Loch Ceiteirein

Loch Katerine is a freshwater loch. roughly 8 miles long by 2/3 of a mile wide running the length of Strath Gartney. Its name comes from the Gaelic ceathairne, a collective word meaning cattle thief or peasantry. Historically this referred to a band of fighting men of a clan; hence the term applied to marauders or cattle-lifters, the most notorious of whom was Rob Roy MacGregor who was born at Glengyle House at the northern end of the Loch.

The island left of centre is called Eilean Molach (Ellen's Isle). Traditionally it was a place where fugitives hid and the dense trees and undergrowth have not changed for centuries. One such fugitive was Ellen Stewart who defended her friends and children by killing an English soldier and it was her story that inspired Sir Walter Scott to write The Lady of the Lake.

Loch Katrine is the primary water supply for much of the city of Glasgow and its surrounding areas. The water level can be drawn down by a maximum of 7 ft to provide gravitational flow to the water treatment works via two 26 mile long aqueducts and 13 miles of tunnel. The system can deliver up to 50,000,000 gallons a day