I know, possibly a strange topic, but my son (7) has a fascination with dams suddenly and wants to see one on a walk. Now obviously there’s no Hoover dam near me, but just wondered if there’s any suggestions for ones in the lakes you can get close up to or walk along the top.

I thought Thirlmere obviously, but I vaguely remember the one at Simpson ground near newby bridge as being interesting as it has an overflow that normally has water on it, and a walkway over the top.

Any other interesting ones from any Cumbrian dam spotters?

I know its not the lakes but Ladybower has the coolest overflows

I think theres one on the river Sprint.
Defo one at the top of Church Beck at Coniston. They are legally obliged to do one or two test emergency reases a year to prove they can empty it at speed. ( Interesting if you are scrambling in Church Beck at the time ;-))

I think there is a dam under Pavey Ark, but not very interesting

Wet Sleddale near Shap – you can get near the bottom. If it’s been very wet the spillover is good to watch.

Haweswater.

Finsthwaite has a small one.

There’s a few smaller broken dams around some of the old mines iirc.

Haweswater, obviously. Can prep him up with loads of information about Mardale etc. Don’t think you can walk the top of it though.

Quite a few on tarn outflows higher up, but probably not as interesting engineering wise.

Cauldron Snout at Cow Green, Teesdale is not so far away. That’s a good’un.

Might be a clue about my user name near Simpson Ground 😉

Big ones:

Thirlmere
Haweswater
Wet Sleddale

Smaller ones

Simpson Ground
High Newton reservoirs – there’s two of them, the smaller upper one has a better dam.
High Borrans
Levers Water
Seathwaite Tarn

Oh yeah forgot about haweswater and Wet Sleddale, used to drive past that one most days years ago, watching the water come down the overflow sort of like falling curtains was quite mesmerising

Seathwaite Tarn dam is fantastic, not too far from the bottom of the Walna Scar track if you have some time to spare when doing that.

Seathwaite Tarn

Seathwaite Tarn, built to supply Barrow-in-furness.

Cogra Moss? – not that interesting as dams go but in a nice place and easy to get to 😃

Seathwaite Tarn, built to supply Barrow-in-furness.

<hijack> Is that the one up the track northwards from the bottom of Walna? Is there a continuation path to get up onto the Coniston ridge, or just brutal hike a bike?

Kentmere

The path up onto Greyfriar goes right across the dam and would be quite a hike a bike but would be a brilliant descent from the Coniston fells 😉

Might be a clue about my user name near Simpson Ground 😉

Eh? The monument? Egg pudding stone on the level?

There’s one near my house in Cartmel that you can see the various leets running out of.

Come down West Yorkshire when you have the chance, we have loads.

The history of Hayeswater should interest him. Built to supply Penrith then about 6 years ago the dam was removed by UU and reverted back to bring a stream. It’s an unusual example of the complete lifecycle of a reservoir.

Lots of photos online about this and easy to walk up to from Hartsop.

@legrandepotato – that the one when heading up to Howbarrow? Somewhat unusual to see the Egg Pudding Stone mentioned.

Nah, think along the lines of natural features.

The breached dam at Kepple Cove above Glenridding is interesting. You can walk along the top and have a good close look at its construction and the breach.

https://www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/news/beavers-finally-return-cumbria-after-400-year-absence#:~:text=Cumbria%20Beaver%20Group%20has%20announced,a%20five%2Dyear%20scientific%20trial.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-54690598

Don’t know if this counts as interesting or is just a bit everage:

LOL. Someone’s got time on his hands.

Another vote for Kepple Cove – I’ve walked over the top, and although it’s about a meter wide it is surprising how narrow it seems when you’re over the middle, highest, bit!

@whitestone that’s the one.
I think you maybe thinking of a scar on the landscape.