Firth

A firth is a long narrow arm of the sea in Scotland, which may be part of an estuary, or just an inlet, or even a strait (as in the case of the Pentland Firth.

A firth is very often associated with a large river, where erosion caused by the tidal effects of incoming sea water passing upriver, has widened the riverbed to an estuary, such as may be seen in the Firth of Clyde. However, this cannot be said in every case. The Cromarty Firth on the East coast of Scotland. for example, resembles a large loch with only a relatively small outlet to the sea.

Similarly the Moray Firth widening out from the Loch Ness area at Inverness has similar deep fjord-like features which are often encountered with lochs, and are associated with the scouring actions of ancient glaciers.

The Firths on the West Coast of Scotland from North to South:

• Firth of Lorn (northernmost, connects with the Moray Firth via the
  • Great Glen lochs, the Caledonian Canal and Loch Ness at Inverness.
  • Lochs adjoining the Firth: Loch Lochy, Loch Linnhe, Loch Leven, Loch Oich.
  • Places: Oban, Fort William. Islands: Island of Mull, Lismore and Kerrera.

• Firth of Clyde (estuary of the River Clyde)
  • Lochs adjoining the Firth of Clyde: Loch Goit, Loch Eck, Loch Long, Holy Loch and Gare Loch.
  • Places: Erskine Bridge, Greenock, Clydebank, Glasgow, Dunoon, Helensburgh. Dumbarton.
  • Islands: Bute, Great Cumbrae Island.

• Solway Firth (inlet with the rivers Eden, Esk and Nith).
  • The Firth is on the Solway Coast.
  • Places: Carlisle on the River Eden, Annan and Gretna

More to come