Gadloch

The Gadloch (also colloquially referred to as Lenzie Loch) is a fresh water loch in North Lanarkshire, situated near the town of Lenzie, Scotland.[2]

Gadloch
Highland Cattle with the Gadloch in the background, viewed from the Crosshill Road direction
Gadloch is located in North Lanarkshire
Gadloch
Gadloch
LocationNorth Lanarkshire
Coordinates55.913428°N 4.163132°W / 55.913428; -4.163132
Lake typefreshwater loch[1]
Basin countriesScotland
Surface area52 acres (21 hectares)
Average depth8 feet (2.4 metres)
SettlementsAuchinloch, Lenzie

To the south of the loch is the small village of Auchinloch,[2] the village's name means "Field of the Loch" and derives from its proximity to the Gadloch.

History
Wester Gadloch Farm with the Gadloch behind it, viewed from the direction of the railway bridge

The Gadloch was originally much larger, but was reduced by the addition of a drainage tunnel. Local folklore has it that the tunnel was excavated by Napoleonic Prisoners of War, though it is generally accepted that the tunnel predates that period.[3] Following this the drained land was used for agricultural purposes and farms were built at the east and west ends of the Gadloch. The 18th century Easter Gadloch Farm has been left unoccupied for a number of years.[4] Over the years, the tunnel has become compromised, and the water levels of the loch are rising back towards their earlier height.[3] Parkhillhead Farm overlooks the loch from the south.

Curling
Group of curlers on the loch, Lenzie

In Winters when there is thick enough ice the Gadloch is often used for Curling and has been for many years.[5][6] Postcards were made showing curlers on the Gadloch in 1910 and 100 years later in Winter 2010/2011 curlers were again shown to be active on the Gadloch.[7] Cadder Curling Club was previously based in an old railway wagon on the edge of the Gadloch.[8]

Wildlife

Bird watchers are frequently seen at the Gadloch as it has a variety of bird species present and has been known to attract rare and non-native species as well, some possibly escaped from captivity. For instance, in the 1970s, white pelicans were sighted on the loch.[9][10]

Deaths

1970s
Early 1900s view of skaters on the frozen Gadloch

In 1974 Lee Fraser from Auchinloch fell through the ice along with his sledge, but died of hypothermia before he could be rescued.

1980s
Frozen Gadloch, Winter 2010

In the 1980s one of the accused on trial for murders claimed to have killed and disposed of a man in the Gadloch The police and their underwater unit searched the loch but no body was ever found. "Mr McEwan also claimed that another alleged victim was driven to Gadloch, near Lenzie, where his head was held under the water until he drowned. The body was then weighted down with bricks and left there".[11][12]

2011
Frozen floodwater extending into Golf Course

On Sunday 18 December 2011 37-year-old builder John McAllister drowned after falling into the loch trying to rescue the family's 14-year-old pet spaniel Tain who had gone into the water. Strathclyde Police said that his body was recovered from the Gadloch following an extensive search involving both a police helicopter and divers. Roddy McAllister, 56, last heard his step-son John, 37, shout 'I'm needing help' as he struggled in the water at the popular walking area. John and Roddy had earlier been walking their six dogs when 14-year-old Tain had wandered onto the ice. Attempts to coax her back towards the shore were fruitless so the two ventured homewards expecting that Tain would return. Not long afterwards John noticed Tain in trouble from his house window overlooking the Gadloch and rushed to her aid planning to use the blue lilo he had grabbed to prevent him going through the ice. The lilo burst when John tried to hoist her out of the causing them both to plunge into the freezing waters. Strathclyde Fire and Rescue were also involved and the Officers of Strathclyde Police cordoned off an area of the adjacent Crosshill Road up to half-a-mile from the scene. Moving swiftly the Police had begun the search not long after 5pm and were using a helicopter to light up the water. An added difficulty was that the isolated spot sat behind an unoccupied farm house and was surrounded by trees, obscuring the accident site from the road and nearby Lenzie. McAllister's step-father Roddy and other family members were at the scene as the loch was being searched. The Police had been called to the incident at around 5.05pm that evening together with ambulance and fire and rescue services, McAllister's body was recovered at around 7.30pm. Tain also lost her life through drowning. The next day Roderick McAllister spoke of how the family were proud of son John for trying to save Tain: "I would say he was a real hero - a silly hero, but we are proud of him."His funeral was held on 7 January 2012 at Daldowie Crematorium and the family asked attendees to make donations to the Dogs Trust instead of flowers.[5][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]

