2022

NT0968 : A Swale

taken 2 years ago, near to East Calder, West Lothian, Scotland

This is 1 of 6 images, with title starting with A in this square
A Swale
A Swale
This is a swale. The definition of a swale, when requested from the internet, almost always gives a definition like : 'a low or hollow place, especially a marshy depression between ridges'. The only time I have ever come across the word though, is to describe a man-made thing, which mitigates flooding. They are kind of budget balancing ponds. In urban settings the water that gathers in them always gets directed straight into drains. In settings like this (a recently built cemetery) what happens to the water is not so clear. I think it just gathers in the dip and slowly infiltrates into the ground below, so as to avoid flooding issues created by high water runoff during heavy downpours.
The picture is a bit of an optical illusion. Whilst it looks like the low trees are growing out of the lowest ground they are not. The ground is actually lower to the left amongst the tall grass. It wasn't actually that wet in there, but in horse-racing terms the going would be described as soft.

Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Ian Dodds and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Burial ground, Crematorium Primary Subject: Drainage
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
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1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
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Grid Square
NT0968, 31 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Ian Dodds   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Sunday, 26 June, 2022   (more nearby)
Submitted
Monday, 27 June, 2022
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! NT 0929 6823 [10m precision]
WGS84: 55:53.9167N 3:27.1338W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! NT 0929 6823
View Direction
Northeast (about 45 degrees)
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Image Type (about): geograph 
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