h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLVXT4L7PaQ

Okay, so ignore the dogs (although if you like that sort of thing it is quite funny, especially at 13.5 seconds, that's my favourite bit).

Anyway, so what the hell is that?!

Probably an empty underground pipe or similar with a small hole through to it. Perhaps an extensive mole or rabbit warren.

The dogs were far more fun, though.

There are LOTS of rabbits around there.

Probably be quite a few damp ones then.

B

First impression is of an overgrown manhole cover with holes in it.



Or a personhole cover.

There's no manhole cover or manmade anything in that bit, I'm sure I would have noticed before, the grass is really flat there. although I havent walked along the east/west line to see if there's one further up and this is a pipe. I might have another look at a map. I did email the local council just in case it was a broken something, but they probably wont reply.

Oh, I'm sure they will. They have a 'Special' letter for people who e-mail them about puddles.

It's obviously a wormhole that was in the process of collapsing. Had the dogs been there a few minutes sooner, the poor dears would have been sucked in and transported to the other side of the galaxy.

I thought maybe Fred saved us by killing it!?

I imagine it's a drainage pipe just under the surface with a leak into it.

What surprises me is that the little whirlpool effect is sufficiently interesting to attract and keep the dogs' attention. It's not the sort of thing I'd expect a dog to take any notice of.

Noise and movement, and the dogs are all terriers/terrier types. They are bred to chase small things. The three other dogs we had with us (two hounds (one scent one sight) and a toy breed) showed no interest at all.

My dog would have been pouncing and growling, that's what he does with moving water. I've seen him amused for ages by a drip.

Most entertaining video, but no idea what it could be.

Deb

Areas like playing fields etc. that are situated in low lying areas often have underground drainage pipe systems installed. I've just been involved in installing some on a school playing field here.

the pipe has holes in it and is supposed to be wrapped in geotextile membrane to stop soil/silt blocking the pipe however sometimes with age even the membrane blocks up as may have happened here.

I would hazard a guess that someone has tried to clear it in this location and that the entire field is trying to drain through the one hole. that would cause this effect i.e. like water down a plughole.

Ah, it used to be a farm, it's just been 'returned' to a nature reserve.

History - In the 1970's the land belonged to part of a farm, when the fields were used for grazing for sheep and bullocks. The layout of the fields still remains predominantly the same as it was during this time. However the site has been put under threat of development several times. During the 1970's and 1980's there were plans to develop the site for housing and commercial units and to create a link road across the fields. Following this, the development company Tarmac purchased the site, with the view for possible development, however the site remain unchanged.

The site as it is now - Brentwood Borough Council have improved many aspects of the park including planting hedgerows, re-introducing cattle grazing, providing better access and maintaining the ditch systems.

That video is clearly being played backwards, and the water is flowing UP into the puddle.
Darn clever how you got the dogs to walk backwards in the original though