Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
kin, ken
- from
ceann
(head), eg Kinlochleven (head of Loch Leven)
kyle, kyles
- from
caol
or
caolas
(narrow sea channel)
more, vore
- from
mor
or
mhor
(big), eg Ardmore (big height), Skerryvore (big reef)
strath
- from
srath
(broad valley)
tarbert, tarbet
- from
tairbeart
(portage), meaning a narrow neck of land between two bodies of water, across
which a boat can be dragged
tay, ty
- from
tigh
(house), eg Tyndrum (house on the ridge)
tober
- from
tobar
(well), eg Tobermory (Mary's well)
Norse Place Names
a, ay, ey
- from
ey
(island)
bister, buster, bster
- from
bolstaor
(dwelling place, homestead)
geo
- from
gja
(chasm)
holm
- from
holmr
(small island)
kirk
- from
kirkja
(church)
pol, poll, bol
- from
bol
(farm)
quoy
- from
kvi
(sheep fold, cattle enclosure)
sker, skier, skerry
- from
sker
(rocky reef)
vig, vaig, wick
- from
vik
(bay, creek)
voe, way
- from
vagr
(bay, creek)
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond is the largest lake in mainland Britain and, after Loch Ness, perhaps the
most famous of Scotland's lochs. Its proximity to Glasgow (20 miles away) means that the
tourist honeypots of Balloch, Loch Lomond Shores and Luss get pretty crowded in sum-
mer. The main tourist focus is along the A82 on the loch's western shore, and at the south-
ern end, around Balloch, which occasionally becomes a nightmare of jet skis and motor-
boats. The eastern shore, which is followed by the West Highland Way long-distance foot-
path, is a little quieter.
Loch Lomond straddles the Highland border and its character changes as you move
north. The southern part is broad and island-studded, fringed by woods and Lowland
meadows. However, north of Luss the loch narrows, occupying a deep trench gouged out
by glaciers during the Ice Age, with 900m mountains crowding in on either side.
