Loch Lomond is the largest single inland waterway in Britain. Formed during the Ice Age by the action of glaciersglacier n.冰河. Measuring twentyseven and a half square miles， it is 5 miles wide， more than 600ft deep， lies 22ft above sea level and covers 18，000 acres. The ruggedrugged adj.高低不平的， 崎岖的， 粗糙的， 有皱纹的 highland peaks with hidden glens and passages are steeped in history and heritage. There are over thirty islands in the loch but most privately owned.
It is approximately 37 kilometres long， and up to 8 kilometres wide， with an average depth of about 37 metres， and a maximum depth of about 190 metres. It has a surface area of approximately 71 square kilometres， and a volume of about 2.6 km3. Its surface area is the largest of the lochs， and is second biggest after Loch Ness in terms of water volume in Great Britain， although contrary tocontrary to 与……相反 popular belief it is not the largest in the British Isles-this distinction belongs to Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland.
Shaped by the Highland boundary line-a massive geological fault that separates the Scottish highlands from the lowlands. The fault runs directly across the lochloch n.（苏格兰） 湖， （狭长的）海湾 and is most visible from Balmaha on the east shore or from Mid Ross near Luss on the west shore. Luss， where the cam is positioned， is a conservation village， and home to Scottish Television，s popular soap opera “High Road”.
Views from the pier are truly breathtakingbreathtaking adj.惊人的， 惊险的， making Loch Lomond an area close to everyone，s heart， not forgetting a popular haven for tourists， （being only 20 miles northwest of Glasgow）.
Full of romance and mystiquemystique n.神秘性， 奥秘， 秘法 Loch Lomond has inspired poets and songwriterssongwriter n. 歌曲作家，歌曲作者 throughout the centuries and will continue to do so for many years to come.
The loch famously features in Andrew Lang，s verse， The Bonnie Banks o， Loch Lomond， published around 1876. The chorus is well known：
Oh， ye，ll tak the high road， and I，ll tak the low road，
And I，ll be in Scotland afore ye；
But me and my true love will never meet again.
On the bonnie， bonnie banks o， Loch Lomond.
Lang，s poetry became the basis for a famous song entitled “Loch Lomond” which has been recorded by many performers over the years in styles ranging from traditional Scottish folk to rock and roll.
Today， the loch is also well known for the Loch Lomond Golf Club which lies next to it， and which has hosted international events.
The village of Luss （“Glendarroch”）， on the shores of the loch was the location for the TV soap Take the High Road， and the loch itself was given the fictionalfictional adj.虚构的， 小说式的， 编造的 name “Loch Darroch” for the purpose of the series.
Ben Lomond， on the eastern shore is 974 metres in height and is the most southerly of the Scottish Munro peaks.
The loch contains a large number of islands， several of them quite large by the standards of British lochs/lakes， including Inchmurrin， the largest island in a loch/lake in the British Isles.
