The dangerous depths of Scotland’s lochs have been illustrated as part of a water safety campaign.

VisitScotland has released the images ahead of Water Safety Week (18-25 June) in a bid to highlight the true depths of the country’s lochs to help educate swimmers and all those participating in watersports over the summer.

The tourism organisation said although lochs may seem calm on the surface, they are full of crevices, underwater currents, sharp drops, and even rumoured creatures.

The five deepest lochs in Scotland:

Loch Morar in the Highlands is Scotland’s deepest loch at 1,020ft.

It is the third deepest in Europe, and according to local legend, it is even home to a mysterious creature known as Morag, who is said to resemble Loch Ness’ Nessie.

It is about the same depth as the height of the UK’s tallest building, The Shard in London (1,016ft), or 69 great white sharks stacked from nose to tail.

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Not only is Loch Ness perhaps Scotland’s most well-known loch, but it is also Scotland’s second deepest – coming in at about 745ft at its deepest point.

Loch Ness is also Scotland’s biggest loch by volume and contains more fresh water than all the lakes in England and Wales combined.

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It is about the same depth as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the towers of which sit at a height of 746ft above water, or 65 adult African elephants stacked one on top of each other.

Loch Lomond, the third deepest loch, is around 620ft at its deepest point.

It is the biggest loch in the UK by surface area, spanning a whopping 71 sq km and 24 miles long.

It is about the same depth as two Statue of Liberty monuments, or 190 stacked washing machines.

Loch Lochy, the fourth deepest, reaches depths of around 531ft, which is around four Boeing 737-800 planes stacked from tail to nose.

It is also about the same depth as a tower made up of around 16,875 Lego bricks.

Loch Ericht is the fifth deepest loch in Scotland and sits on the border between Perth and Kinross and the Highlands.

At its deepest point, it reaches depths of around 512ft.

It is around the same depth as the height of Blackpool Tower (519ft), or 54,167 £1 coins stacked on top of each other.

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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.”

James Sullivan, chair of Water Safety Scotland, added: “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.

“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.”

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