Swans on Old Shale Mine Reservoir near Addiewell
Introduction
The photograph on this page of Swans on Old Shale Mine Reservoir near Addiewell by Ian Dodds as part of the Geograph project.
The Geograph project started in 2005 with the aim of publishing, organising and preserving representative images for every square kilometre of Great Britain, Ireland and the Isle of Man.
There are currently over 7.5m images from over 14,400 individuals and you can help contribute to the project by visiting https://www.geograph.org.uk
Swans on Old Shale Mine Reservoir near Addiewell
Image: © Ian Dodds Taken: 23 Sep 2020
At one stage in the late 1800s it is reckoned that West Lothian produced 2% of the world's oil, and the Addiewell Chemical Works, once situated NorthWest of these reservoirs, was one of the largest operations in the area. Apparently the floodwater from some of the shafts was pumped into this specially created reservoir, allowing a ready supply of water to steam-power the mining operations. A fairly well-trodden footpath runs alongside this pond, and a much smaller one to the West. Easiest access is from a high open area of grassland to the North, just off the West Calder to Blackburn road.
Images are licensed for reuse under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0
Image Location
Latitude
55.84537
Longitude
-3.59383