Carsington Water Reservoir Walk

Overview
Difficulty:	Easy
Distance:	8.2 miles / 13.3 kilometres
Terrain Type:	Dirt trails, hiking paths. Mainly flat with some mild inclines.
Starts From:	Carsington Water Visitor Centre, DE6 1ST
Closest Vet:	McMurtry and Harding Vets

Introduction

This lengthy route begins with a short stroll around Stones Island before following the Reservoir Trail all the way around the water. You’ll start from the visitor centre, which is open every day of the year barring Christmas Day. To get to the reservoir, head east out of Ashbourne on the B5035. As you approach the hamlet of Knockerdown, turn right onto Dam Road and then take the next left onto the car park.

The parking is plentiful but there is a charge that needs paying when you exit. Don’t forget to pay for your parking, otherwise you’ll end up with a hefty fine (unfortunately I’m speaking from experience). The visitor centre has toilets if you need to go before you set off on your walk, as well as baby changing facilities. There are also some cafes and shops in the inner courtyard.

Dogs should be kept on a lead around this route. You’ll bump into some sheep early on on the trail, and potentially some horses too. This is also a popular destination for cyclists, although the path does occasionally split into two tracks: one for cyclists and one for pedestrians.

Stones Island

We began by heading out to the Stones Island peninsula. There is a small route dedicated to this section of the reservoir that you can take by following the signposts. We however just went up to the stone circles at the top of the mound to take in the views on this occasion.

Each of these stones were designed to give you a different view of the reservoir when looking through the viewing portal. You’ll find nowadays though that some views are better than others thanks to the growth of vegetation since the stones were erected. You can head down to the water’s edge here if you like and let your dog have a good splash around. Once you’re done, follow the path back to the visitor centre.

Shiningford Creek And The Bombing Tower

Once you get back to the visitor centre, turn right and follow the signs for Reservoir Trail, so that you walk past the front of the activities club. From here on out you’ll just follow the main path around the reservoir – it’s pretty difficult to get lost!

There are a few paths off to the right leading to various bird hides on this initial stretch by Horseshoe Island. If you choose to divert and sit in the hides, keep your eyes out for birds like waders, diving ducks and buzzards.

As mentioned above, the path will split off into separate lanes for cyclists and pedestrians from this point on but it doesn’t really matter which path you take. We bumped into people on bikes even on parts dedicated to walkers, and the paths barely differ anyway so you aren’t missing out on anything by opting for one path over another.

You’ll go through a mixture of meadows and woodland as you follow the path around Shiningford Creek. After about a mile, you’ll come across a concrete tower on the left of the path known as the bombing tower. During the Second World War, the valley where Carsington Water now sits was used for bombing practice. This RAF Quadrant Tower and its sister tower (which now lies beneath the water) were used to plot the position of the bomb drops.

Brown Ale Bay

Once you’ve passed the tower, carry on until you reach Sheepwash car park. Keep to the path that runs across the front of the car park, keeping the field on your right. Shortly after, you’ll follow the path to the right as it curves around Brown Ale Bay and along the top of the reservoir.

While you’ll have wide ranging views of the reservoir over to your right on this stretch, the path is relatively narrow and you’re hemmed in by the main road to your left. Naturally, we picked this bit to run into two horses who were coming the other way. We had to cram right into the fence to let them past. Flynn was actually really well behaved, despite it being far from an ideal situation.

There are paths that cross the main road to your left and lead you into the village of Carsington along this stretch, if you fancied taking a quick detour for a mid-walk pub stop. If not, carry on until the path takes a sharp right turn and starts taking you back down the other side of the reservoir.

East Side Of The Reservoir

Not long after turning this top corner, the trees on your left will break for a while revealing a field with a gate leading into it. If you want to extend the route slightly, you can follow this path. It leads through the woodland sitting further up the bank before rejoining the main path about 1km further on.

Once you’re about level with Stone’s Island and the visitor centre, the trail turns to the left and heads up Fishtail Creek. Roughly halfway along the creek the woods give way to some pretty wildflower meadows. Look to your left when you reach the third meadow and you’ll see an ornate sculpture of a wooden chair.

After the meadow with the chair, follow the path as it winds back down the other side of the creek and round the reservoir edge until it hits the a tarmac road. Turn left here, walk up past the holiday cottage then turn right back onto the signposted hiking path. From here, just follow the main reservoir trail for another 1.5km until you reach Millfields car park, ignoring any paths branching off away from the reservoir.

The Dam

Walk across the front of Millfields car park and then follow the path to the right. This will bring you to a cobbled area lined with trees. On the left of this section, there’s a memorial stone dedicated to the 4 men who lost their lives during the construction of the dam in the 1980s. You’ll eventually reach a large open space offering great panoramic views over the reservoir. You’ll also see the draw off tower directly in front of you at this point.

Once you’re done admiring the view, walk along the dam that’s holding back a staggering 7,800,000,000 gallons of water. After you’ve crossed, follow the path as it goes past the sailing club, then keep going until you hit see the children’s play area in front of you. Once you’re here, cross the playing field to reach the visitor centre and the end of our walk.

What To Do After

There are a couple of cafes in the main visitor centre building, but only guide dogs are allowed inside. Otherwise, you’re limited to outdoor seating – which might not be much fun if you’re visiting in winter. If you want to sit inside somewhere with your dog for food, there’s The Miners Arms in nearby Carsington village, which is where we went and would recommend.

Alternatively, the Ketch in Kniveton is only 2 minutes down the road and is very dog friendly, offering treats, water, and toys for your four legged friend. On the other side of the reservoir is the Hope and Anchor in Wirksworth, which also opens its doors to dogs.