Canal water lies beside Loch a’ Bharain, where the reservoir steadies the summit reach of the Crinan Canal. The loch is an impounding reservoir, an artificial water body held by a dam to store and manage water.
Built with the canal works around 1801, it acted as a side pound beside lock 9. When the canal was drained for repair in 2020-2021, the lowered water revealed old lock gates, debris and the floor plan of a Clan McTavish castle.
What follows is drawn from published sources, with each claim labelled by how firmly it is established.
History
Loch a' Bharain means the Baron's Loch.
It is an impounding reservoir on the north bank of the Crinan Canal beside lock 9.
The reservoir acts as a side pound to the summit reach, helping reduce water-level changes from lock use.
Its earth-fill dam was constructed in 1801 during construction of the Crinan Canal.
Works were completed by 1810, with further repair and inspection by 1815-1820.
When the Crinan Canal was drained for repair and inspection in 2020-2021, Loch a' Bharain was mostly drained.
The draining revealed old lock gates, tyres, other objects and the floor plan of an old Clan McTavish castle.
The loch is regularly used by Mid Argyll Radio Sailing for model boats.
Connections
-
Crinan Canal
Loch a' Bharain feeds and stabilises the canal summit reach.
-
Cairnbaan
Settlement east of the reservoir.
-
Clan McTavish
The drained loch revealed the floor plan of an old castle associated with the clan.
-
Mid Argyll Radio Sailing
Uses the loch regularly for model boats.
What to look for
-
Reservoir beside the canal
The loch sits directly beside lock 9 on the Crinan Canal.
-
Earth-fill dam
The dam belongs to the canal's early-19th-century water-management works.
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Hidden castle plan
The 2020-2021 draining revealed the remains of an old Clan McTavish castle floor plan.
Plan your visit
- Location
- 56.0624°N · 5.4972°W
- Access
- Visible from a public way
- Terrain
- Easy going
Opening & admission
No admission information in source
- The reservoir sits directly beside lock 9 on the Crinan Canal.
- The source mentions regular model-boat use but no formal visitor terms.
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Questions people ask
- What is Loch a' Bharain?
- It is an impounding reservoir beside the Crinan Canal, used to help manage water levels on the summit reach.
- What does the name mean?
- Loch a' Bharain means the Baron's Loch.
- What was found when it was drained?
- The source says old lock gates, tyres, other objects and the floor plan of an old Clan McTavish castle were revealed.
- Is it linked to the Crinan Canal?
- Yes. It sits beside lock 9 and acts as a side pound for the canal's summit reach.
Sources
Explore more: Building or ruins · Medieval · Argyll and Bute
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