WALK 07 · NIDDERDALE
Scar House Reservoir circuit
The wildest walk at the head of the dale
Past Lofthouse and Middlesmoor, the road runs out and the dale opens into something altogether wilder. Scar House and Angram Reservoirs sit at the very head of Nidderdale, built between 1908 and 1936 by Bradford Corporation to supply the growing city with water. A 7-mile circular route rings both reservoirs, taking in the dam walls, the open moor and the remains of the temporary village built to house the thousands of workers who constructed them.
Key facts
- Start point
- Scar House Reservoir car park, Lofthouse, HG3 5SG
- Parking
- Free car park at the reservoir, no booking needed.
- Terrain
- Mostly flat and well surfaced, suitable for walking and cycling, with open moorland exposure throughout. No shelter once you leave the car park.
- Dogs
- Dogs are welcome, but please keep them on leads near livestock and around the dam structures.
Highlights
- +A full circuit of both Scar House and Angram Reservoirs
- +Dramatic Victorian and early 20th-century dam walls
- +The low foundations of Scar Village, the temporary settlement built for the reservoir workforce
- +Some of the wildest, most remote-feeling scenery in Nidderdale
The route
From the car park, the route sets off along the flat, well-surfaced track that rings both reservoirs, with Scar House Reservoir opening out almost immediately on one side and the moor rising steeply on the other.
The dam wall itself is worth pausing at. Built by Bradford Corporation in the early 20th century, it remains an imposing piece of engineering, and the scale only becomes apparent once you are standing on top of it looking down.
Continue around the reservoir towards Angram, the slightly earlier of the two dams. Along the way, look out for the low stone foundations of Scar Village, a self-contained settlement that once had its own school, hospital, shops and recreation hall for the construction workforce. Little remains above ground, but enough survives to give a sense of the scale of the project.
The return leg follows the far shore back towards the start, with the heather moorland of upper Nidderdale rising on either side. Curlews and golden plover are a regular sound here in spring and summer. There is no shelter anywhere on the route, so come prepared for weather that can change quickly even on a clear day.
Good to know
- Refreshments
- None on site. Bring food and water, and stop at How Stean Gorge or Lofthouse on the way up or back down the dale.
- Weather
- This is exposed open moorland at altitude. Check conditions before setting off and bring waterproofs regardless of the forecast in town.
- Cycling
- The surface is good enough for road bikes for much of its length, making this a popular cycling route as well as a walking one.
- Combine with
- How Stean Gorge on the way up or back down the dale for a full and varied day in upper Nidderdale.
MAKE A DAY OF IT
Read our full visitor guide for opening times, facilities and more detail.
