Loch Watten

{{Short description|Lake in Caithness, Scotland}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox body of water | name = Loch Watten | image = Loch Watten.jpg | caption = |pushpin_map=Scotland Highland | alt = A choppy lake surrounded by snow-covered fields | image_bathymetry = | caption_bathymetry = | location = Caithness | coords = {{Coord|58|29|25|N|3|19|46|W|region:GB_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}} | type = freshwater loch | inflow = | outflow = | catchment = | basin_countries = Scotland | length = | width = | area = | depth = | max-depth = | volume = | residence_time = | shore = | elevation = | islands = | cities = | frozen = }} '''Loch Watten''' is a natural loch in the River Wick drainage basin in Caithness, Scotland.<ref name=OS11>{{cite map|title=Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 11 ''Thurso & Dunbeath''|ISBN=9780319231630|publisher=Ordnance Survey|date=2009}}</ref>

== Name == The name is almost a tautology, but not perfectly: The word "loch" (of Gaelic origin) means "lake", of course. The Norse word ''vatn'' means "water", in general,<ref>[https://cleasby-vigfusson-dictionary.vercel.app/word/vatn Cleasby & Vigfusson Dictionary of Old Norse, headword ''vatn'']</ref> including terms like ''brunn-vatn'' ("fountain water") and ''regn-vatn'' ("rain water"), but is also found in the names of several lakes, such as Þingvallavatn and Myvatn in Iceland, and Røssvatnet and Møsvatn in Norway, similar to some English naming customs, e. g. Kielder Water.

== Geography == Loch Watten has a surface of 373 ha, a mean depth of 2.6 m and a maximum depth of 3.7 m. The surface level is 17 m A.O.D.. Its catchment area comprises 55,78 km<sup><small>2</small></sup>. Its main tributaries are the Quoynee Burn (from Loch Scarmclate<ref>[https://uklakes.ceh.ac.uk/detail.html?wbid=2499 UK Lakes Portal, waterbody ID 2499, Loch Scarmclate]</ref>) and the Gillock Burn, merging 800 metres before their entry. The outlet towards Wick River has a length of about 500 metres and is called ''Loch Burn''.

== Usage == Loch Watten is well known as a good fly fishing loch for brown trout with the local village Watten being located to the south.

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category-inline}} * [https://uklakes.ceh.ac.uk/detail.html?wbid=2712 UK Lakes Portal, waterbody ID 2712, Loch Watten] * [https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/apex/f?p=PORTAL:search Historic Environment Scotland. The map search function of this portal on protected monuments provides topographic maps up to highest scales.]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watten}} Watten Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Caithness Category:Freshwater lochs of Scotland