Flooding

Flooding from the Gadloch severe enough to close the neighbouring roads has been common for many years.[20] In more recent years the Gadloch's drainage tunnel has collapsed and the water levels have risen even further, flooding into the nearby Lenzie Golf Course[21] and affecting the nearby Farms and Crosshill Road.[22][23] In 2011/2012 parts of the golf course were ruined by the flooding and four different fairways had to be relaid and returfed after the Gadloch encroached more than 200 metres onto the greens.[22][24] The heights reached by the water have become such a problem that the Lenzie community council has created a special section of its website to deal with coverage of the issue.[25][26] In the winter time the frozen Gadloch covers the path to Auchinloch and members of the public have been taken to hospital after falling through the ice.[27]

  • Gadloch from Crosshill Road
    Gadloch from Crosshill Road
  • Southwest view across Gadloch Towards the distant Red Road Flats.
    Southwest view across Gadloch Towards the distant Red Road Flats.
  • Gadloch
    Gadloch
  • Wester Gadloch Farm, locally known as Loch Farm,the Gadloch can be seen in the distance
    Wester Gadloch Farm, locally known as Loch Farm,the Gadloch can be seen in the distance
  • Lenzie from the air, Gadloch is in the foreground.
    Lenzie from the air, Gadloch is in the foreground.

References
  1. "Man Drowns In Bid To Rescue Dog". huffingtonpost.co.uk. 19 December 2011. Archived from the original on 14 May 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  2. Anderson, Deborah (19 December 2011). "Man, 37, drowns after trying to save his dog - Evening Times | News". Evening Times. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  3. Derek Lambie (17 April 2011). "Home of the Daily and Sunday Express | UK News :: Historic golf course is engulfed by loch after PoW tunnel collapses". Express.co.uk. Archived from the original on 18 May 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
  4. Gardner, Claire (19 December 2011). "Owner drowns in loch trying to save dog - Edinburgh, East & Fife". scotsman.com. Archived from the original on 3 February 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  5. "100~101fm :: Man Drowns In Bid To Rescue Dog". Real Radio Scotland. 18 December 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  6. "Man drowns in bid to rescue dog | UK news". The Guardian. 18 December 2011. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  7. John Ferguson (19 December 2011). "Man drowns after falling through ice on a loch as he tries to rescue his dog". The Daily Record. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  8. Doug Gillon (23 October 2010). "Interview: curling veteran prepares to open the Grand Match - Herald Scotland | Sport | Other Sports News". Herald Scotland. Archived from the original on 10 October 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
  9. Thom, Valerie M. Birds in Scotland. p. 86.
  10. "Gadloch photo - John Molloy photos at". pbase.com. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
  11. "Detective tells of search for six bodies". The Glasgow Herald. 23 February 1988. p. 8. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  12. "Detective tells jury of search for six bodies". The Glasgow Herald. 2 March 1988. p. 6. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  13. "BBC News - Man dies in fall through Gadloch ice". BBC News. 18 December 2011. Archived from the original on 18 December 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  14. "100~101fm :: Man Drowns After Plunge Into Loch". Real Radio Scotland. 18 December 2011. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  15. "Man drowns after plunge into loch - Edinburgh". scotsman.com. 18 December 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  16. "Man drowns after falling through ice on loch | Glasgow and West | STV News". News.stv.tv. 18 December 2011. Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  17. "Man 'silly hero' over loch death - News". Scotsman.com. 19 December 2011. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  18. "100~101fm :: John McAllister's Dad Says He Was A Hero". Real Radio Scotland. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  19. "BBC News - Funeral held for Gadloch accident victim". BBC News. 7 January 2012. Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  20. William Tinning (21 October 1998). "Rain leads to flooding chaos on major roads - Herald Scotland | Sport | SPL | Aberdeen". Herald Scotland. Archived from the original on 10 October 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
  21. "eatingsleeping: Gadloch again". 13 March 2011. Archived from the original on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
  22. "Floody hell for Lenzie residents - Local Headlines". Kirkintilloch Herald. 2 May 2011. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
  23. "Not par for the course! Golf club hit by flooding - Local Headlines". Kirkintilloch Herald. 2 March 2011. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
  24. "Green with envy - Lenzie Golf Course is looking lush! - Local Sport". Kirkintilloch Herald. 18 April 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  25. "Gadloch". Lenzie Community Council. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
  26. "Gadloch Water Level Mystery". 20 August 2010. Archived from the original on 20 August 2010. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
  27. "Snow safety fears as man plunges through ice - Local Headlines". Kirkintilloch Herald. 1 December 2010. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
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