River Almond
Catchment Information
Statistics
Catchment Size: 385 km²
Length: 45Â km
Highest Water Level:Â Â 3.75m in April 2000
Lowest Water Level:Â 0.17 m
Catchment Description
The River Almond is a river in Lothian that rises at Hirst Hill in Lanarkshire near Shotts and running through West Lothian, draining into the Firth of Forth at Cramond. The name Almond is simply old Celtic for “river”. The river has an impressive example of an ox-bow lake near Almondvale, which is to the west of Livingston.
Historic influences
The industrial heritage of central Scotland can be observed along the length of the river with numerous weirs, remains of mills and other riverside industries of the past. The shale industry played a big part of the rivers development and a number of shale bings can be found within the catchment.Â
Did you know ?
The Stewart kings James II and James IV are said to have had a hunting lodge at Illieston. The present three-storey house is probably of the late 16th century or early 17th-century date.