Loch Insh

Loch Insh is a freshwater loch in the Cairngorms National Park, Highland. It lies on the River Spey in the heart of Badenoch and Strathspey, just below the Insh Marshes. The loch stretches about 1.4 kilometres long and 0.8 kilometres wide, with a small island called Tom Dubh near its outlet. It sits 214 metres above sea level and averages 11.4 metres deep. Kincraig village sits just north of the loch, while Aviemore is about ten kilometres to the north-east and Kingussie five kilometres to the south-west. The loch draws visitors for sailing, windsurfing and kayaking, with a watersports centre on its eastern shore. The centre began in 1969 when Clive Freshwater and his wife Sally leased a small boathouse from the Forestry Commission. It now offers a restaurant, bar, shop and accommodation including chalets and Insh Hall. Princess Anne opened an extension in 2005. Freshwater also won a landmark legal case in the House of Lords over public rights on the River Spey. Tom Dubh island hosts nesting ospreys, first recorded there in 1993. By 2020 the site had raised 53 young ospreys, including three in that year alone. The island is part of the RSPB’s Insh Marshes reserve, where spikes were added to trees in 1995 to prevent egg theft. The surrounding marshes and loch provide calm water and scenic views for visitors.