View source for Loch Leven (Kinross)

{{Other uses|Loch Leven (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox body of water
| name               = Loch Leven
| native_name        = 
| native_name_lang   = 
| other_name         = 
| image              = LochLevenBenarty.jpg
| alt                = 
| caption            = Looking north from Benarty Hill
| image_bathymetry   = 
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| location           = 
| group              = 
| coordinates        = {{coord|56.20019|N|3.37963|W|type:waterbody_region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(NO145017)|display=inline,title}}
| type               = freshwater [[loch]]
| etymology          = 
| part_of            = 
| inflow             = 
| rivers             = 
| outflow            = 
| oceans             = 
| catchment          = 
| basin_countries    = 
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| designation        = 
| date-built         = <!-- {{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}} For man-made and other recent bodies of water -->
| engineer           = 
| date-flooded       = <!-- {{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}} For man-made and other recent bodies of water -->
| length             = {{convert|5.24|km|mift|abbr=on}}<ref name="bathy"/>
| width              = {{convert|4.18|km|mift|abbr=on}}<ref name="bathy"/>
| area               = {{convert|1611|ha|acre|abbr=on}}<ref name="britlakes"/>
| depth              = {{convert|15|ft|m|abbr=on|order=flip}}<ref name="bathy"/>
| max-depth          = {{convert|44|ft|m|abbr=on|order=flip}}<ref name="bathy"/>
| volume             = 
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| salinity           = 
| shore              = {{convert|23|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} <ref name="britlakes"/>
| elevation          = {{convert|106|m|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name="britlakes"/>
| temperature_high   = 
| temperature_low    = 
| frozen             = 
| islands            = [[Lochleven Castle]], St Serf's Island, Reed Bower, Alice's Bower, Scart Island, Roy's Folly, Green Isle
| islands_category   = Islands of Loch Leven
| sections           = 
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| benches            = 
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| pushpin_map             = Scotland Perth and Kinross#UK Scotland
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}}
'''Loch Leven''' ({{langx|gd|Loch Lìobhann}}) is a [[fresh water]] [[loch]] located immediately to the east of the [[burgh]] of [[Kinross]] in [[Perth and Kinross]] council area, central [[Scotland]].<ref name="bathy">{{Source-attribution|sentence=yes|{{cite book |last1=John |first1=Murray |last2=Lawrence |first2=Pullar|title=Bathymetrical Survey of the Fresh-Water Lochs of Scotland, 1897-1909 Lochs of the Forth Basin Volume II - Loch Leven|url=https://maps.nls.uk/bathymetric/text/page/863|date=1910 |publisher=National Challenger Officer|location=National Library of Scotland|page=20|access-date=12 May 2018}}}}</ref><ref name="britlakes">{{cite web|title=Loch Leven|url=http://www.britishlakes.info/24843-loch-leven-tayside|website=British Lakes|access-date=12 May 2018|archive-date=19 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180519211032/http://www.britishlakes.info/24843-loch-leven-tayside|url-status=dead}}</ref> Roughly triangular, the loch is about {{convert|6|km|mi|frac=2|abbr=off|spell=in}} across at its longest. Prior to the canalisation of the [[River Leven, Fife|River Leven]], and the partial draining of the loch in 1826–36, Loch Leven was considerably larger. The drop in water level by {{convert|1.4|m|ftin|abbr=on}} reduced the loch to 75% of its former size, and exposed several small islands, as well as greatly increasing the size of the existing ones.<ref>{{cite web|title=Loch Leven|url=http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst2529.html|website=The Gazetteer for Scotland|publisher=School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh and The Royal Scottish Geographical Society|access-date=13 May 2018}}</ref>

There are seven islands on the loch, the largest being [[St Serf's Inch]]. [[Lochleven Castle]], where [[Mary, Queen of Scots]] was imprisoned in 1567, lies on one of these islands, and it can be reached by a ferry operated from Kinross by [[Historic Environment Scotland]] during the summer months.

