Belfast Loch

Belfast Loch an Belfast seen frae Whiteheid

A cairt o Ireland wi Belfast Loch in yellae

Belfast Loch or Craigfergus Loch (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 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.