Lochs of Spiggie and Brow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lochs of Spiggie and Brow |
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Sunset over the Loch of Spiggie
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 Lochs of Spiggie and Brow
Location in Scotland
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| Location | Dunrossness, Shetland, Scotland |
| Coordinates | 59°55′58″N 1°20′10″W / 59.93273°N 1.33622°W |
| Max. width | 0.5 miles (0.80 km) |
The Lochs of Spiggie and Brow are two beautiful freshwater lochs (lakes) located in the South Mainland of Shetland, Scotland. You can find them west of a place called Boddam in the area of Dunrossness, about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) north of Sumburgh.
These lochs are very important for nature. They are protected as a Special Protection Area (SPA) and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This means they are special places where wildlife, especially birds, are kept safe and their natural homes are looked after.
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Loch of Spiggie
The Loch of Spiggie was once a "voe," which is what people in Shetland call a narrow sea inlet, like a small fjord. Over time, a sand bar formed, blocking the sea and turning it into a freshwater loch.
It is known as the only fairly large loch in the South Mainland of Shetland. It's also the fourth longest loch in all of Shetland. The loch is shaped a bit like a rectangle, stretching longer from north to south. At its widest point, it measures almost 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) across. The total area of the loch is about 1 square kilometer (0.4 square miles).
A Home for Birds
The Loch of Spiggie is a special nature reserve managed by the RSPB. This means it's a safe haven for many different kinds of birds.
You can often see birds like lapwings, tufted ducks, redshanks, snipes, and whooper swans living here.
Many other birds visit the loch during different seasons. In spring, you might spot long-tailed ducks and skylarks. During the summer, birds such as oystercatchers, curlews, mallards, arctic terns, kittiwakes, and great skuas come to visit. These birds often build their nests and raise their young in the marshy areas and farmlands right next to the loch.
Loch of Brow
The Loch of Brow is smaller than the Loch of Spiggie, covering an area of about 0.25 square kilometers (0.1 square miles). It sits to the south-east of the Loch of Spiggie, and its water flows into the larger loch.
Ancient History at Loch of Brow
On a small island within the Loch of Brow, you can find the remains of an ancient building called a broch. A broch is a type of round stone tower built in Scotland, usually during the Iron Age.
Long ago, people could reach this island using stepping stones that formed a rough path. However, these stones are now about 2 feet (0.6 meters) underwater. You can still see the circular shape of what was likely the inside of the broch, which is about 8.5 meters (28 feet) across. When parts of the broch were dug up, it looked like its walls might have been very thick, possibly between 3.5 to 4.0 meters (11.5 to 13 feet) wide.
Images for kids
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Bathymetrical Survey of the Lochs of Spiggie and Brow, Shetland from a survey in 1903
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