New image shows depth of Loch Ness compared to height of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge
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A new image highlights the extreme depth of Loch Ness by comparing it to the height of San Franciso's Golden Gate Bridge.
It is among a series of illustrations released by VisitScotland to capture the true depths of Scotland's deepest lochs ahead of Water Safety Week next week.
Recent reports estimate that wild swimming in the UK has increased by threefold since 2019, and searches for "wild swimming in Scotland" have soared by 242 per cent in the past month alone.
VisitScotland is showing how deep Scotland's deepest lochs plunge below the surface by comparing them to well-known landmarks and structures across the globe in its Lofty Lochs
campaign.
It hopes the new illustrations will help swimmers and those participating in watersports and activities to appreciate the complexity of what lies beneath the surface.
They include Loch Ness, Scotland's second-deepest loch and also Scotland’s biggest loch by volume, containing more freshwater than all the lakes in England and Wales combined.
At its deepest point, it is 745ft at its deepest point – the height of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California, the towers of which sit at a height of 746ft above water.
Loch Morar in the Highlands, which takes the crown as the deepest loch in Scotland and third deepest in Europe, is about 1020ft at its deepest point.
It is about the same height of the UK’s tallest building, The Shard in London at 1016ft.
At about 620ft, Scotland's third deepest loch, Loch Lomond, is the same depth as more than two Statue of Liberty monuments stacked on top of each other including the pedestal statue it sits upon.
Loch Lochy in the Highlands reaches depths of about 531ft, the equivalent of four Boeing 737-800 planes stacked from tail to nose, or a tower made of 16,875 standard LEGO bricks.
Vicki Miller, VisitScotland director of marketing and digital said: "Our research has shown the positive influence water can have on wellbeing and in recent years we’ve seen an increase in popularity of activities embracing this such as wild swimming and paddleboarding.
"Through this campaign we wanted to bring to life the majesty of these waters and show that while our lochs offer plenty of opportunities, there is a need to remain safe when enjoying them.
"Fortunately, our lochs are home to many fantastic businesses and operators who can help visitors experience the water safely and responsibly."
James Sullivan, chairman of Water Safety Scotland said Lofty Lochs was a thought-provoking campaign which visibly highlighted the extreme depths of Scotland’s lochs.
"The breathtaking beauty of Scotland’s lochs makes them very alluring, but it is important that people are aware of the inherent dangers posed by their extremes in both depth and temperature," he said.
"Individuals should make themselves aware of the risks and take the appropriate precautions to ensure these areas of great outstanding beauty can be enjoyed safely and responsibly.
"We encourage everyone to familiarise themselves with the water safety code and also more specific advice from WSS, which can be found on our website."
