Scammonden Water. Midweek walk
1 people attending
19 places left
Short, dog friendly walk around Scammonden Reservoir.
Scammonden Dam is the only dam to have a motorway go across the top of it in the whole of Britain. The M62 motorway, officially opened by HM Queen Elizabeth II in Oct 1971, with a plaque to prove it viewable on the walk, crosses Scammonden dam, making it one very big piece of engineering. We cross the dam alongside the motorway near the start of the walk, shortly leaving it behind to enjoy the peace and beauty that Scammonden Water has to offer along its shores and up into the continuing hillsides.
The local village of Deanhead was submerged in the making of the reservoir. Many of the village bulidings were demolished, only the church, it's vicarage and school survived. The vicarage, which we will pass right around, is now home to Scammonden Water Sailing Club, you can often see sailboats out on the water. The reservoir is 51.8 metres deep at it's deepest. It provides drinking water for nearby Huddersfield through an underground 2.5km tunnel.
The walk will head all the way around Scammonden Water, with a lot of the paths having recent reconstructive work to make them more suitable for year round use. There may be some muddy parts but generally this should be an easy and well maintained route, with the odd hill along the way, but nothing too steep or strenuous.
What to bring
Water: bring at least two litres
Medicines: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor ailments etc.
Day rucksack: typically 20-30 litres, they are comfortable to wear and allow you to use your arms freely
Boots: waterproof and breathable and designed for hiking
Gaiters: recommended for wet weather or boggy conditions
Socks: proper walking socks will keep your feet dry and help prevent blisters
Layered clothing: lets you quickly adapt to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (vest or t-shirt) and a mid layer (a micro fleece or shirt) and in cooler weather add an outer layer (a windproof jacket or thick fleece)
Trousers: ideally no jeans as they become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry and on warm days shorts are OK
Waterproof jacket: essential when hiking in all but the calmest of weather, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry
Gloves: Windproof, or better still, waterproof gloves are the best choice, bring a spare pair if expecting rain
Hat or cap: stay warm in winter and shaded in summer
Sunglasses: for any sunny day, even in winter
Snacks: bring biscuits, energy bars, gels, bananas, chocolate or dried fruit for example and put them somewhere easy to get hold of
Lunch: bring a packed lunch
Food & drink
Packed lunch
Water
Snacks
Flask of something warm