Loch Long

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Loch Long is a body of water in the council area of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The sea loch extends from the Firth of Clyde at its southwestern end, to the Arrochar Alps at the head of the loch. It measures approximately Template:Convert in length, with a width of between Template:Convert. The loch also has an arm, Loch Goil, on its western side.

Loch Long forms part of the coast of the Cowal Peninsula, and forms the entire western coastline of the Rosneath Peninsula.

Loch Long was historically the boundary between Argyll and Dunbartonshire; however, boundary redrawing in 1996 meant that it moved wholly within the council area of Argyll and Bute.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Villages on Loch Long

Villages and hamlets on the loch include.

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Royal Navy

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On the eastern shore of the Loch is the Royal Navy's Coulport Armament depot, with the Glen Mallan jetty, both part of Defence Munitions Glen Douglas. Part of the extensive Royal Navy's, His Majesty's Naval Base Clyde.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Historic

In Arrochar, the Royal Naval Torpedo Testing Station and Range was established on the Loch in 1912, in connection with the Clyde Torpedo Works on Eldon Street, Greenock, established in 1910. Both sites are now closed.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Finnart Oil Terminal

The Finnart Oil Terminal is located on the eastern shore of the loch, linked to the Grangemouth Refinery via a Template:Convert pipeline.<ref name="www.helensburgh-heritage.co.uk">Template:Cite web</ref>

In September 2024, it was announced that the oil terminal is scheduled for closure.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Environment and concerns

Loch Long has a long term issue with rubbish collecting at the head of the loch. Rubbish mainly washed down water courses from the Glasgow area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

From about 2010 to 2025, due to inadequate maintenance of 1,500 water pipes at RNAD Coulport, some tritium used periodically to replenish Trident nuclear weapons leaked into Loch Long, constituting a low level of radioactive pollution. Analysis by Scottish Environment Protection Agency suggested that up to half of the pipeline components at the base were beyond their design life.<ref name=guardian-20250809>Template:Cite news</ref>

History

The name is not a reference to the loch's length; it actually comes from the Gaelic for "ship lake". Prior to their defeat at the Battle of Largs in 1263, Viking raiders sailed up Loch Long to Arrochar, and then dragged their longships 2 miles overland to Tarbet and into Loch Lomond. Being inland, the settlements around Loch Lomond were more vulnerable to attack.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Transport

The steamboat Chancellor used to traverse the loch, departing Dunoon at 11:00 and returning about five hours later.<ref name=ColegateP53>Colegate's Guide to Dunoon, Kirn, and Hunter's Quay (second edition) – John Colegate (1868), page 53</ref> PS Waverley was also built to serve Loch Long and Loch Goil from 1947,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> a route that she still sailed as of 2021,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> albeit as more of an attraction than a primary means of transport.