Duddingston Loch

Category

Library Item

Item no

13227

Title

Duddingston Loch

Artist / maker

Lydon, A. F.

Date

1882

Size

10.2 x 15.3 cm

Type

Engraving

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

The accompanying text, taken from the volume 'Scottish Loch Scenery' by Thomas A. Croal, begins as follows
"The smallest of all the notable lochs in Scotland, its circumference being under a mile and a half, Duddingston is nevertheless famous as the resort of curlers and scaters, and for very many years it has been a favourite playground of the citizens of Edinburgh, whenever John Frost holds reign, and the ice is pronounced safe by the police. The water is deep, and the loch is fed by several springs far down in its depths, so that it is not a mere touch of frost that will produce practicable ice at that part of the loch just under the rocky knoll overhanging the middle. But when the frost has lasted for two or three days, and the word is passed round in the city that 'Duddingston is bearing', then as if by consent the city is is stirred to wend its way to the loch. Everyone is there, from the arab who has perhaps at no other time a shoe on his feet, and whose sport can only consist of 'keeping the pot boiling' down the long slides that speedily get formed, to grave lawyers, councillors and magistrates, while crowds of the fair sex also don their skates, and anon the surface of the loch gets obscured by the multitudes of people disporting on the ice. There have been times when Duddingston , like the Thames, has been so strongly frozen that an ox has been roasted upon it, and 'Frost Fair' is still a tradition amongst old people. But a thickness of five or six inches of ice suffices to make the entire surface safe and solid, and when by the continuance of frost the ice reaches to nigh two feet thick - no uncommon event - then the frosty carnival is at its best."

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Landscape > Land > Mountains

Landscape > Land > Rock formations

Landscape > Water > Loch, lakes and ponds

Places > Edinburgh areas > Duddingston

Places > Edinburgh Landmarks > Arthur's Seat

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Sport and leisure > Activities > Curling

Sport and leisure > Activities > Ice-skating