River Almond, Lothian facts for kids

The River Almond (which means "river" in old Celtic) is a river in Lothian, Scotland. It's about 28 miles (45 km) long. The river starts at Hirst Hill in Lanarkshire near Shotts. It then flows through West Lothian before emptying into the Firth of Forth at Cramond, Edinburgh. You can even see a cool natural feature called an ox-bow lake near Livingston. An ox-bow lake is a U-shaped lake that forms when a wide meander (a bend) of a river is cut off from the main river.

A River's Comeback: Wildlife and Clean-Up Efforts

For many years, the River Almond was quite polluted. This was because of lots of heavy industries, like coal and shale mining, that used to be common in Central Scotland. But now, most of these industries are gone. This means the river is much cleaner!

Today, the River Almond is becoming a home for lots of wildlife again. You can find healthy numbers of brown trout swimming in its waters. Even Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and sea trout (Salmo trutta) are returning. If you watch the riverbanks, you might spot birds like dippers, kingfishers, and grey herons. More and more otters are also being seen, which is a great sign of a healthy river!

Even though the river is much cleaner, it still helps carry waste water from southern West Lothian to the sea. There are special water treatment plants that clean the water before it goes into the river. However, sometimes you might still notice a slight "chemical smell." This can happen because of things like detergents from homes or water running off from farms. It's most noticeable in Almondell and Calderwood Country Park.

The River's Journey: From Source to Sea

The River Almond starts its journey in Shotts, Lanarkshire. It then flows towards and right through the middle of Livingston. After Livingston, it enters Almondell and Calderwood Country Park. Here, it meets and joins with two other smaller rivers, the Calder and Murieston Waters.

Further along, the river flows over a small dam called a weir. This weir helps send water into a special channel that feeds the Union Canal. Because the river flows much lower than the canal, this channel has to travel several miles east to reach the canal. You can actually follow paths through the country park and nearby land to see where the river and this feeder channel meet the Union Canal.

The river then continues east, flowing under the impressive Almond Aqueduct of the Union Canal. After this, it turns north, heading towards the Firth of Forth. If you enjoy fishing, the lower part of the Almond is managed by the Cramond Angling Club. They offer both day and season tickets for fishing.

At the very end of the river, where it meets the sea at Cramond, there used to be a small ferry. In 1997, the person who ran the ferry made an amazing discovery! They found the Cramond Lioness in the mud of the riverbed. This is a very old sculpture from the Roman times. Today, you can see this cool sculpture at the Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

Cool Places Along the River

As the River Almond flows, it passes by some interesting historical spots. One of these is Illieston Castle, located near the Almond Aqueduct. It's said that Scottish kings, like James II and James IV, used to have a hunting lodge here. The building you see today is likely from the late 1500s or early 1600s. It's now a private home.

All along the river, you can also see signs of Scotland's industrial past. There are many weirs (small dams), and the remains of old mills and other factories that used to use the river's power. These show how important the river was for industries long ago.

Images for kids

• 

  The river Almond as it passes under Howden Bridge in Livingston