19th-August-2007, 01:49 PM
Lough Neagh (pronounced [lɒx neɪ]; Irish Loch nEathach [lɔx ˈɲahax]) is a freshwater lake in Northern Ireland. With an area of 388 square kilometres (150 square miles) it is by far the largest lake on the island of Ireland and is also the largest lake in the United Kingdom; it is among the twenty largest lakes of Western Europe. Approximately 30 km (20 mi) long and 15 km (9 mi) wide, Lough Neagh is situated some 30 km (20 mi) to the west of Belfast. It is very shallow around the margins and the average depth in the main body of the lake is about 9 m (30 ft); although at its deepest the lough is about 25 m (80 ft) deep.
Of the 4550 km² catchment area, 9% lies in Republic of Ireland ; 43% of the land area of Northern Ireland is drained into the lough , which itself flows out northwards to the sea via the River Bann. As one of its sources is the Upper Bann, the Lough can itself be considered a part of the Bann.
Five of the six counties of Northern Ireland have shores on the Lough: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Londonderry and Tyrone. Towns and villages near the Lough include Antrim, Crumlin, Toomebridge, Ballyronan, Ballinderry, Moortown, Ardboe, Maghery, Lurgan and Magherafelt.
Although the Lough is used for a variety of recreational and commercial activities, it is exposed and tends to get extremely rough very quickly in windy conditions. It is also used as a source of fresh water by the DRD Water Service. Plans to increase the amount of water drawn from the Lough, through a new water treatment works at Hog Park Point, have long been planned but are yet to materialise.
Traditional working boats on Lough Neagh include wide-beamed 16-21ft clinker-built, sprit-rigged working boats and smaller flat-bottomed cots and 'flats'. Barges, here called 'lighters', were used up to the 1940s to transport coal over the lough and adjacent canals. Up to the 17th century, log boats (coití) were the main means of transport, some of which are as old as 6,400 years. Few traditional boats are left now, but a community based group on the southern shore of the lough is rebuilding a series of working boats Lough Neagh Boating Heritage Association.
Lough Neagh Rescue provides a rescue service 24 hours a day. It is a voluntary service, but its members are dedicated and possess significant expertise. Rescues are coordinated by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency
28th-November-2007, 08:57 PM
In addition to the Lough Erne Canoe Trail, there is now a Blackwater River Canoe Trail (enters the south end of Lough Neagh):
River Bann, and Lough Neagh Trails are due to be put up in the New Year (2008)
7th-February-2012, 05:25 AM
Quick question I have been looking for the os charts for lough neagh 1/25 scale and I cannot find them any one know how I could get my hands on them
7th-February-2012, 08:50 AM
Hi - if you are looking for Ordnance Survey 1:25K, then you are out of luck. The only charts / maps I can find are published by OSNI and are 50K All Ireland & 250K Northern Ireland. Seems a bit bizarre but that's all I could find.
However, you can buy large scale vector (electronic) maps but none of these actually include Lough Neagh itself (http://osni.gov.uk).
1st-June-2012, 07:56 AM
it's not the latest chart, but very little has changed.