Kinder Reservoir
Panoramic Kinder Reservoir is situated in the beautiful Peak District National Park. It lies two miles upstream of the picturesque village of Hayfield at the head of the Kinder Valley.
The reservoir lies 281.99 metres above sea level and is fed by the River Kinder flowing down from the upland plateau of Kinder Scout. It has a capacity of 515 million gallons (2,340,000 m3) and covered 44 acres (180,000 m2), At the time of its construction it was claimed to have the largest earth dam in the world.
The Reservoir and waterfall on the stream at William Clough
It took nine years to build the reservoir and it was finally completed in 1911. Abram Kellett of Ealing was contracted to build it. The associated standard gauge railway required two Acts of Parliament. The geological difficulties prompted a change in design from a masonry dam to a clay/earth dam. The first consulting engineer died and his son succeeded him. He then resigned. Stockport Corporation and the constructor resorted to the courts over financial issues including the Corporation unilaterally terminating the contract and proceeding with construction on its own.
William Clough
William Clough, at the opposite end of the reservoir to the dam is owned by the National Trust. Clothed in a carpet of heather in the late summer and autumn, there are a series of small waterfalls on the winding stream that descends the clough. It is one of the many routes up to the Kinder Scout plateau.
A walk to Kinder Reservoir from Hayfield
Distance- around 5 miles
*Commencing at the pay and display car park at Bowden Bridge near the village of Hayfield, walk in north easterly direction along Kinder Road with the River Kinder to your right.
*On reaching a bungalow on the left opposite a sheepwash, cross the footbridge over the river and turn left. Continue on the footpath along the right bank of the river which passes through woodland.
*Turn left on reaching a junction in the path and then cross the river for a second time via the footbridge, passing over the outflow from the Kinder Reservoir Dam. After crossing the bridge turn right and ascend the steep cobbled path to reach the Kinder Reservoir Dam.
* You can either turn back at this point or continue along the path through the bracken that follows the shore of the resevoir and walk round to William Clough, owned by the National Trust, at the top of the Reservoir. Clothed in a carpet of heather in the late summer and autumn, there are a series of small waterfalls on the winding stream that descends the clough.
*Retrace your steps to return to the car park.