Loch of Hundland

Loch of Hundland
Hundland loch
Loch of Hundland
Loch of Hundland looking south west over pasture towards the loch. The water in the distance is the Loch of Boardhouse.
Loch of Hundland is located in Orkney Islands
Loch of Hundland
Loch of Hundland
Coordinates59°6′58″N 3°14′3″W / 59.11611°N 3.23417°W / 59.11611; -3.23417[1]
TypeFreshwater loch
Primary outflowsBurn of Kirbuster [2]
Basin countriesScotland
Max. length1.3 mi (2.1 km)[2]
Max. width0.5 mi (0.80 km)[2]
Surface area100.8 ha (0.389 sq mi)[1]
Average depth4 ft (1.2 m)[2]
Max. depth7 ft (2.1 m)[2]
Water volume51,000,000 ft3 (1,400,000 m3)[2]
Surface elevation25 m (82 ft)[1]
Islands6 islets[1]

The Loch of Hundland is a shallow freshwater loch in the parish of Birsay in the north west of the mainland of Orkney, Scotland. The loch lies between the larger lochs of Swannay and Boardhouse and acts as the main water catchment for Loch of Boardhouse. It has a great variety of aquatic plants including species that are unusual locally and nationally, and many types of birds including waders, gulls, larks and ducks that nest or use the loch.[3] It is also popular for trout fishing.[4]

The loch was surveyed[2] in 1906 by James Murray and later charted[5] as part of the Bathymetrical Survey of Fresh-Water Lochs of Scotland 1897-1909. [6]

Climate

Climate data for Orkney: Loch of Hundland, Elevation: 28 m (92 ft), 1991–2020 normals
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 13.3
(55.9)
15.7
(60.3)
19.4
(66.9)
21.1
(70.0)
24.6
(76.3)
26.0
(78.8)
26.6
(79.9)
26.5
(79.7)
25.4
(77.7)
18.2
(64.8)
15.3
(59.5)
14.5
(58.1)
26.6
(79.9)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 6.6
(43.9)
6.8
(44.2)
8.0
(46.4)
10.2
(50.4)
12.8
(55.0)
14.6
(58.3)
16.6
(61.9)
16.5
(61.7)
14.5
(58.1)
11.6
(52.9)
8.9
(48.0)
7.0
(44.6)
11.2
(52.2)
Daily mean °C (°F) 4.2
(39.6)
4.1
(39.4)
5.1
(41.2)
7.0
(44.6)
9.1
(48.4)
11.3
(52.3)
13.3
(55.9)
13.3
(55.9)
11.7
(53.1)
8.9
(48.0)
6.4
(43.5)
4.5
(40.1)
8.3
(46.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 1.8
(35.2)
1.5
(34.7)
2.3
(36.1)
3.7
(38.7)
5.5
(41.9)
8.0
(46.4)
10.1
(50.2)
10.1
(50.2)
8.8
(47.8)
6.3
(43.3)
3.9
(39.0)
2.0
(35.6)
5.4
(41.7)
Record low °C (°F) −8.5
(16.7)
−10.0
(14.0)
−8.8
(16.2)
−5.2
(22.6)
−4.5
(23.9)
−0.4
(31.3)
1.8
(35.2)
0.3
(32.5)
−0.5
(31.1)
−2.1
(28.2)
−6.5
(20.3)
−10.8
(12.6)
−10.8
(12.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 121.6
(4.79)
91.8
(3.61)
85.4
(3.36)
61.4
(2.42)
54.2
(2.13)
53.0
(2.09)
59.5
(2.34)
70.6
(2.78)
92.2
(3.63)
122.5
(4.82)
127.6
(5.02)
116.2
(4.57)
1,056
(41.57)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 20.5 17.8 17.4 13.7 11.8 11.2 11.8 12.9 15.0 19.5 21.7 21.6 194.9
Mean monthly sunshine hours 27.4 58.4 97.4 147.8 199.7 146.9 137.9 135.6 97.2 71.5 37.5 21.3 1,178.5
Source 1: Met Office[7]
Source 2: Starlings Roost Weather[8]

References