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There's a strange structure sticking out of the surface of the Llyn Brenig reservoir, high on the Denbigh Moors in North Wales, and every time my wife Liz and I have stopped here for a hike around this beautiful lake we've wondered what it is.
Eventually our curiosity proved too strong to ignore, so after our last visit to Llyn Brenig, which included a walk along the giant earthwork dam past this strange artifact, we investigated further.
It turns out that this platform and gantry is nothing more than a giant plughole, called the drawdown facility, in which the plug is lifted up by a crane to allow the outflow of water into the river Dee.
A bit more research revealed that Llyn Brenig reservoir had been created in the 1970s as a sort of emergency water supply for North Wales and Liverpool in the event of a drought, hence the giant plughole.
Looking at it now, it's hard to believe that Llyn Brenig is manmade, looking so natural in its moorland setting, but an eyeful of the drawdown facility brings one back to reality!
Filename - llyn brenig 04
Lens - 24-105mm zoom @ 92mm
Exposure - 1/125 sec @ f8, ISO100
Filters - Polarising filter used to enhance colours. 2 stop neutral density graduated filter used to reduce the brightness of the sky.
Location - Llyn Brenig, North Wales
Image enhancements - Adobe Lightroom
Comments - Image underexposed slightly to preserve highlights.
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