58 BATHYMETRICAL SURVEY OF 



LOCHS OF THE TOEBIDON BASIN. 



ONLY two lochs within the Torridon basin were sounded by the Lake 

 Survey, viz. Loch Damh, which drains into Upper Loch Torridon, and 

 Loch Dhugaill, which drains into Loch Shieldaig, a branch of Loch 

 Torridon. Loch Lundie, which also drains into Loch Shieldaig, and 

 other smaller lochs, could not be surveyed for lack of facilities. The 

 district abounds in deer forests and lofty mountains, and the scenery is 

 of a true Highland character. Loch Damh contains salmon, sea-trout, and 

 salmo ferox, as well as trout, while Loch Dhugaill contains salmon, sea- 

 trout, and yellow trout ; but the fishings are preserved. 



Loch Dhugaill (see Plate XX.). Loch Dhugaill (or Dougall) lies at 

 the foot of Glen Shieldaig (see Fig. 31), about a mile from the head of 

 Loch Shieldaig, the precipitous slopes of Ben Shieldaig rising on the east. 

 The loch trends in a north-west and south-east direction, and is narrowly 

 triangular in outline, with the apex to the north-west. The length exceeds 

 half a mile, and the maximum breadth at the south-east end is about a 

 quarter of a mile. The superficial area is about 38 acres, and the drainage 

 area over 4 square miles. The maximum depth of 108 feet was observed 

 in the middle of the loch towards the south-east end. The volume of 

 water is estimated at 63 million cubic feet, and the mean depth at 38^ feet. 

 The loch was surveyed on August 22, 1902, but the elevation could not 

 be determined; on July 1, 1869, the Ordnance Survey officers found the 

 elevation to be 84*3 feet above the sea. The conformation of the basin is 

 simple, the deeper water lying at the wide upper end of the loch. About 

 74 per cent, of the lake-floor is covered by less than 50 feet of water, while 

 about 7 per cent, is covered by more than 100 feet of water. Temperatures 

 taken in the deepest part of the loch gave 57*0 Fahr. at the surface and 

 45-7 at 100 feet, showing a range of 11'3. 



Loch Damh (see Plate XX,). Loch Damh lies about a mile from the 

 southern shore of Upper Loch Torridon, into which it drains by the river 

 Balgay, Beinn Damph (2958 feet) rising from the eastern shore of the 

 loch (see Fig. 32). The two little lochs, an Loin and Coultrie, at the 

 head of Loch Damh, were not surveyed, but were seen to be largely filled 

 with weeds, and are apparently shallow. Loch Damh trends nearly north 

 and south, and is somewhat V-shaped in outline, with the limbs of the V 



