Loch Rimsdale

The loch is over 3 miles across being long and thin but is also adjacent to Loch Nan Clar from which it is separated by a small channel. The only outflow of the Loch is Loch Nan Clar, which leads to the river Helmsdale but as for inflow there's many small streams that flow into Loch Rimsdale. Most importantly there's the appropriately named Rimsdale Burn which gets water all the way from Loch Sgeireach which is surprising as much of the outflow from that loch goes directly to Loch Nan Clar. Much of the other inflow into the Rimsdale burn however is from dozens of tiny brooks and streams most of which are unnamed which create a web of waterways around the mountains. Some of the water comes all the way from the peak of Beinn a' Mhadaidh while much of the other water flows from Alltan Peallach and it's smaller unnamed tributaries some of which bring water from Loch Nan Faoileag. Adjacent to the Rimsdale burn, there's Allt Lon A Chuil which brings plenty of water from Green Loch and Loch Rosail. From there water flows further north to Palm Loch and to Creag nan Laogh. By Palm loch is the Mackay Country Landmark which is also where the inflow crosses back under the B871.[5] Loch Nan Foileag also brings water into Allt Lon A Chuil as well as Loch Molach and on some occasions water from Rhifail Loch which usually flows into the River Naver and then the Atlantic ocean, flows south into Loch Molach. Further North there's the tributary Allt Bothan Uisge-beatha which is named after Cnoc Bothan Uisge-beatha, the peak where it's water comes from. A large area of small brooks and tributaries is beyond that and the outflow comes even further beyond. From Loch Feusaige which both gets its water from the peak with the same name as well as from Turn Loch Hill. Water also flows in from Ceann Garbh and through another tributary which is called Allt Rivigill however it also flows south towards the River Naver. Around this stream is the Source of the River Helmsdale. Directly south of these 2 main rivers there's a couple unnamed brooks that flow directly into the Loch. The Allt Seabhag brings in water from the east near Sron an Eireannach in the Naver Forest on the west side there's Allt Achadh an Daraich which brings water from Cnoc Bad na Fainne. Further south is the location of the much more important Allt an Loin Tharsuinn which brings in water from Loch Truderscaig and Lochan Dubh. Allt na Beinne brings in water to Loch Truderscaig coming from Preas a' Chamraig and its tributary Allt Crom Allt which gets its water directly from 3 peaks, Creag Liath, Cnoc a' Chrom-uillt and Creag Dhubh. Coming from the southern end of the loch is the Gearnsary Burn named after the hamlet of Gearnsary, it also flows down to Cnoc A' Chrom-uillt. However its tributaries go much further. Allt Glas gets water from Creag an Alltan Fhearna and is the shortest named brook in the area. Allt na Creag Liath gets water from a peak with the same name and Allt a' Bhealaich gets water from Creag Liath as well but also from Creag an Lochain. The Last stream Uidh Lochan na Gaineimh which gets water from a loch of the same name. Lochan na Gaineimh gets its water from Cnocan Liath-bhaid Mhoir.

As for hills and mountains, there's Ben Graim Mor the largest in the area, and there's Sron an Eareannach, Cnoc na h-Uidhe and Cnoc Uidh a' Chlarain to the north and south right by the loch. There's also the Naver Forest nature reserve directly east of Loch Rimsdale.[1][2][3]

Many settlements are in the catchment area of Loch Rimsdale

This loch as well as the neighbouring lochs of Loch Nan Clar and Loch Badanloch are all decent tourist destinations considering the area around them. Loch Nan Clar has two lodges in its vicinity, the Sheppard's Cottage and the Garvault.[11] Fishing and hiking are all the reasons for tourism, much like almost all other lochs in the area, trout is by far the most common catch however, salmon can be found both here and in the River Helmsdale.[12][13] Many hiking trains are in the area, many of which follow aforementioned paths and others run in very empty areas across the hills near the loch.[14]

Loch Rimsdale, Loch Nan Clar, and Loch Badanloch comprise the ‘three lochs’ reservoir system, created when the water level was raised by the building of the Badanloch Dam in the early 1900s. Prior to this, Loch Rimsdale was recorded on Ordnance Survey maps as Loch nan Cuinne.

There is a fan shaped stone row which consists of a couple dozen average sized stones arranged in four lines on the side of the loch, this is a sign of an abandoned or Lost Settlement.[15]

There are several small mineshafts around Loch Rimsdale.[22]