| Loch of Strathbeg | |
| Coords: | 57.6197°N -1.8769°W |
| Inflow: | Burn of Savoch |
| Pushpin Map: | Scotland Aberdeenshire |
| Area: | 220ha |
| Max-Depth: | 2m (07feet) |
The Loch of Strathbeg is a shallow freshwater loch on the coast of Buchan in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It lies within the parishes of Lonmay and Crimond.[1] The loch is a designated special protection area because of its importance to birdlife and is managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, which operates a visitor centre at Starnafin. It is visited in the winter months by at least 20,000 birds, including pink-footed geese, whooper swans, and teals.[2]
The Loch of Strathbeg was formerly an inlet of the sea, sheltered by a shingle bar. A channel at the east end of the bar gave access to the port of Rattray. This channel began to silt up in the 17th century, however, which proved fatal for the port. It was finally sealed by a storm around the year 1720.[3] Writing in 1794, the minister of Crimond remarked:
Attempts were made in the 18th century to drain the loch, but these were doomed to end in failure. The ruined windmill on the shore of the loch and the drainage channel linking it to the sea are relics of this time.[4] [5]
During the First World War, the loch was used as a seaplane base. The disused aerodrome on its shore dates from the Second World War.[6]