Loch Broom

For the shinty club, see Lochbroom Camanachd.

Loch Broom (Scottish Gaelic: Loch Bhraoin, loch of rain showers) is a sea loch located in northwestern Ross and Cromarty, in the former parish of Lochbroom, in the west coast of Scotland. The small town of Ullapool lies on the eastern shore of the loch. Alternatively, the reference to broom is thought to be derived from the spreading yellow gorse.

Little Loch Broom

Its sister loch, Little Loch Broom, lies just to the west, at the foot of An Teallach and opening into the Minch. The village of Dundonnell, is located at the mouth of the loch, linked by the A832 coast road to Camusnagaul on the eastern shore, midway up the loch, and Badcaul further north. The furthest southeast inlest to the loch a swamp. The loch is an important wildlife habitat, and a population of cormorants often bask on the rocks jutting out of the water.

Geography

Loch Broom

Loch Broom is fed by River Broom which rises in the Dirrie mountains. issuing from two lochs, Loch Bhraoin and Loch Droma. Loch Bhraoin feeds the river Abhainn Cuileig which is joined by the Allt Breabaig stream that rises in Sgùrr Breac to the south. Loch Droma feeds the river Abhainn Droma. The two rivers join close to Cuileig Power Station, 4.75 miles southeast of Loch Brown, passing Leal Forrest before joining the loch as a fast flowing river with a strong current.

Loch Broom opens from the Minch at a width of 12.5 miles, covers 7 miles south-eastwards, and holds the Summer Isles over that distance, and ramifies into Loch Broom proper in the North, with the sea loch, Loch Kanaird to the northeast close to Isle Martin, which overlooks Annat Bay on the Scoraig peninsula to the west which separates Loch Broom from Little Loch Broom in the middle and Gruinard Bay in the South.

At its mouth proper, Loch Broom is 4 miles wide, and travels 5 miles south-eastward; contracts to 1 mile wide and changes direction to south-south-eastward and goes for about 9.5 miles where it is fed by the River Broom.

Little Loch Broom

Loch Broom Parish church at Clachan.

Little Loch Broom is separated from Loch Broom by a Scoraig peninsula between 2 and 4 miles wide commencing in Caileach Head. The loch is 9.5 mile long, orientated in a south-eastward direction, similar to Loch Broom, and has a mean breadth of 1 mile.

Two rivers flow into Little Loch Broom; the Allt Airdeasaidh empties into the Loch at Ardessie Falls and Dundonnell river, which rises in the Dundonnell forest 3 miles southeast of the loch and the innumerable small lochs and rivers that are in the forest.

Mountains

The entrance to Loch Broom is overlooked by mountain of Ben More Coigach, at 743m, on the Coigach peninsula, which has a view of Isle Martin and Loch Kanaird. The peninsula separating Loch Broom from Little Loch Broom contains the mountains of Beinn Ghobhlach and Beinn nam Ban. The Marilyn, Beinn Ghobhlach at 635m, is located at the head of the peninsula, overlooks the entrance to Loch Broom proper, to the northeast and Little Loch Broom to the south. It has a commanding view of Gruinard Bay and Gruinard Island to the west.

Beinn nam Ban at 580m, also a Marilyn (named after Marilyn Monroe), is located at the base of the peninsula, overlooks Dundonnell to the southwest and Loch Broom to the west and south.

Lying southwest of Dundonnell, ovelooking Little Loch Broom, and Gruinard Bay and Gruinard Island, to the northwest, lies the majestic ridge of An Teallach, with 10 mountains over 914m. An Teallach meaning 'The Anvil' or 'The Forge' in Scottish Gaelic, are also Marilyn's.

View north of Little Loch Broom