Loch of Kirbister

The Loch of Kirbister is a small, shallow, somewhat triangular shaped loch on Mainland Orkney, Scotland, in the parish of Orphir. It lies 5 mi (8.0 km) south west of Kirkwall on cultivated land between two hills. There is a small (37 m (121 ft) by 19 m (62 ft)) turf covered islet known as the Groundwater of Holm just off the eastern shore of the loch. It shows traces in stone of an oval structure and small projecting pier.[2] The loch is popular for trout fishing and the Orkney Trout Fishing Association has a hatchery at the Kirbister pumphouse [3] on the loch edge.

Loch of Kirbister
Kirbister loch, Loch of Orphir[1]
Looking roughly SW over moorland down to the loch.
Loch of Kirbister
Location	Mainland Orkney, Scotland
Coordinates	58°57′08″N 3°5′36″W
Type	freshwater loch
Primary inflows	several burns [1]
Primary outflows	Mill burn at south end in to Waulkmill Bay[1]
Catchment area	8 sq mi (21 km2)[1]
Basin countries	Scotland
Max. length	1.25 mi (2.01 km)[1]
Max. width	0.5 mi (0.80 km)[1]
Surface area	227 acres (0.92 km2)[1]
Average depth	4 ft (1.2 m)[1]
Max. depth	6 ft (1.8 m)[1]
Water volume	41,000,000 cu ft (1,200,000 m3)[1]
Surface elevation	52 ft (16 m)[1]
Islands	Holm of Groundwater[2]

Mill Burn, the southerly outflow from the loch, was used to power the 18th century Kirbister Mill.[4]

The loch was surveyed[1] in 1903 by T.N. Johnston and R.C. Marshall and later charted [5] as part of Sir John Murray's The Bathymetrical Survey of Fresh-Water Lochs of Scotland 1897-1909.[6]