between Kinbrace 

 and Forsinard stations. It is a good fishing loch, containing trout and 

 char, amid pretty surroundings, with Creag Sail a' Blathaich (1139 feet), 

 and Meall a' Bluirich (1331 feet), rising off the north-western shore, 

 overshadowed by the peaks of Ben Griam Mhor and Ben Griani Bheag, 

 which attain an elevation of nearly 2000 feet, farther distant in the same 

 direction, while to the south-east the Knockfin heights exceed 1400 feet. 



