38893: Loch Sgaileir

A long shallow freshwater loch between Cliff Beach and Miaviag Bay, at the Valtos peninsula.

According to D Maciver, Place Names of Lewis and Harris,

it has had three names [derived from the Norse] in its history, the three still extant: Ucsavat (hagrsa, a grazing division between Uigen and Cliff), Lagavat (long loch) and Sgaileir (a stretch of bald rocks covers the ridge overhanging the loch to the south; skalli, pla skallar, bare rocks, so ‘lake of the bare rocks’.)

Latterly it has been used for hose practice by the local retained fire brigade.