Loch Morar - deep and mysterious Highland waters

The deepest freshwater lake in Britain is Loch Morar in the Western Highlands of Scotland, at 1017 feet deep. Not to be outdone by Loch Ness, this body of water is also supposed to be the home of a mysterious monster.

Loch Morar is four miles from the village of Mallaig (terminus of the West Highland railway line). As well as being the deepest lake in Britain, it is the third deepest in Europe and is set amongst magnificent scenery.

The bottom of the lock is actually below the United Kingdom Continental Shelf, and the surface of the loch is 9 metres (30 ft) above sea level.

The extensive wildlife in the area include otter, red deer, sea eagle, golden eagle and other raptors. Great northern divers and mergansers also frequent the loch in Spring. Sky larks and meadow pipits can be heard or seen in Spring and early and Summer. The waters contain salmon, trout, eel, stickleback and minnow.

The area around the loch is perfect for walkers. The surrounding hills offer magnificent views stretching as far as Ben Nevis in the east to the dramatic Cuillins on the Isle of Skye in the west.

The monster rumoured to live within the waters is called Morag. Accounts were gathered by folklorist Alexander Carmichael in 1902 and describe a mermaid-like character thought to be an omen of death. Carmichael states, "The Morag is peculiar to Loch Morar. She is seen in broad daylight and by many persons. She appears in a black heap or ball slowing and deliberately rising in the water and moving along like a boat water-logged."

The first recorded sighting of Morag was in 1887, while sightings continued to be reported up to the 1960s.

The shortest river in Britain is the River Morar which runs from Loch Morar to the sea and is just short of 1000 yards long.