Loch Earn (Scottish Gaelic, Loch Eire/Loch Éireann) is a freshwater loch in the central highlands of Scotland, in the districts of Perth and Kinross and Stirling. The name is thought to mean "Loch of Ireland", and it has been suggested that this might derive from the time when the Gaels were expanding their kingdom of Dál Riata eastwards into Pictland. It is a long narrow loch, 17 km west of Crieff and is approximately 10.5 km long, 1.2 km at its widest point and at its deepest point (approximately halfway along) about 87 m. Lochearnhead village is situated at the western end of the loch and St. Fillans village at the eastern end. From here, the River Earn flows eastwards from the loch, through Strathearn, and eventually joins the Firth of Tay some 75 km away.
Loch Earn has a special meaning for me as this was the first loch I visited, some 45 years ago, when my best friend at school got married to a Scots girl and held the reception at Lochearnhead.
Loading contexts...
