Loch Fad

Loch Fad is a long freshwater loch on the Isle of Bute in Scotland. Its name comes from Scottish Gaelic and means ‘long loch’. The ribbon-shaped lake stretches for almost three kilometres with a width between two hundred and four hundred metres. It lies along the Highland Boundary Fault where the Highlands meet the Lowlands. Near its middle the water reaches its deepest point. An artificial lake called Kirk Dam joins the natural loch at its north-east end, both sharing the same water level. The combined water body covers seventy-one hectares, making it one of the largest freshwater lochs on a Scottish island. Water flows from the loch through a canal hidden beneath Rothesay’s town centre. The site hosts one of the biggest rainbow trout cage farms in the United Kingdom. In 2018 engineers tested Donald Campbell’s boat Bluebird on these waters. Visitors find a calm ribbon of water bordered by gentle slopes. The loch’s long shape and clear depths attract anglers and walkers alike. Nearby paths run close to the shore, offering views across the water to the surrounding hills. Rothesay’s centre lies just beyond the hidden canal outlet. The scene remains quiet, with only the occasional ripple from the trout cages breaking the stillness.