Diving Scottish Freshwater Lochs

[Rupert Vidion]

Hi

Does anyone know of any legal or agreed restrictions on diving in any of the Scottish Freshwater Lochs? With regards specific Lochs, any agencies or individuals I would need to inform or gain permission from?

Cheers

 

[cloudflint]

Ive dived a few freshwater lochs in Scotland, i believe the only thing was to get permission if you are accessing the site via someone's land. So if the loch is on someone's estate or something like that you would probably have to get their permission before you went traipsing over their land. Also i dived in a freshwater river that was in the middle of national trust land and we let them know because there where restrictions on taking fish out so we had a guy who basically made sure we didn't nick any fish.

Oh and if you dive in any hydro damn's you would need to get permission from the power company in question.

 

[Rupert Vidion]

Thanks cloudflint, yours is the first useful reply I've got to this question. I posted it on a couple of UK sites and all I got were patronising replies telling me not to bother.

Thanks again

 

[cloudflint]

no probs, where about are you planning on diving? As far as freshwater diving goes ive dived in the river Tay, loch tay (on an old wooden wreck from world war 2!) and dunkeld hermitage. I enjoyed all of them though they where alot different to diving in the sea but they where still very enjoyable and i certainly wouldn't tell someone not to bother

Also had a wee look into the 2003 Scotland Land Reform Act just to double check and looks like its legal to swim in any body of freshwater in Scotland and any non-tidal river provided the bit of water hasnt been exempt and "providing that care is taken not to cause damage or interfere with activities including farming and game stalking".

And on a final note im sure your already aware but alot of freshwater sites in Scotland can be quite dangerous so be careful and have fun!

 

[Hickdive]

Basically, with few exceptions, you can dive where you want.

See here for further details;

Your access rights - Scottish Natural Heritage

The slight fly in the ointment is that motorised access is not a right - so lochs that are some distance from a public road will mean lugging your kit cross-country.

Obviously, as with any diving, you should let someone ashore know your plans so they know if you're overdue but you don't need to inform landowners or local authorities nor do you need their permission.

There aren't many freshwater lochs that I know of that are dived regularly. I know people do dive the wall in Loch Lomond occasionally to log a 100m dive and I've been considering taking my kit to Loch Eck. So, if you know of any good freshwater sites, please do share.

I don't know which UK forums you visited but Finstrokes has a good dive site guide;

UK dive sites and Shipwrecks

 

[shoredivr]

ive dived in the river Tay, loch tay (on an old wooden wreck from world war 2!) and dunkeld hermitage. I enjoyed all of them though they where alot different to diving in the sea but they where still very enjoyable and i certainly wouldn't tell someone not to bother

I dive freshwater lakes here in Ontario all the time, and some rivers, and would never tell anyone not to bother.

Is there much current in the River Tay? River current dives are fun.

The wreck in Loch Tay sounds interesting, I should look you all up next time I'm in Scotland.

 

[cloudflint]

It depends how much rain there has been, if there hasn't been much rain i can swim around in it quite happily. If its been raining alot its white-water all the way down
Ive dived under the old bridge in Perth treasure hunting supposedly there used to be a Roman pier around three so there are all sorts of interesting things lying in the water. I also dive in the reeds at the side and look at the shoals of minnows. We went down some small rapids under the bridge on the SCUBA kit as well that was..... painful.

Dunkeld hermitage is pretty neet too, loads of eels and a couple of huge salmon.