Belfast Loch or Craigfergus Loch[1] (Erse: Loch Lao or Loch Laoigh, Ulster-Scots: Bilfawst Loch, Inglis: Belfast Lough) is a mukkil inlat (or sie loch) o the Erse Sie on the eist coast o Northren Ireland. It is named eftir the ceitie o Belfast, whilk ligs at the loch's heid (innermaist pynt). On the northren syd is Coonty Antrim an on the soothren syd is Coonty Doun.

Belfast Loch an Belfast seen frae Whiteheid
A cairt o Ireland wi Belfast Loch in yellae

Belfast Loch is a lang, braid an deip stent o wattir wi its ooter mairch raxin frae Orlock Pynt til Blekheid. The inner bit o the loch haes monie clart-plats an lagouns. The ooter loch is maistlins craigie shores wi sum wee saundie bays. It is virtualie free o strang tyds.

Coastal touns an veilages include Whiteheid, Craigfergus, Greenisland an Newtounabbey on the Antrim syd an Halywid, Helen's Bay, Bangor an Groomsport on the Doun syd. On aulder cairts o Ireland, made afore Belfast grew intil a ceitie, the loch wis cried Carrickfergus Bay.

Popular for sailin, the loch haes twa marinas: ane at Bangor an the ither at Carrickfergus. Belfast docks is at the heid o the loch. Hit inhauds the weil-kent ship-bigger o RMS Titanic fame, Harland & Wolff. Anss ane o the mukkilest shipbiggers in the warld, it is no langer biggin ships, haes shed maist o its wirkers an nou mends an refits tankers an aylrigs. In 1912, the Titanic sail'd doun the loch frae Belfast.

Thar is a naitur hainin an Ramsar site (inhaudin clart-plats, gresslaund an lagouns) naur the Belfast docks. The clart-plats ar important feedin auries for sindrie wadin birds an wyldfoul.

References eedit

  1. "The Online Scots Dictionary". Archived frae the original on 24 November 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2011.

Coordinates: 54°41′28″N 5°47′06″W / 54.691°N 5.785°W / 54.691; -5.785