Loch Lunndaidh

Loch Lunndaidh is a small freshwater loch in Sutherland, in the Highland council area of northern Scotland, roughly 4 km west of the coastal town of Golspie. It covers 30.7 hectares and sits at about 175 m above sea level in Strath Lunndaidh. Older maps often print the anglicised form, Loch Lundie.

Where is Loch Lunndaidh?

The loch lies in the south-east of Sutherland at 57.980 N, 4.058 W. Golspie, on the North Sea coast road running north from Inverness, is the nearest settlement. To the north, the hill of Ben Lundie rises above the water, reaching around 446 m (1,464 ft).

What is special about the loch?

Its water level is managed. A sluice at the south-eastern end controls how high the surface stands. Nineteenth-century descriptions give its length as a little over a kilometre, with a width under 400 m, and the water leaves towards the sea along the Culmaily Burn.

That burn starts at the loch and runs south-east until it reaches Loch Fleet, a broad tidal inlet known for its mudflats and protected as a nature reserve.

The Highland Historic Environment Record lists traces of earlier human activity around the shore, including the site of a boat house and a clearance cairn, a pile of stones gathered while preparing land for farming. The surrounding land belonged to the Duke of Sutherland, as the Ordnance Survey name books of 1871 to 1875 record.

What else is nearby?

Golspie makes a practical base for this stretch of coast. Dunrobin Castle, the former seat of the Sutherland family, stands close to the town, and the monument to the first Duke crowns the hill of Beinn a' Bhragaidh above it. Loch Fleet lies a short drive south and suits birdwatching.

When should you visit?

Late spring to early autumn is the easiest season for the Golspie area, with long daylight hours and the most settled Highland weather. In winter days are short and the hills above the loch can carry snow.

Frequently asked questions

What does the name look like in different spellings?

Loch Lunndaidh is the Gaelic form. Loch Lundie is the English spelling found on older maps and in historical gazetteers.

How big is the loch?

It extends over 30.7 ha and lies at roughly 175 m above sea level.

Where does the water go?

It drains south-east through the Culmaily Burn into Loch Fleet.

Is this the same as Loch Lundie near Invergarry?

No. The Loch Lundie in Glen Garry is a different body of water in another part of the Highlands. Loch Lunndaidh sits near Golspie in Sutherland.