[[NatureScot]] describe Loch Leven as "one of Scotland's top natural assets", due to its rich ecosystem that supports many different species of plants, insects, fish and birds.<ref name=p5>The Story of Loch Leven National Nature Reserve. p. 5.</ref> It is of particular significance to migrating birds, who use it as a stopover when flying between their breeding and wintering grounds, due to its lowland location, shallow nutrient rich waters, large water surface, and islands (which provide safe nesting sites).<ref name=p6>The Story of Loch Leven National Nature Reserve. p. 6.</ref> Loch Leven holds numerous national and international [[protected areas of Scotland|conservation designations]], including being a [[national nature reserve (Scotland)|national nature reserve]] (NNR).

==Flora and fauna==
[[File:Wet lands near Vane Farm - geograph.org.uk - 11586.jpg|left|Wetland habitat on the RSPB reserve|thumb]]
As the largest lowland loch in Scotland, Loch Leven is an important site for [[waterfowl]], with up to 35,000 birds present in the winter months. These birds migrate from a variety of places, such as Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Siberia and northern and central Europe. Loch Leven is particularly important for [[pink-footed goose|pink-footed geese]], and up to 20,000 such geese (nearly 10% of the world's population) may be present at times, although many geese move south from the loch as winter progresses. Other bird wintering at Loch Leven include [[greylag goose|greylag geese]], [[whooper swan]]s, [[goldeneye (duck)|goldeneyes]], [[tufted duck]]s, [[common pochard|pochards]], [[Eurasian teal|teals]], [[gadwall]]s, [[great cormorant|cormorants]], and [[northern shoveler|shovelers]].<ref name=p7>The Story of Loch Leven National Nature Reserve. p. 7.</ref><ref name=p8>The Story of Loch Leven National Nature Reserve. p. 8.</ref>

Loch Leven is also important for breeding birds, and hosts one of the largest concentrations of breeding ducks of any non-coastal site in Europe. The most numerous species are tufted duck and [[mallard]]; gadwall, shoveler, [[common shelduck|shelduck]], pochard, teal, [[northern pintail|pintail]] and [[Eurasian wigeon|wigeon]] are also present.<ref name=p13>The Story of Loch Leven National Nature Reserve. p. 13.</ref> The loch is also used by birds such as [[mute swan]]s at the end of the summer for moulting, as the loch is large enough to allow them to avoid predators during a period when they are flightless as the shed their summer feathers and grow new winter plumage.<ref name=p18>The Story of Loch Leven National Nature Reserve. p. 18.</ref>

The two main fish species present in Loch Leven are [[brown trout]] and [[perch]]: the loch's trout have long been noted for their unusual colour and high quality.<ref name=weir/> Other fish living in the loch include [[stickleback]]s, [[pike (fish)|pike]], [[eel]]s, and [[minnow]]s. Some species of fish noted in historical records are no longer present: it is thought that [[Arctic char]] were impacted by the lowering of the loch's water level, whilst the damming of the River Leven and rise in pollution due to the increase in industry are the likely reasons for the demise of the population of [[Atlantic salmon]].<ref name=p18/>

The loch supports many species of invertebrates, which provide a food source for many of the species of birds, fish and mammals. During the summer months large clouds of small flies form a vital part of the food for ducklings. Some rare species of beetle are present, including the carrion beetle ''[[Thanatophilus dispar]]'', the reed beetle ''[[Macroplea appendiculata]]'' and the ant beetle ''[[Anthicus scoticus]]''. Other invertebrates found at the loch include aquatic snails and several species of [[dragonfly|dragonflies]] and [[damselfly|damselflies]].<ref name=p20>The Story of Loch Leven National Nature Reserve. p. 20.</ref>

[[European otter|Otters]] are found around the loch and the burns that feed into it, and [[Eurasian water shrew|water shrews]] and [[European water vole|water voles]] live along the banks of ditches and burns. A total of six species of bat have been recorded at the NNR: [[Daubenton's bat|Daubenton]], [[brown long-eared bat|brown long-eared]], [[noctule bat|noctule]], [[Nathusius's pipistrelle|Nathusius]], [[Soprano pipistrelle|soprano]] and [[common pipistrelle|common pipistrelle bat]]. [[Grey squirrel]] numbers are controlled and this has allowed [[red squirrel]]s to re-establish themselves in woodlands around the loch. [[Fox]], [[mink]] and [[brown rat]] are also present on the reserve. As with the grey squirrels numbers are controlled, for these pest species this is to protect nesting birds.<ref name=p32>The Story of Loch Leven National Nature Reserve. p. 32.</ref><ref name=p18/>

