34 Dams to Explore in United Kingdom

Balderhead Reservoir is a reservoir in Baldersdale, County Durham, England. It is one of four of the very best wild brown trout fisheries in the UK that we have in the stunning Teesdale countryside. Surrounded by the fantastic scenery of the North Pennine grouse moors, there are few more tranquil and relaxing ways to spend a day’s fishing than roaming the banks of these waters, and even fewer places where you can catch truly wild browns.

Blackton Reservoir is located in Baldersdale and is one of a chain of three reservoirs on the River Balder. It sits immediately downstream from Balderhead Reservoir and it was covered with beautiful scenery and also you can have a walk around this place which will give you a new experience in the middle of nature.

Burnhope Reservoir is a reservoir above the village of Wearhead, County Durham, England. There are some wonderful woodland trails and lakeside paths to enjoy. It's a very quiet place with a series of picnic tables where you can stop to enjoy the lovely scenery of the North Pennines AONB. The reservoir supplies water to the Wear Valley treatment works at Wearhead and there is a pipeline connection to Waskerley Reservoir, which supplies Honey Hill water treatment works.

Burrator Reservoir is situated within Dartmoor, and the tranquil water and surrounding mixed woodland contrast sharply with the open moor and the rugged Dartmoor tors. The reservoir is popular with walkers, cyclists, and horse riders due to its wealth of footpaths and bridleways. Many of the trails lead on to Dartmoor so it makes an ideal starting point for longer trips.

Carron Dam is a partially drained reservoir with wetland, rich fen and deciduous woodland. Specialised plants such as gypsywort, remote sedge and water-plantain thrive in the wetlands, which is one of the largest in the area. Water voles and water rails may also be glimpsed along the banks.

Carsington Water is a reservoir operated by Severn Trent Water located between Wirksworth and Kniveton in Derbyshire, England. The reservoir takes water from the River Derwent at Ambergate during winter months, pumping up to the reservoir by 10.5-kilometre (6.5 mi) long tunnels and aqueduct. Water is released back into the river during summer months for water abstraction and treatment further downstream. It is England's ninth largest reservoir with a capacity of 35,412 megalitres.

A majestic marvel of the modern engineering in a breathtaking location on the slopes of Ben Cruachan. The buttress-style dam is 316 metres long and 46 meters high at its tallest point. The reservoir contained behind the dam can store more than 10 million cubic metres of water. It is one of only four pumped storage power stations in the UK, and is capable of providing a black start capability to the National Grid.

Dams to Darnley Country Park is a green oasis in the southside of Glasgow. Stretching from the busy M77 motorway and the suburban town of Barrhead, Dams to Darnley offers a variety of landscapes and trails for a walk in Glasgow. it is one of the newest country parks in Scotland.

Derwent Reservoir is the middle of three reservoirs in the Upper Derwent Valley in the north of Derbyshire, England. It lies approximately 10 miles from Glossop and 10 miles from Sheffield. The River Derwent flows first through Howden Reservoir, then Derwent Reservoir, and finally through Ladybower Reservoir. One of the iconic attractions surrounded by nature and it is a nice area to relax too.

Derwent Reservoir is a reservoir on the River Derwent, on the border between County Durham and Northumberland, in England. It is west of Consett. It is one of the biggest inland waters in England. It also hosts a sailing club, which holds many events throughout the year, including windsurfing, sailing, running, and triathlons. The area around the reservoir hosts the annual Tour of the Reservoir cycle race.

Drayton Reservoir is a reservoir in Daventry, Northamptonshire, England. This Reservoir is a feeder reservoir for the Grand Union Canal. When water is required for the canal the water level at Drayton can drop by 30 cm or more in a day. Drayton Reservoir was controlled by British Waterways until their responsibilities for waterways in England and Wales were transferred to the Canal & River Trust and is home to Rugby Sailing Club.

Farmoor Reservoir is a man-made reservoir situated five miles west of Oxford. Split into two lakes, it covers an area of 400 acres in the heart of the Oxfordshire countryside. The reservoir is used for sports: fishing, dinghy sailing and windsurfing. Oxford Sailing Club and the Oxford Sail Training Trust are based there.

Fewston Reservoir is located in the Washburn valley north of Otley and west of Harrogate in Yorkshire, England. It was built in 1879. The capacity is about 3.5 million cubic meters. It was surrounded by mixed, mostly coniferous woodland, the paths are well maintained on the 3.7-mile walk, which is flat virtually all the way around. Cyclists and horse-riders can also make use of their own permitted tracks in the surrounding woodlands.

Foremark Reservoir is a reservoir in South Derbyshire owned by Severn Trent which is also a 230-acre (0.93 km2) nature reserve open to the public for walking, fishing, bird watching, and horse riding. One of the iconic attractions where you can spend some nice time in the middle of nature.

Gartmorn Dam lies between Alloa and Coalsnaughton in rural Clackmannanshire. The area has a rich industrial past but today it is a haven for nature and wildlife. It forms part of the Alloa Waterworks system and is associated with Derby hydraulic engineer George Sorocold for the works he carried out after 1710 to increase the reservoir's holding capacity.

Grassholme Reservoir is a large reservoir in County Durham, England. Try the beautiful reservoir walk that showcases the views across the water and surrounding landscapes, giving you the perfect atmosphere to reconnect with your loved ones or yourself. It offers a great variety of fishing. Grassholme also enjoys the luxury of its own local fish farm with some of the stocked fish tagged with cash prizes available. You can ‘loose feed’ and ground bait around the reservoir.

Grimwith Reservoir is located on the Pateley Bridge to Grassington Road (B6265) and offers the basis for a circular walk of high quality following the shore. The walk is within the walled boundaries of the reservoir yet offers some stunning views of the moors in which it is located together with extensive panoramas into the Yorkshire Dales. It is the largest reservoir owned by Yorkshire Water in terms of water storage. It is near the villages of Appletreewick, Burnsall, Hartlington, Hebden, and

Haweswater is a reservoir built in the valley of Mardale. It started as a natural lake. Due to water demand increase, the reservoir system was built between 1935 and 1947. The dam was the first hollow buttress dam in the world. One of the iconic attraction in this area and attracts a lot of people here.

A beautiful reservoir located in the Balder Valley near Romaldkirk and Cotherstone and is a must for traditional fly fishing enthusiasts. The fishery enjoys lots of open space and is well stocked with rainbow trout. It is the ideal venue for anglers who like to match the hatch and cast wets, nymphs and dry flies as well as lures.

Knypersley Reservoir is a canal feeder reservoir near Biddulph in Staffordshire. It is located south-east of Biddulph and named after the local Knypersley area. The reservoir was built in 1827 to supply water to the Caldon Canal, along with two others at Stanley Pool and Rudyard Lake. There are actually two adjacent lakes at the site, the upper one being the Serpentine Pool which feeds the lower Knypersley Pool or reservoir.