Gala Water facts for kids

The Gala Water is a river in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. It's a smaller river that flows into a bigger one, called the River Tweed. This type of smaller river is known as a tributary. People sometimes just call the Gala Water "the Gala." This nickname is also used for the town of Galashiels, which the river flows through. There's even a song called "Braw Lads O Gala Watter" about the people from Galashiels.

What's in a Name? The Gala Water's History

The name Gala has a few possible origins. One idea is that it comes from an old English word, galga, which meant "gallows." A gallows was a structure used in the past for hangings. This name might have come from the town of Galashiels itself.

Another idea is that the name Gala comes from an even older language called Common Brittonic. In this language, *gāl could mean "enmity" or "hatred." It might also be related to the Welsh word galw, which means "call." There's also a place called Gala Lane in Ayrshire that flows into Loch Doon. The name of the Gala Water might have a similar origin to that place.

How Deep is the Gala Water?

The depth of the Gala Water changes depending on the weather. In the town of Galashiels, the water is usually between 0.19 metres (0.62 ft) and 1.38 metres (4.5 ft) deep. That's like being able to stand in it, or having it come up to your waist or chest. However, during a big flood in 2002, the water got much deeper. On that day, it reached about 2.88 metres (9.4 ft) deep!

Images for kids

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  Gala Water at Fountainhall Bridge

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  Gala Bridge at Fountainhall

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  Gala Water near Torquhan

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  Bridge over Gala Water at Stow