Eglinton Loch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eglinton Loch |
|
|---|---|
The loch from the outflow boardwalk area
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Location | Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, Scotland |
| Type | Freshwater loch |
| Primary inflows | Lugton Water (during floods), rainwater and field drainage |
| Primary outflows | Eglinton Burn running to the Lugton Water |
| Basin countries | Scotland |
| Surface area | 6.5 ha (16 acres) |
| Average depth | 6 m (20 ft) |
| Islands | 3 |
| Settlements | Kilwinning |
Eglinton Loch is a small freshwater lake in North Ayrshire, Scotland. It's located within Eglinton Country Park, near the towns of Irvine and Kilwinning. This loch has three small islands. It's special because it's one of many man-made lakes in Ayrshire, created by digging up materials from the ground.
Contents
About Eglinton Loch
This lake is about 6.5 hectares in size and 6 metres deep. It was made in 1975. Workers dug out materials to build the A78 road bypass around Irvine and Kilwinning.
Old maps show this area often flooded. It was also the place where exciting jousting matches happened during the famous Eglinton Tournament of 1839. Today, Eglinton Loch is a popular spot. People enjoy fishing here, and it's great for watching birds. The Lugton Water river flows through the park. Several small dams, called weirs, were built along the river. These helped raise the water level to make the park look even more beautiful.
The Eglinton Tournament
The Eglinton Tournament of 1839 was a huge event. The area chosen for it was low and a bit marshy. It was usually used for grazing animals. Grassy slopes rose up all around the main area.
Knights on horseback and their helpers rode to the jousting field, called the tilt yard. This is marked as 'C' on the map. Guests and visitors walked to the viewing stands using the path marked 'F'. Everyone crossed over the beautiful three-arched Gothic Eglinton Tournament Bridge. A map from 1837 shows the tilt yard was already there. It's not known what happened to it after the tournament ended.
What You Can Do at the Loch
Eglinton Loch is a favourite place for people who love to fish. You can find many types of fish here, including:
- Bream
- Roach
- Rudd
- Perch
- Pike
Sometimes, anglers also report catching carp and tench. Brown trout can also be found if they wash into the loch during floods.
Wildlife at the Loch
The loch is home to lots of amazing wildlife. Many different waterfowl, like whooper swans, use the site. You might also see roe deer in the bushes nearby.
Beautiful water lilies grow at the western end of the loch. Other birds you can spot include:
- Mute swans
- Herons
- Tufted ducks
- Great crested grebes
- Kingfishers
In the surrounding wetland areas, you can find different kinds of finches. Even rare reed warblers, which are on a special list for endangered species, live and breed here.
If you visit in warmer months, look for butterflies and dragonflies. Meadow Brown butterflies are common. You might see Common Blue Damselflies near the water. Common Hawker and Large Red Damselflies prefer the drier areas at the east end of the loch.
There are long wooden walkways, called boardwalks, that let you get close to the loch's edges. There are also informal paths into the wetland areas. However, these paths are closed during the bird breeding season to protect the nesting birds.
