Lowes Loch on Threepwood Road
24 August
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Lowes Loch
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The ruins of Lochlands farm
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The Cadgerford Burn
Lowes Loch, The Lochs or Loch of Hill is a small natural freshwater loch lying in a glacial 'Kettle hole', once of greater extent, lying below Brownmuir and Lochlands Hills. The loch may once have had a small island within it.
Marked on the Ordnance Survey maps as 'The Lochs', it is locally known as Lowes Loch and lies on the lands of Lowhouse Farm. The name 'Lowe' is said to have derived from the Celtic for 'Hill' and Lochlands Hill was known as Lowes Hill. Before the Cadgerford Burn was deepend the lochs level would have been higher and may have once drained to the west and east.
Timothy Pont's map of circa 1604, names a 'Loch of Hill' and Roy's map of circa 1747 shows two small lochs, with the outflow of the western loch running down to the Muir Burn and then into the Roebank Burn. Thomson's map of 1832 shows a single loch lying below Lows Farm and draining east into the Dusk water. OS maps of the 1850s do not indicate open water and a discreet clump of trees suggests a small island.
The name of the Cadgerford Burn outflow burn indicates a ford on this old road once used by cadgers or carriers on horseback of goods. The burn is the outflow from Lowes Loch to the Dusk Water; it has been canalised and deepend to lower the level of Lowes Loch. The burn now flows into the Kirkleegreen Reservoir. The waters of this old reservoir, now an angling loch, run into Cuffhill Reservoir and then into the Dusk Water.
Beith's annual fair, called Tennant's or Saint Tinnan's Day, was previously held on the Cuff Hill. It was famous for its show, and it's Cadger's parade and sale of horses.
Maps of 1832 and the OS maps show that the loch flowed via the Cadgerford Burn into the millpond of the old Threepwood Bleach and Dye works below Cuff Hill and thus helped to power the factory's waterwheel. Since at least 1891 the waters of the loch have flowed into the Kirkleegreen and Cuffhill Reservoirs.
The relatively small area of open water is dominated by floating pondweeds and has some water lilies. The Common Hawker dragonfly breeds at the site. An extensive woodland of willow and birch extends towards Lowhouse Farmlands. Extensive areas of rushes are present.
Lochlands Farm lay close to the the Lowes Loch. It has been abandoned since well before the 1950s, shown as active in 1914 from record of the OS map.
It has been speculated that that the Cuff Hill area was the Moor of Beith, and that this moor is the same as the "Wood of Belt" in which an Arthurian battle is supposed to have taken place in the sixth century.
Marked on the Ordnance Survey maps as 'The Lochs', it is locally known as Lowes Loch and lies on the lands of Lowhouse Farm. The name 'Lowe' is said to have derived from the Celtic for 'Hill' and Lochlands Hill was known as Lowes Hill. Before the Cadgerford Burn was deepend the lochs level would have been higher and may have once drained to the west and east.
Timothy Pont's map of circa 1604, names a 'Loch of Hill' and Roy's map of circa 1747 shows two small lochs, with the outflow of the western loch running down to the Muir Burn and then into the Roebank Burn. Thomson's map of 1832 shows a single loch lying below Lows Farm and draining east into the Dusk water. OS maps of the 1850s do not indicate open water and a discreet clump of trees suggests a small island.
The name of the Cadgerford Burn outflow burn indicates a ford on this old road once used by cadgers or carriers on horseback of goods. The burn is the outflow from Lowes Loch to the Dusk Water; it has been canalised and deepend to lower the level of Lowes Loch. The burn now flows into the Kirkleegreen Reservoir. The waters of this old reservoir, now an angling loch, run into Cuffhill Reservoir and then into the Dusk Water.
Beith's annual fair, called Tennant's or Saint Tinnan's Day, was previously held on the Cuff Hill. It was famous for its show, and it's Cadger's parade and sale of horses.
Maps of 1832 and the OS maps show that the loch flowed via the Cadgerford Burn into the millpond of the old Threepwood Bleach and Dye works below Cuff Hill and thus helped to power the factory's waterwheel. Since at least 1891 the waters of the loch have flowed into the Kirkleegreen and Cuffhill Reservoirs.
The relatively small area of open water is dominated by floating pondweeds and has some water lilies. The Common Hawker dragonfly breeds at the site. An extensive woodland of willow and birch extends towards Lowhouse Farmlands. Extensive areas of rushes are present.
Lochlands Farm lay close to the the Lowes Loch. It has been abandoned since well before the 1950s, shown as active in 1914 from record of the OS map.
It has been speculated that that the Cuff Hill area was the Moor of Beith, and that this moor is the same as the "Wood of Belt" in which an Arthurian battle is supposed to have taken place in the sixth century.
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