2019

NS4276 : Former dam: overflow

taken 7 years ago, near to Bellsmyre, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland

This is 1 of 2 images, with title Former dam: overflow in this square
Former dam: overflow
Former dam: overflow
The dam itself is better seen from further ahead. The present image shows the overflow leading into the channel of the Overtoun Burn. The dam and the hydro-electric scheme which it served date from the nineteenth century. The channel in the foreground shows signs of more recent (1970s) work, with gabions (stones in wire mesh).
Overtoun House hydro-electric scheme

This was one of the earliest examples of a hydro-electric scheme producing power for domestic use: in around 1892, the occupant of Overtoun House, John Campbell White (soon to be created Lord Overtoun), had a turbine house built to provide electricity for his home. See Link for more on Overtoun House. The ruins of the turbine house are located beside a waterfall called Spardie Linn – Link – on the course of the Overtoun Burn. Water was impounded further up the burn in a dam, which doubled as an ornamental lily pond. The dam is fed by the Overtoun Burn, whose channel, just upstream of the pond, can be seen to have been artificially straightened; the remains of a sluice gate are visible there.

Overtoun House Nature Trail :: NS4175

Locally, the woodland walks within the Overtoun Estate are still collectively known as "the Nature Trail", in memory of the fact that they used to be laid out as a nature trail with numbered marker posts (the Nature Trail, made with funds left over from the Quality of Life Experiment, officially opened on the 26th of April 1980). New waymarkers were added, both here and in the adjacent Lang Craigs Woodland ( Link ), in May 2015. For more on the Nature Trail, see Overtoun House: Link


Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Lairich Rig and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Water resources other tags: The Overtoun Burn Click a tag, to view other nearby images.
This photo is linked from: Automatic Clusters: · Served as a Dam [7] Other Photos: · Former dam: overflow Title Clusters: · Former dam: overflow [2] ·
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Grid Square
NS4276, 215 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Lairich Rig   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Friday, 10 May, 2019   (more nearby)
Submitted
Saturday, 8 June, 2019
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! NS 4253 7647 [10m precision]
WGS84: 55:57.3219N 4:31.4256W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! NS 4251 7646
View Direction
East-northeast (about 67 degrees)
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Image Type (about): geograph 
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