Loch Mhòr

Loch Mhòr is a reservoir in the Scottish Highlands, lying in the traditional county of Inverness-shire. It stretches across much of the wide Stratherrick valley, about three miles southeast of Loch Ness. The loch fills a shallow basin 179 metres above Loch Ness, deepening to over twenty metres at its southern end. It measures nearly five miles long, with a maximum width of three-quarters of a mile and an average width of about one-third of a mile. The water’s edge is irregular, with multiple bays along the eastern shore and a broad, shallow bay in the middle containing scattered islets. The loch began as two smaller lochs, Loch Garth and Loch Farraline, which were joined in 1896 when dams were built for a hydro-electric scheme. The main dam across the River Gourag is 230 metres long and nine metres high, while a longer embankment dam at Garthbeg is 325 metres long and five metres high. The River E was diverted to feed the reservoir, and water now flows out through the River Gourag into the River Foyers, eventually reaching Loch Ness via the Falls of Foyers. Today Loch Mhòr serves as the upper reservoir for the 300 MW Foyers pumped-storage hydroelectric plant. The catchment area was expanded by 129 square kilometres when part of the River Fechlin was diverted through an aqueduct. Recent repairs to the spillway ensure safe operation, and the dam has been strengthened to allow for a future controlled rise in water level. The surrounding Stratherrick valley offers quiet walks along the shore and views across the water to the hills beyond.