Thousands of copies of a new map of Loch Lomond produced by the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park have been destroyed after features in the area were given controversial new names, including 'Giro Bay.'

The National Park described the decision to use the names on the navigational chart for Loch Lomond as "an error of judgement".

The map was drawn up to replace one that was created in 1861, and involved the national park ranger staff and map makers from the British Geological Society.

The first Loch Lomond depth survey was carried out in 1861. For the new map, intended to give users of the Loch details of the hazards and features in the area, staff from the British Geological Survey spent three months surveying the loch using equipment including two multibeam echosounder transducers that transmit and receive millions of soundings every hour.

The information was gathered using GPS and a motion sensor that took into account the movement of the boat.

Some previously un-named areas of the loch had been given names after the map makers and park staff who collaborated on the project. New features on the map include areas named Archibald's Abyss and Cameron's Shallows. Other areas were named after those involved in the 1861 survey, including McDougall Bank, Chimmo Rocks and Otter Spit.

The spokeswoman for the National Park Authority said: "A colloquialism was included in the chart as were some previously un-named parts of the loch being named after the British Geological Society cartographers and our most dedicated water rangers who worked together on this mapping project over the last four years.

"This is a common cartographer tradition, we appreciate it is felt to be inappropriate in this instance."

She added: "We are grateful to local people for drawing this to our attention. As soon as we realised our mistake, immediate action was taken and we withdrew the chart."

The project was funded through sales of the chart, and no public money was spent. However, the decision to withdraw the map and issue a replacement means that there will be less money available to the National Park.

A new version of the map, without the controversial names, is expected to be available in the next few weeks.

IN DETAIL

•  New map of Loch Lomond unveiled