Loughareema, a lake in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, has earned the nickname 'The Vanishing Lake' due to its ability to drain completely within hours. The phenomenon has puzzled geologists for years, as three streams flow into the lake but the only outlet is a 'plughole' at the bottom that frequently becomes blocked and unblocked by debris and peat.
The water pressure on the sinkhole causes dramatic fluctuations in water levels, often leaving the lake full in the morning and empty by lunchtime. According to The Geological Society, the lake's underground drainage system carries water 2.5 kilometres to a spring in the Carey River, but the exact workings remain unknown.
Paul Wilson, a hydrogeologist at the British Geological Survey in Belfast, said: 'Loughareema is a dynamic landscape and on approach to the lake it's exciting to guess what state it will be in. The water disappears into an underground drainage system, the details of which we currently know very little about.'
The lake's name comes from the Gaelic 'loch an rith amach', meaning 'the lake that runs out'. It is located midway between Cushendun and Ballycastle, and a narrow road runs through its centre. In the past, flooding would submerge the road, and a tragic incident in 1898 saw Colonel John Magee McNeile and his carriage driver drown while attempting to cross at night.
Local ghost stories claim that on nights when the lake is full, the spirits of the drowned travellers and horses can be seen haunting the shores, along with the spectral image of a carriage. The lake's atmospheric setting, often shrouded in mist and surrounded by desolate blanket bog, adds to its haunting reputation.
