Loch Coruisk

Loch Coruisk lies at the foot of the Black Cuillin on the Isle of Skye in the Scottish Highlands. It is a freshwater loch shaped like a narrow cauldron, nearly two miles long but only about 400 yards wide. The northern shore is ringed by the jagged Black Cuillin peaks, often wrapped in cloud. The Scavaig River flows from its southern end into Loch Scavaig, a sea loch nearby. Local legend says the loch is home to a kelpie, a shape-shifting water horse that may take human form. Sir Walter Scott visited in 1814 and wrote of its stark beauty. Lord Tennyson reached the banks after a gruelling walk only to find thick fog. Mark Haddon used the loch as a portal in a children’s novel, describing the path from Elgol and the Memorial Hut along the way. Robert Macfarlane explored the valley while writing *The Wild Places*, dedicating a chapter to its remote landscape. Artists such as J. M. W. Turner and William Daniell have painted its dramatic scenery over the centuries. Visitors reach the loch by boat from Elgol or on foot from Sligachan along paths that cross rough ground. One section, known as the Bad Step, demands care from walkers. The loch’s northern end offers views of towering, cloud-capped mountains. The southern shore opens onto the Scavaig River’s short but lively flow. The air is often still, broken only by the cry of birds or the rush of wind across the peaks.