Isle of Islay
艾拉岛
艾拉岛（Isle of Islay）是一座位于苏格兰地区西方海面的岛屿，为苏格兰西岸内赫布立群岛（Inner Hebrides）里最南边的一座，以赏鸟与麦芽威士忌的生产而着称。
其东北方隔着狭窄的艾拉海峡（Sound of Islay）紧邻另一座赫布立岛屿——侏罗岛（Isle of Jura），而东方则隔着海与从苏格兰本岛伸出的金泰尔半岛（Kintyre， Pen.）相望。艾拉岛的面积约为500平方公里，南北长40公里，东西宽32公里，岛屿的西南方向有一个较大型的海湾，称为拉甘湾（Laggan Bay）。
艾拉岛与苏格兰本土以及周遭岛屿之间，是靠着海运与空运联络。
虽然艾拉岛对于苏格兰或整个英国来说，是个位在边陲、无足轻重的孤立小岛，但是在威士忌酒的领域里面，它却拥有自成一格的关键地位。此区的威士忌酒体最厚重，气味最浓郁，泥炭味道也最强，很容易辨识。这里酿造的单一型麦芽威士忌非常有名。从苏格兰跨过狭窄的爱尔兰海，这里酿造的爱尔兰威士忌口味更加平和而自然。在早年苏格兰威士忌税法的产区划分中，艾拉岛原本是被划分为岛屿区的一部分，但因相对于苏格兰本土产的威士忌，艾拉岛威士忌拥有截然不同的强烈口感，因此已被视为是非常独立的一个产区类别。在整个苏格兰威士忌的谱系中，艾拉岛威士忌普遍被认为是最重口味的一系，以带有厚重的泥炭烘烤味（Peatiness）与海盐味而出名（尤其是岛南的Ardbeg、Lagavulin与Laphroaig三厂最具有代表性）。日本知名作家村上春树在2004年时出版的游记形态作品《如果我们的语言是威士忌》（もし仆らのことばがウィスキーであったなら），就是撰述了他在参观游览艾拉岛上几家蒸馏厂之后的心得感想，由此可见该岛所生产的威士忌受推崇的程度。
今日艾拉岛上的威士忌蒸馏厂共有八个，但其中Port Ellen蒸馏厂已经停止了威士忌的蒸馏生产，而改为专业的麦芽烘焙厂，以生产出的麦芽提供给其他威士忌蒸馏厂，作为制造威士忌所需的原料。
Islay is a Scottish island， the southernmost of the Inner Hebrides. It lies just to the south of Jura. The island，s capital is Bowmore， while other settlements include Port Ellen. The population of Islay is just over 3000 inhabitants. Transport to the island is by air from Glasgow or from the ferry port of Kennacraig on the Scottish mainland （two and a half hours）.
It has a total area of just over 600 square kilometres. Its main industries are single malt whiskymalt whisky n. （大麦芽酿的）威士忌 distilling and tourism largely based on whisky and bird watching.
The climate on Islay is often more clementclement adj.和蔼的， 仁慈的， 宽厚的， 宽大的 that the Scottish mainland owing to the Gulf Stream.
The island is home to many bird species and is a popular destination throughout the year with bird watchers， notably in February to see a large colony of barnacle geese. Other bird visitors to the island include； chough， hen harrier， oystercatcher， cormorant and many wading birds.
Whisky
Islay is internationally known for its 8 operational malt whisky distilleriesdistillery n.蒸馏间， 酿酒厂， arguably the most famous of which are Laphroaig， Bowmore， and Lagavulin.
However， the other five， namely Caol Ila， Port Ellen， Ardbeg， Bruichladdich and Bunnahabhainn are not to be discounted， as each makes equally flavorsome and unique whisky.
The area has been producing the world，s finest “rich and peaty” style of single maltmalt n.麦芽 for over 200 years.
Whisky produced by the island，s seven distilleries is known as Islay malt whisky. No blending is done on the island.
The distilleries on the south of the island produce whiskies with a very strong peaty flavour. Going east to west （and peatiest to less peaty， but still peaty） they are： Ardbeg， Laphroaig， Lagavulin. （The first two are considered to be among the most intensely flavoured of all whiskies）. On the north of the island Bowmore， Bruichladdich， Bunnahabhain and Caol Ila are produced. These whiskies are substantially lighter in taste. There were more distilleries in the past： Port Ellen closed in 1983 while the Lochindaal in Port Charlotte closed as long ago as 1929.
Several easy island trips can be accommodatedaccommodate vt.供应， 供给， 使适应， 调节， 和解， 向……提供， 容纳， 调和 vi.适应 from Islay to the islands of Jura and Colonsay.
Many people consider Islay to be one of Scotland，s most beautiful islands as well as its least discovered.
Islay，s most famous son of recent times is George Robertson， the former secretarygeneral of NATO and former British Defence Secretary.
