Lighthouse Loch Indaal Lighthouse Rubh'an Duin The lighthouse just outside Port Charlotte on Islay. Location| Port Charlotte Islay Argyll and Bute Scotland United Kingdom Coordinates| 55°44′41″N 6°22′20″W / 55.744760°N 6.372223°W / 55.744760; -6.372223 Tower Constructed| 1869 Construction| brick tower Height| 13 metres (43 ft) Shape| ctlindrical tower with balcony and lantern Markings| white tower, black lantern, ochre trim Power source| mains electricity Operator| Lochindaal House[1] Light Focal height| 15 metres (49 ft) Range| 11 nmi (20 km; 13 mi) (white), 8 nmi (15 km; 9.2 mi) (red) Characteristic| Fl WR 7s. Loch Indaal (or Lochindaal) is a sea loch on Islay, the southernmost island of the Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland. Together with Loch Gruinart to the north, it was formed by the Loch Gruinart Fault,[2] which branches off the Great Glen Fault. Along the northwestern coast are the villages of Bruichladdich and Port Charlotte. Along its northeastern shore is the tiny village of Bridgend and on its southeastern shore is the island capital of Bowmore. At night the lights of the villages along the three sides of the loch inspired the well-known folk song "The Lights of Lochindaal" by Iain Simpson.[3] South of Bowmore the entire coastline is a six-mile-long sandy beach stretching to Kintra. This beach, known as the Big Strand, is very popular with holidaymakers and locals alike in the summer. ## Waters[edit] Loch Indaal slopes gently from its NE corner down to its opening into the Atlantic.[4] At the mouth of the loch, which lies between Portnahaven to the north and the American Monument on The Oa to the south, the depth is around 40 metres, rising steadily upwards towards the northeast and reaching a depth of barely 10 metres between Laggan Point and Port Charlotte. The waters of the loch are calm and safe but the approaches are hazardous especially for small vessels. There are tidal streams, eddies, races and heavy overfalls both in the east and west flowing streams of the tide. ## The Big Strand and Laggan Bay[edit] The eastern shore of the loch is taken up by the six mile length of the Big Strand, the area as a whole being known as Laggan Bay. The Big Strand itself is sandy along its whole length being broken by a rocky outcrop roughly half way along its length at Glenegedale Airport. In the north the Big Strand is accessible by car along a stretch of unmade road leading from Island farm, on a road signed off the A846 south of Bowmore. The river Laggan empties into the ocean near the northern point of the beach. In the south the Big Strand is accessible from Kintra Farm on the Oa. Glenegedale Airport has two runways, although one is not in use. The approach from to the northwest runway takes aircraft over Lochindaal at very low altitude giving excellent views of Laggan Bay. ## See also[edit] * List of lighthouses in Scotland * List of Northern Lighthouse Board lighthouses ## Gallery[edit] * Looking west across the loch to the Rinns at low tide * Looking north from Port Charlotte across the loch to Jura * The Big Strand * Towards Traigh Cill an Rubha Looking across the head of Loch Indaal in late afternoon * The shore at Gortan, Loch Indaal looking along the edge of the shore at low tide ## References[edit] 1. ^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Scotland: Argyll and Bute". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 23 May 2016. 2. ^ Roberts, AM & Holdsworth, RE (1999). "Linking onshore and offshore structures" (PDF). Journal of the Geological Society. 156 (6): 1061–64. doi:10.1144/gsjgs.156.6.1061. S2CID 130517950. Retrieved 22 December 2007. 3. ^ Iain Simpson. "Lights of Lochindaal". Retrieved 22 December 2007. 4. ^ Admiralty Chart 2168 Approaches to the Sound of Jura available from Admiralty on line catalogue ## External links[edit] Wikimedia Commons has media related to Loch Indaal. * Northern Lighthouse Board Portals: * Scotland * Engineering * v * t * e Islay Villages| * Ardbeg * Ardilistry * Ardtalla * Ballygrant * Bowmore * Bridgend * Bruichladdich * Bunnahabhain * Easter Ellister * Kilchiaran * Kilchoman * Kilmeny * Lagavulin * Nerabus * Port Askaig * Port Charlotte * Port Ellen * Portnahaven Geographical features| * Ardnave Point * Aros Bay * Beinn Bheigeir * Bowmore Sandstone Group * Claggain Bay * Colonsay Group * Eilean Mhic Coinnich * Gruinart Flats * Lagavulin Bay * Loch an t-Sailein * Loch Gruinart * Loch Indaal * Machir Bay * The Oa * Rhinns complex * Rinns of Islay * River Laggan * Sound of Islay History and architecture| * Battle of Benbigrie * Battle of Traigh Ghruinneart * Battle of Epiphany * Cenél nÓengusa * Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg * Clark Cottage * Dun Bhruichlinn * Dun Guaidhre * Dun Nosebridge * Dunlossit House * Dunyvaig Castle * Finlaggan * Islay Charter * Islay House * Islay LIMPET * Islay Woollen Mill * Kildalton Castle * Kilarrow Parish Church * RAF Kilchiaran * Kildalton Cross * Loch Gorm Castle * Margadale * Mulindry House * Ramsay Hall, Port Ellen * St John's Church, Port Ellen Islay whisky| * Ardbeg * Ardnahoe * Bowmore * Bruichladdich * Bunnahabhain * Caol Ila * Kilchoman * Lagavulin * Laphroaig * Port Charlotte * Port Ellen Other Islay related articles| * Islay Airport * Machrie golf course * MV Finlaggan * Sorex araneus grantii * Westering Home * Western Isles Open Championship * v * t * e Lighthouses of the Northern Lighthouse Board Scotland (except principal island groups)| * Ailsa Craig * Ardnamurchan * Bass Rock * Bell Rock * Buchan Ness * Cape Wrath * Chanonry * Corran Point * Corsewall * Covesea Skerries * Crammag Head * Davaar * Duncansby Head * Dunnet Head * Fidra * Fife Ness * Girdle Ness * Holy Island (Outer) * Inchkeith * Isle of May * Kinnaird Head * Mull of Galloway * Mull of Kintyre * North Rona * Noss Head * Pladda * Rattray Head * Rubh Re * St Abbs Head * Sanda * Scurdie Ness * Stoer Head * Strathy Point * Stroma * Sule Skerry * Tarbat Ness * Turnberry * Minor lights The Hebrides| * Barra Head * Butt of Lewis * Dubh Artach * Eilean Glas * Flannan Islands * Haskeir * Hyskeir * Lismore * Monach * Neist Point * Ornsay * Rinns of Islay * Rubha nan Gall * Rona * Ruvaal * Scarinish * Skerryvore * Tiumpan Head * Ushenish * Minor lights Orkney| * Auskerry * Brough of Birsay * Cantick Head * Copinsay * Hoy Sound (High) * Hoy Sound (Low) * North Ronaldsay * Noup Head * Pentland Skerries * Start Point * Tor Ness * Minor lights Shetland| * Bressay * Eshaness * Fair Isle North * Fair Isle South * Firths Voe * Foula * Hoo Stack * Little Holm * Muckle Flugga * Out Skerries * Point of Fethaland * Sumburgh Head * Ve Skerries * Minor lights Isle of Man| * Chicken Rock * Douglas Head * Langness (minor light) * Maughold Head * Point of Ayre * Thousla Rock (minor light) Coordinates: 55°45′N 6°21′W / 55.750°N 6.350°W / 55.750; -6.350 Authority control: Loch Indaal Lighthouse | * Admiralty * A4254 * ARLHS * MarineTraffic * NGA * OLL | *[v]: View this template *[t]: Discuss this template *[e]: Edit this template