Loch Katrine Waterworks

Sir Walter Scott Steamship

Loch Katrine Waterworks

Tennent’s, Scotland’s best selling lager is brewed in Glasgow, using water from Loch Katrine. Something that the lager brand has been advertising in recent years.

The Loch Katrine Aqueduct, the facility that supplies the brewery and indeed much of west and central Scotland with water was officially opened just over 160 years ago by Queen Victoria.

The royal visit took place on 14th October 1859 with the Queen, accompanied by the Prince Consort, Princess Alice and Princess Helena.

The aqueduct takes water by gravity from Loch Katrine to the Milngavie and Balmore water treatment works before it is supplied to around 1.3 million people across Greater Glasgow and west-central Scotland.

This Victorian megastructure is regarded as one of the world’s greatest feats of engineering of its day and helped to transform the health of citizens, giving them clean water. The aqueduct continues in full use 160 years on.

In this feature you can see some of the photographs taken at an event to mark the 160th anniversary of the royal opening with actors playing the parts of Queen Vitoria and Prince Albert. They were joined by members of Gartmore Theatre Group, dressed in Victorian costumes for a special sailing on the Steamship Sir Walter Scott to Stronachlachar, close to the waterworks and Royal Cottage.

The Royal Cottage was built next to the aqueduct especially for the monarch to use during the royal visit. They never had the opportunity to experience it though, as the loud 21-gun salute tribute to Queen Victoria resulted in all of the windows of the cottage smashing.

The visit of Queen Victoria in 1859 drew large crowds. So many in fact, that the carriages and coaches attempting to transport visitors to the ceremony couldn’t cope. As a result, many people walked across the hills putting up with terrible weather to reach the site of the opening, close to the southern end of Loch Katrine.

Here is a section of Queen Victoria’s speech during the ceremony which was delivered by the actors on the anniversary at the waterworks.

 “It is with much gratification that I avail myself of this opportunity of inaugurating a work which, both in its conception and its execution, reflects so much credit on its promoters, and is so calculated to improve the health and comfort of your vast population, which is rapidly increasing round the great centre of manufacturing industry in Scotland.

Such work is worthy of the enterprise and philanthropy of Glasgow and I trust it will be blessed with complete success. I desire that you convey to the great community which you represent my warmest wishes for their continued prosperity and happiness.”

The royal party had travelled on steamship Rob Roy 2, the predecessor to the Sir Walter Scott Steamship. The current steamship, which has been sailing on the loch for over 120 years was named after Scott, the famous Victorian writer who set his 1810 poem Lady of the Lake and 1818 novel Rob Roy, around Loch Katrine.

Due to the terrible weather on the day of the opening Queen Victoria didn’t see Loch Katrine at its best during that visit. Luckily, she came back a decade later, when conditions were much more favourable. 

The effect that the aqueduct had on the city of Glasgow is difficult to overstate. This new system that delivered fresh water from Loch Katrine replaced the need to draw water from wells and streams, a significant improvement for the health of the residents of Scotland’s largest city.   

An impressive Gothic fountain was erected in Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow in 1871. The fountain pays tribute to Robert Stewart the driving force of the project. The fountain is carved with scenes that represent the Trossachs and the writing of Sir Walter Scott. It was restored for the 150th anniversary 10 years ago with additional features added to commemorate that milestone. 

For such a geographically small part of Scotland, the Trossachs has played a key role in its history. This highly acclaimed piece of Victorian engineering was so important that only Queen Victoria could open it. Its legacy continues today and no doubt for generations to come.

Pass by the aqueduct and Royal Cottage on a cruise on Loch Katrine.