Levenhall Links

Levenhall boating lake

Levenhall Links is a coastal, industrial, and recreational area at Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland, UK; it is adjacent to Musselburgh Racecourse, Morrison's Haven and Prestongrange Industrial Heritage Museum.

Levenhall Links is 134 hectares of land reclaimed from the sea by building a sea wall and pumping of large amounts of pulverised fuel ash into a number of ash lagoons. This infill site for fly ash from the coal fired Cockenzie Power Station has been partially restored and landscaped, shallow pools for wading birds have been created, and the area has become a popular site for birdwatchers, as well as an informal golf practice area. The Royal Musselburgh Golf Club originated at Levenhall Links before moving to Prestongrange House.

Conservation

Two areas of Levenhall Links have been designated as part of the Firth of Forth Special Protection Area and are an important roosting site for wading birds at high tide, and the only major roost between Cramond and Aberlady. The boating lake attracts up to 200 wigeon who graze on the bank during the winter.

The wader scrape has also been designated as part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

The site is part of the John Muir Way long-distance path along the entire East Lothian coast; Levenhall Links is part of the section between Fisherrow harbour and Cockenzie harbour.

Wildlife

Levenhall Links are one of the most popular sites for birdwatching in the vicinity of Edinburgh. The ash lagoons have provided a roost site for gulls, shorebirds and terns; while the seawall provides excellent views of the flocks of sea ducks such as common eider, velvet scoter, red-breasted merganser, long-tailed duck and common goldeneye. Many rare visitors have been seen over the years including Wilson's phalarope, western sandpiper, marsh sandpiper, Franklin's gull and citrine wagtail. It has hosted three terns which had their first occurrences for Scotland here; namely Forster's tern, lesser crested tern and royal tern. It is also the most regular site in Scotland for the Mediterranean gull.

Other wildlife seen are brown hare, least weasel, common toad, common seal and grey seal.

References

• Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Stuart MacPherson, East Lothian Biodiversity, PDF document: "Creating a new meadow: Levenhall Links" - [1] [2]

External links

• [3] - Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), possible Award for Habitat Enhancement for Levenhall Links
• [4] PDF Leaflet "Birding in Musselburgh" by the Scottish Ornithologists' Club
• [5] - ENTRUST (Regulator of the Landfill Communities Fund) entry for Levenhall Links

Photo gallery

• AshLagoon02.jpg

  Ash lagoon

• ScottishPower Warning.jpg

  Scottish Power warning notice

• MovingFlyash.jpg

  Moving the fly ash

• BoatingLake04.jpg

  The boating lake

• AshLagoonPS.jpg

  Ash lagoon and power station

• Levenhall birches.jpg

  Birches at Levenhall boating lake

• AshLagoonBirds.jpg

  Wading birds on the ash lagoon

• AshLagoon05.jpg

  Ash lagoon