Glen Strathfarrar

Glen Strathfarrar National Scenic Area
View along the glen across Loch Beannacharan, with Sgùrr na Lapaich beyond
Map showing the location of Glen Strathfarrar National Scenic Area
Map showing the location of Glen Strathfarrar National Scenic Area
Glen Strathfarrar shown within the Highland council area.
LocationHighland, Scotland
Coordinates57°24′51″N 4°50′21″W / 57.41417°N 4.83917°W / 57.41417; -4.83917
Area40 km2 (15 sq mi)[1]
Established1981
Governing bodyNatureScot

Glen Strathfarrar (Scottish Gaelic: Srath Farair) is a glen in the Highland region of Scotland, near Loch Ness.

The Glen is part of the Affric-Beauly hydro-electric power scheme, with a dam at Loch Monar and a 9 km tunnel carrying water to an underground power station at Deanie; a second dam just below Loch Beannacharan feeds a tunnel carrying water to Culligran power station (also underground).[2] The Monar dam at Loch Monar is the largest arch dam in Britain.[3]

The central section of Glen Strathfarrar (covering 4,027 ha (9,950 acres)[1]) is designated as a national scenic area,[4] one of forty such areas in Scotland, which have been defined so as to identify areas of exceptional scenery and to ensure its protection from inappropriate development.[5] The area covered by the NSA represents the section of the glen least affected by the hydro-electric scheme, and includes the Culligran Falls.[6]

  1. ^ a b "National Scenic Areas - Maps". SNH. 20 December 2010. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  2. ^ "Power From the Glens" (PDF). Scottish and Southern Energy. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 October 2007. Retrieved 8 March 2008.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference smg was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Glen Strathfarrar National Scenic Area". NatureScot. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  5. ^ "National Scenic Areas". NatureScot. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  6. ^ "The special qualities of the National Scenic Areas" (PDF). Scottish Natural Heritage. 2010. Retrieved 6 March 2018.