The Loch Leven NNR hosts a wide assemblage of vascular plant species that grow around the loch shore, including three species listed on the [[IUCN Red List]] ([[Corallorhiza trifida|coral root orchid]], [[Loch Leven spearwort]] and [[Baldellia ranunculoides|lesser water-plantain]]) and other species rated as "nationally rare" or "nationally scarce" such as [[Hierochloe odorata|holy grass]], [[Juncus filiformis|threadrush]] and [[Limosella aquatica|mudwort]]. Lesser water plantain, Loch Leven spearwort, mudwort and threadrush live on areas of mud, sand or gravel around the lochside. They require sites that are intermittently exposed, and either natural erosion or active management is needed to prevent reeds or other aquatic plants from out-competing them. Coral-root orchid is found at only one location on the reserve.<ref name=p19>The Story of Loch Leven National Nature Reserve. p. 19.</ref>

==History==
[[File:Lochleven west wall.JPG|thumb|Lochleven Castle]]
The area around Loch Leven has been inhabited for millennia, and the remains of a [[crannog]] (a dwelling constructed on an artificial island, probably during the Iron Age) have been found off Kirkgate Park.<ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|cat=PLA|num=27881|num2=NO10SW 11|desc=Loch Leven}}</ref><ref name=p25>The Story of Loch Leven National Nature Reserve. p. 25.</ref>

[[St Serf's Inch]] was the home of a [[Culdee]] and then an Augustinian monastic community, [[St Serf's Inch Priory]]. There was a monastic community on the island which was old in the 12th century. The monastery produced a series of Gaelic language charters from the 11th and 12th centuries which were translated into Latin in the late 12th century. It was here that [[Prior of Loch Leven|Prior]] [[Andrew of Wyntoun]] wrote the [[Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland]].<ref name=weir>[[Tom Weir]]. ''The Scottish Lochs''. p.p. 57-61. Published by Constable and Company, 1980. {{ISBN|0-09-463270-7}}</ref>

[[Lochleven Castle]] is strongly associated with [[Mary, Queen of Scots]], who was imprisoned here in 1567–1568, and forced to [[abdicate]] as queen, before escaping with the help of her [[gaol]]er's family. After her escape her forces were defeated at the [[Battle of Langside]], and she fled to England.<ref name=weir/> Several relics were found during the partial draining of the loch in 1826–36, one of them being a [[sceptre]], "apparently of cane, hilted with ivory, and mounted with silver, upon which … were the letters of the words, 'Mary, Queen of Scots'", found near the ''Mary Knowe'', where she is supposed to have landed after her escape from the castle.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.londonancestor.com/bells/1827-relics.htm|title=Ancient Relics|date=April 3, 1831|publisher=Bell's Weekly Messenger|access-date=2009-07-10}}</ref> [[Kinross House]] lies on the western shore of the loch facing out to the castle. It was built in 1684&ndash;1695 by its owner, the architect Sir [[William Bruce (architect)|William Bruce]].<ref name=kinross-house/>

Visitors to Loch Leven have long noted the abundance of wildlife here:
{{blockquote|In this lough is fish every day gotten for store, none in Britain like, and consider the bigness of it as also for fowl. There is a river they call the Leven running out of it eight miles to the sea, and in it is salmons... there be great store of all kinds of wildfowl, of wild geese there being continually seen 3,000 or 4,000, and swans many.|Sir Christopher Lowther, 1692.<ref name=p1>The Story of Loch Leven National Nature Reserve. p. 1.</ref>}}
{{blockquote|What appears to contribute most to the redness and rich taste of Loch Leven trout is the vast quantity of small shellfish, red in colour, which abound all over the bottom of the loch especially among the aquatic weeds.|[[Statistical Accounts of Scotland]], 1793.<ref name=weir/>}}

