Barhapple Loch

Barhapple Loch is a small freshwater loch in Wigtownshire, Dumfries and Galloway. It lies four miles east of Glenluce and is of glacial origin, a kettle hole type. To the south is Derskelpin Farm, with Dernaglar Loch nearby. Knock Moss and Dirlaughlin Hill stand to the southwest, while Barhapple Hill rises to the east. Mark of Luce Moss borders the loch on the east and north. The loch is known for the discovery of a crannog in 1878 after it was drained. In 1842 James McCulloch found a circle of hazel stakes while cutting peat. In 1880 the Earl of Stair led an exploration party that uncovered oak piles and a wooden platform. A gangway of 550 feet was built to reach the site. Surveys in 2002 and later years recorded the decaying timbers and estimated 3,000 trees were used to build the crannog. Visitors find a shallow loch surrounded by peat bog and marsh. The east shore offers firm ground where the gangway once stood. Dense reeds and sedges grow on the north and west sides. The east shore is gravelly and peaty, while the south supports a mix of rushes and other plants. The crannog remains lie submerged or partly exposed, monitored for decay.