Loch Libo

Loch Libo
Loch Libo and the railway to Glasgow
Location	Uplawmoor, East Renfrewshire, Scotland
Coordinates	Coordinates: 55°46′8.3″N 4°29′45.9″W / 55.768972°N 4.496083°W / 55.768972; -4.496083
Lake type	Old freshwater loch
Primary inflows	Thorter Burn, rainfall and natural drainage
Primary outflows	Lugton Water
Basin countries	Scotland
Surface area	24 acres (9.7 ha)
Average depth	Shallow
Surface elevation	395 ft (120 m)
Islands	None
Settlements	Neilston

Loch Libo is a freshwater loch in East Renfrewshire, Parish of Neilston, Scotland. The Lugton Water has its source from the southern end of loch, running 14 miles before reaching its confluence with the River Garnock near Kilwinning. The village of Uplawmoor and the hamlet of Shillford lie nearby. 3 mi (4.8 km) away to the southwest is the town of Neilston.

The name is of great antiquity and 'Libo' may be pre-Gaelic in origin. The loch lies in a glen, with Caldwell Law to the north and Uplawmoor Wood to the south. In the 14th century was referred to as 'Loch le Bog Syde' in a charter, meaning the 'Bogside Loch'. The loch is now owned by the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) and is managed as a nature reserve.

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The old turnpike, now the A736 Lochlibo Road (locally known as the 'Low Road'), ran for about a mile along the southern margin of the loch, later joined by the Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Railway that stands even closer to the loch's waters. Caldwell railway station, later renamed Uplawmoor was situated close by and was convenient for visitors, such as curlers, who used the loch. The station closed in 1966, the railway remaining open, although the track has been singled; pedestrians cross the line to access the loch at a dedicated railway crossing with trains passing every fifteen minutes on weekdays (datum 2012).

Loch Libo's waters are recorded to hold tench, eels, perch, pike, carp, and roach (braise in Scots); it is however the fishing preserve of the Scottish Carp Group members as is advertised by signs erected at the loch shore. The 1895 OS map shows a boat house on the northern side near where a burn feeds into the loch.

Curling matches began at Loch Libo in 1885 when a Curling-stone house was built. The club cancelled all matches ‘during the current emergency’ from 1915 to 1919 where the minutes also record that there were insufficient members to form a quorum at the AGM during these war years. In 1919 The club moved to Kirkton Dam and arrangements were put in hand to relocate the Curling-stone house from Loch Libo. The loch and its back drop The Neilston Pad form the Club Badge worn on Neilston CC sports wear, in the club colours of dark blue, light blue and white.