In 1827 an [[Act of Parliament]] was passed "for recovering, draining and preserving certain lands in the [[shires of Scotland|counties]] of [[Fife]] and [[Kinross-shire|Kinross]]; and for better supplying with water the mills, Manufactories and Bleach fields and other works situated on or near the River Leven in the said county of Fife." The work was undertaken to provide a more reliable water supply to industries along the River Leven, and involved the lowering of the level of the loch, and straightening of the River Leven: the old meanders of the river are visible in aerial photographs of the area.<ref name=p27>The Story of Loch Leven National Nature Reserve. p. 27.</ref><ref name=p25/>

==Leisure and visitors==
[[File:LochLevenFromKinross.jpg|View east across Loch Leven from [[Kinross]]|thumb]]
There is an all abilities path around the loch, known as the Loch Leven Heritage Trail, which can be accessed from seven different car parks around the loch at Kinross Pier; Kirkgate Park; Burleigh Sands; Loch Leven's Larder; Findatie; RSPB Loch Leven car park; and the car park at the Cashmere Factory. The trail was completed in 2014, and as of 2016 NatureScot estimated that 200,000 people were using it annually.<ref>[http://www.lochlevenheritagetrail.co.uk/ Loch Leven Heritage Trail]</ref><ref name=p8/> The RSPB run a visitor centre on their section of the reserve which as of 2016 was receiving around 70,000 visitors each year. The centre has facilities including a shop, café, observation room, educational facilities, toilets, and marked trails leading to three [[bird hide]]s. A further three open hides are provided at locations around the loch.<ref name=p36>The Story of Loch Leven National Nature Reserve. p. 36.</ref>

Loch Leven is strongly associated with the sport of [[curling]], and Kinross Curling Club, founded 1668, is reputedly the oldest in the world. The loch has been the site of the most extensive outdoor tournaments in the sport, the [[Grand Match]] or [[Bonspiel]], however the ice has not been thick enough for this since 1959. The cold weather of the 2010/11 winter led to much speculation that a Bonspiel could be held, however due to safety concerns only informal matches were held on the loch.<ref name=p26>The Story of Loch Leven National Nature Reserve. p. 26.</ref> The loch is also a popular location for [[angling]] (chiefly for [[brown trout]]) and [[wildfowling]].<ref name=p31>The Story of Loch Leven National Nature Reserve. p. 31.</ref>

==Conservation designations==
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Loch Leven National Nature Reserve
| alt_name = 
| iucn_category = II
| iucn_ref = <ref name=planet/>
| photo = Wfm loch leven.png
| photo_alt = Satellite photograph of Loch Leven and the surrounding area
| photo_caption = Satellite photograph of Loch Leven and the surrounding area
| photo_width = 
| map = 
| map_alt = 
| map_caption = 
| map_width = 
| location = 
| coordinates = 
| area_ha = 1823
| area_ref = <ref name=nnr>{{cite web|url=https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/5044|title=Loch Leven NNR|publisher=NatureScot|access-date=21 September 2020}}</ref>
| established = 1964<ref name=planet/>
| designation = [[NatureScot]]
| owner = 
| url = [https://www.nature.scot/enjoying-outdoors/scotlands-national-nature-reserves/loch-leven-national-nature-reserve Loch Leven NNR]
| embedded = {{Designation list
| embed = yes
| designation1 = Ramsar
| designation1_offname = Loch Leven
| designation1_date = 5 January 1976
| designation1_number = 72<ref>{{Cite web|title=Loch Leven|website=[[Ramsar Convention|Ramsar]] Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/72|access-date=25 April 2018}}</ref>}}
}}
Loch Leven forms the main part of the Loch Leven [[national nature reserve (Scotland)|national nature reserve]] (NNR), which covers {{convert|1823|ha|acre|abbr=on}} of loch and islands.<ref name=nnr/> The NNR is managed by [[NatureScot]], with the wetlands on the southern shore being managed by the [[Royal Society for the Protection of Birds]] (RSPB) and the fishing and shooting managed by Kinross Estate. Castle Island is managed by [[Historic Environment Scotland]], who also run the ferry to the island. Loch Leven was first declared a National Nature Reserve in 1964 and re-declared in 2002, when it was extended to include the RSPB Loch Leven section.<ref name=p32/> The NNR is classified as a [[Protected area#IUCN Protected Area Management Categories|Category II]] [[protected area]] by the [[International Union for Conservation of Nature]].<ref name=planet>{{cite web|url=https://www.protectedplanet.net/1469|title=Loch Leven|publisher=Protected Planet|access-date=14 February 2021}}</ref>

