GARELOCH-HEAD, a village, in the parish of Row,
county of Dumbarton, 6 miles (N. N. W.) from Row;
containing '217 inhabitants. This is a rising village,
situated, as its name imports, at the head of the Gareloch,
a beautiful branch of the Firth of Clyde; and consists
chiefly of a collection of cottages. The loch extends
in a northern direction about twelve miles into Dumbartonshire,
forming the east side of the peninsula of Roseneath,
on which is a fine seat of the Duke of Argyll; its
average breadth is about a mile, and its greatest depth
twenty-three fathoms. The banks of the loch are much
less precipitous than those of the neighbouring Loch
Long, which lies on the western side of the peninsula;
and southward they become more level. At the entrance
of the Gareloch is the fine village and watering-place of
Helensburgh. A chapel in connexion with the Establishment
was built by subscription at Gareloch-Head,
about 1838; and there is also a school.