Loch of Tankerness facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Loch of Tankerness |
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| Tankerness loch | |
Loch of Tankerness
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 Loch of Tankerness
Location in Orkney Islands
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| Location | Mainland Orkney, Scotland |
| Coordinates | 58°58′6″N 2°50′37″W / 58.96833°N 2.84361°W |
| Type | freshwater loch |
| Primary outflows | Mill Burn |
| Basin countries | Scotland |
| Max. length | 1 mi (1.6 km) |
| Max. width | 0.5 mi (0.80 km) |
| Surface area | 64.1 ha (158 acres) |
| Average depth | 4.5 ft (1.4 m) |
| Max. depth | 7 ft (2.1 m) |
| Water volume | 28,000,000 cu ft (790,000 m3) |
| Shore length1 | 3.9 km (2.4 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 8 m (26 ft) |
| Islands | 0 |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
The Loch of Tankerness is a large, freshwater loch (which is the Scottish word for a lake). You can find it on the Orkney mainland in Scotland. This loch has a shape like a triangle. It is quite shallow, with a flat bottom that gets a bit deeper as you go from west to east. The loch is about 4 mi (6.4 km) southeast of a town called Kirkwall.
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Discovering Ancient History at the Loch
The Loch of Tankerness holds many secrets from the past. People have found old structures and tools around its shores. These discoveries help us learn about the people who lived here long ago.
Mysterious Broch Remains
On the southwest side of the loch, you can see the remains of a broch. A broch is a type of ancient, round stone tower. These towers were built a very long time ago, often during the Iron Age. They were used as homes and for protection. This particular broch is believed to be called Howie of the Manse.
Bronze Age Home and Tools
On the eastern shore of the loch, there is a burnt mound. This is a pile of stones that were heated up and used for cooking or bathing. Next to it, archaeologists found parts of a Bronze Age house. The Bronze Age was a time when people started using bronze for tools and weapons.
This old house was made of upright stone slabs and had a stone floor. It was shaped like an oval. In 1980, the loch's water level dropped a lot because of a dry spell. This made the house more visible. Experts were able to study it and find old items. One important discovery was the point of an early plough. This tool was used for farming, showing that people grew crops here thousands of years ago.
Old Water Pump Station
Also on the eastern shore, there is a building that used to be a filter room and pump house. It was first built in the late 1800s. Back then, an oil engine powered the pumps to move water. Later, in the 1940s, a windpump took its place. This shows how technology changed over time.
Wildlife Around the Loch
The Loch of Tankerness is a home or resting place for different kinds of birds. It is an important spot for nature.
Greenland White-Fronted Geese
Sometimes, you can spot the Greenland white-fronted goose at the loch. These geese travel long distances. In the 1960s, many of these geese, usually between 50 and 100, would spend the winter here. However, their numbers have gone down a lot since the mid-1970s. This might be because some of their natural habitat, like moorland, has been changed. Also, there might have been more hunting in the area. Interestingly, as fewer geese came to Tankerness, more started appearing on the island of Stronsay.
How the Loch Was Studied
Scientists have studied the Loch of Tankerness to learn more about it.
In 1903, a person named R.C. Marshall surveyed the loch. Later, it was mapped as part of a big project. This project was called the Bathymetrical Survey of Fresh-Water Lochs of Scotland. It was led by Sir John Murray between 1897 and 1909. This survey helped create detailed maps of many Scottish lochs.
