Loch of Aboyne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Loch of Aboyne |
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| Aboyne loch | |
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 Loch of Aboyne
Location in Aberdeen
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| Location | Grampian, Scotland |
| Coordinates | 57°05′15″N 2°46′01″W / 57.0874°N 2.767°W |
| Type | artificial formed freshwater loch |
| Basin countries | Scotland |
| Surface area | 12.2 ha (30 acres) |
| Average depth | 1.8 m (6 ft) |
| Max. depth | 3.4 m (11 ft) |
| Water volume | 280,000 m3 (10,000,000 cu ft) |
| Shore length1 | 2.2 km (1.4 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 136 m (446 ft) |
| Islands | 0 |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
The Loch of Aboyne is a beautiful freshwater loch (that's a Scottish word for lake!) located in Grampian, Scotland. It's not a natural lake; it was actually created by people. About 1834, an earthen dam was built to hold back the water and form the loch. This also helped provide water for a nearby mill.
Loch of Aboyne is quite shallow. It lies about 1+1⁄4 miles (2 km) northeast of a town called Aboyne. It's also about 26 miles (42 km) west-southwest of the larger city of Aberdeen.
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Amazing Plants and Animals
Loch of Aboyne is a very special place for nature. In 1984, it was named a Site of Special Scientific Interest. This means it's protected because of its amazing plants and animals.
Underwater Plants
The loch has some of the best underwater plant life in the whole area. You can find eight different types of pondweeds growing here. These plants are important because they provide food and shelter for many creatures.
Cool Creatures
The loch is home to many different kinds of leeches and pond snails. It also attracts many wild birds, especially during migration and winter. You might spot wigeon, goosander, and even graceful whooper swans.
The loch is a vital home for many types of waterfowl and other birds. You might even see an Osprey diving into the water to catch fish! It's also a great spot for different kinds of butterflies.
Fun Things to Do at the Loch
Loch of Aboyne is not just for wildlife; it's also a popular spot for fun activities!
Water Sports
The Aberdeen Waterski and Wakeboard Club uses the loch for exciting water sports. They even helped fix the dam in the late 1980s.
Winter Fun
When the weather gets cold enough for the loch to freeze, it becomes a giant ice rink! People love to go curling here. A big curling competition, called a bonspiel, was held here way back in 1891. The Aboyne Curling Club even had its own private train station, Aboyne Curling Pond railway station, and you can still see parts of it today.
Fishing and Golf
If you enjoy fishing, you can get a permit to fish in the loch. You might catch perch, pike, and eels. In 2002 and 2003, more fish were added, like common roach, bream, ide, and carp.
On the north side of the loch, you'll find the Aboyne Golf Club, where you can play a round of golf. There's also the Aboyne Loch Caravan Park, which is a place where people can park their caravans (like RVs) on a piece of land that sticks out into the loch. For relaxation, The Lodge on the Loch health spa is also located on the north shore.
