Scar House Reservoir, Nidderdale

The walk starts from the Yorkshire Water car park at Scar House Reservoir, at the head of Nidderdale, and makes a circuit of the water. It follows the road to the great stone dam and crosses it, then climbs to Carle Fell Road, an old track that runs west along the hillside above the north shore. The track passes the site of Lodge, a lost hamlet, and a path drops to the dam of Angram Reservoir. The route crosses this second dam and returns along the tarmac waterworks road on the south shore.

It is 7.1 km with 70 m of ascent; allow about 2 hours. The grade is Easy: it is nearly level, half of it on a tarmac road closed to traffic.

Yorkshire Water warns that the dale head is exposed and the weather changes quickly, so take warm and waterproof clothes. The lower path along the north shore is boggy in wet seasons; this route uses the drier track above it. Dogs should be on leads, and on short leads from March to July when curlew and lapwing nest. Swimming is not allowed: the water is cold and can carry blue-green algae.

The car park is free and has toilets. It is reached by Yorkshire Water's private road, which leaves the Middlesmoor road just beyond Lofthouse. There is no station nearby.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.