Disused fly ash lagoon

Most of today's walk over Levenhall Links was, unlike the area in the image, attractive coastal terrain with much birdlife and even some early butterflies.

This area was for 45 years a disposal ground for ash from the coal fired Cockenzie Power Station, which shut this year. Until the station was run as a "marginal" unit about 10 years ago around 2,000,000 tonnes of coal a year were burnt to generate electricity. The waste ash was liquefied and pumped through a pipeline from the power station, which is located 2½ miles (4 km) along the coast. The ash was then deposited in a series of lagoons.

As the lagoons filled, some areas were landscaped and returned to East Lothian Council to form a nature reserve and recreation area, the remainder as shown still require further remedial work.

The disused water cannon in the foreground would have been used as the ash settled, to dampen down the surface and reduce the dust pollution.