As an internationally important site for wildlife Loch Leven holds a number of different conservation designations, being designated as a [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]] (SSSI),<ref name=sssi>{{cite web|url=https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/993|title=Loch Leven SSSI|publisher=NatureScot|access-date=21 September 2020}}</ref> a [[Special Protection Area]] (SPA),<ref name=spa>{{cite web|url=https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/8530|title=Loch Leven SPA|publisher=NatureScot|access-date=21 September 2020}}</ref> and a [[Ramsar site]].<ref name=Ramsar>{{cite web|url=https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/8436|title=Loch Leven Ramsar|publisher=NatureScot|access-date=21 September 2020}}</ref>

There are also sites designated for their historical value surrounding Loch Leven. Lochleven Castle and St Serf's Priory are [[Scheduled Monuments]].<ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=SM90204|desc=Lochleven Castle|access-date=2019-04-12|fewer-links=yes}}</ref><ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=SM90271|desc=St Serf's Priory|access-date=2019-04-12|fewer-links=yes}}</ref> Kinross House is a Category A [[listed building]], and its grounds are listed in the [[Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland]].<ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=GDL00247|desc=Kinross House|access-date=2019-04-12|fewer-links=yes}}</ref><ref name=kinross-house>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB11200|desc=Kinross House|cat=A|access-date=2019-04-12}}</ref>

Although greatly improved in recent years, the loch continues to suffer from a high [[phosphorus]] load and other pollution, primarily as a result of surrounding agricultural practises, which has contributed to occasional algal blooms on the loch and reduced feature condition. Work is ongoing to continue to reduce these effects, however it is thought that increasing summer temperatures now play a significant role in the formation of these blooms.<ref>{{Cite web| title=Letter to Councillor Grant Laing | date=2023-03-15 | url=https://www.pkc.gov.uk/media/50977/Response-from-Minister-for-Environment-and-Land-Reform/pdf/Response_from_Minister_for_Environment_and_Land_Reform_15032023.pdf?m=638146631414900000 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250424071439/https://www.pkc.gov.uk/media/50977/Response-from-Minister-for-Environment-and-Land-Reform/pdf/Response_from_Minister_for_Environment_and_Land_Reform_15032023.pdf?m=638146631414900000 | archive-date=2025-04-24}}</ref>

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
*{{cite web|url=https://www.nature.scot/sites/default/files/2018-02/The%20Story%20of%20Loch%20Leven%20National%20Nature%20Reserve.pdf|title=The Story of Loch Leven National Nature Reserve|date=2016|publisher=Scottish Natural Heritage|access-date=28 February 2020}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Loch Leven, Perth and Kinross|Loch Leven}}
* {{gbmapping|NO145017}}
* [https://www.nnr.scot/ Scotland's National Nature Reserves]
* [https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/loch-leven/ RSPB Loch Leven]
* [https://www.pkct.org/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=940dfb50-a69c-4958-8e9a-4a76674d6f8a%20 ''Loch Leven Heritage Trail''] - Scotland's National Nature Reserves

{{National Nature Reserves of Scotland}}
<!-- Please respect alphabetical order -->

[[Category:Lochs of Perth and Kinross|Leven]]
[[Category:National nature reserves in Scotland]]
[[Category:Ramsar sites in Scotland]]
[[Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in South Perth]]
[[Category:Possible impact craters on Earth]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Perth and Kinross]]
[[Category:Freshwater lochs of Scotland|Leven]]
[[Category:Forth basin]]