| Loch of Stenness | |
|---|---|
| The Stenness Watch Stone stands outside the circle, next to the modern bridge leading to the Ring of Brodgar, which bisects the lochs | |
| Location | Orkney, Scotland |
| Lake type | seawater loch |
| Basin countries | Scotland |
The Loch of Stenness together with the Loch of Harray are the two largest freshwater lochs of Mainland, Orkney[1]. In Old Norse their names are Steinnesvatn [2] and Heraðvatn[2]. They are named for the nearby parishes of Harray and Stenness.
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Loch of Stenness communicates with the tidal currents of Hoy Sound, at 3.25 miles northeast of Stromness[1] and is the largest brackish lagoon in the UK.[3] Loch of Harray, whilst predominantly freshwater, does have a transition zone in the vicinity of the Bridge of Brodgar where the two are connected.[4] The two lochs together cover an area of 19.3 km²[4] making the two combined the ninth largest loch in Scotland by area (as listed by Murray and Pullar (1910)). However, the volume is only 0.047 km³ due their shallow nature — Loch of Stenness has a maximum depth of 5.2 metres (17 ft) and an average depth of 3.2 metres (10 ft). Although flow between the two lochs and the sea can be observed, the water levels only experience small changes with the movements of the tide.[5]
Together the lochs are somewhat the form of the letter "V", with two arms 3.50 and 4.50 miles long, meeting in acute angle at about two miles (3 km) east-northeast of the point of communication with the tidal currents.[1]
Upon the peninsula that lies between the two lochs are to be found the Standing Stones of Stenness. The loch's flanks include the scene of much of the action in Walter Scott's The Pirate. [1]