Gadloch

Gadloch
Highland Cattle with the Gadloch in the background, viewed from the Crosshill Road direction
Location	North Lanarkshire
Coordinates	55°54′48″N 4°09′47″W / 55.913428°N 4.163132°W / 55.913428; -4.163132Coordinates: 55°54′48″N 4°09′47″W / 55.913428°N 4.163132°W / 55.913428; -4.163132
Lake type	freshwater loch
Basin countries	Scotland
Surface area	52 acres (21 hectares)
Average depth	8 feet (2.4 metres)
Settlements	Auchinloch, Lenzie

The Gadloch (also colloquially referred to as Lenzie Loch) is a fresh water loch in North Lanarkshire, situated near the town of Lenzie, Scotland.

To the south of the loch is the small village of Auchinloch, the village's name means "Field of the Loch" and derives from its proximity to the Gadloch.

The Gadloch was originally much larger but was reduced by the addition of a drainage tunnel, local folklore has it that the tunnel was excavated by Napoleonic Prisoners of War though it is generally accepted that the tunnel predates that period. Following this the drained land was used for agricultural purposes and farms were built at the east and west ends of the Gadloch. The 18th century Easter Gadloch Farm has been left unoccupied for a number of years. Over the years the tunnel has become compromised and the water levels of the loch are rising back towards their earlier height. Parkhillhead Farm overlooks the loch from the south.

In Winters when there is thick enough ice the Gadloch is often used for Curling and has been for many years.Postcards were made showing curlers on the Gadloch in 1910 and 100 years later in Winter 2010/2011 curlers were again shown to be active on the Gadloch. Cadder Curling Club was previously based in an old railway wagon on the edge of the Gadloch.

Bird watchers are frequently seen at the Gadloch as it has a variety of bird species present and has been known to attract rare and non-native species as well, some possibly escaped from captivity. For instance in the 1970s white pelicans were sighted on the loch.