Monday 11 April 2011

Errwood Reservoir



Above the Fernilee Reservoir is the Errwood Dam, the higher and newer of the two water reserves in the Goyt Valley and also the starting/finishing point of our walk.

Like the Fernilee before it, the Errwood was built by the Stockport and District Water Board and supplies the water for that town and the districts around it. The Errwood is slightly smaller than the Fernilee, holding approximately 4,215 million litres of water (a difference of c685 million litres), but, being newer, it cost significantly more to construct; £1.5 million as compared to £480,000. (I don't care to think what the build would cost today, but to buy an apartment with a Thames view can cost as much in 2011 as the Errwood cost to build in 1968!)

Talking of 1968, that was the year in which the reservoir was officially opened, on June 14th, by HRH The Duchess of Kent (wife of Edward, Duke of Kent who is first cousin to Queen Elizabeth II - and yes, I did have to look that up!)

Returning to more mundane matters, the water level of the reservoir is controlled by a plug hole leading to an open channel down the far side of the dam wall; rather like a bath overflow, but on a very big scale!




The shore below the car park provided some rather lovely reflections in the still water...



...and I was rather taken with this buoy :)


Now, how far to the pub?



9 comments:

  1. Wonderful relections again, H :)

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  2. Odd; I took so few photos on that walk, nothing much seemed suitable ... yet you seem to have captured so many great shots =D

    Oh, yes, the pub... about four miles by car to the Shady Oak; or a couple of miles on foot (each way) to the Cat & Fiddle

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  3. Cat and Fiddle = UPHILL!! I'll settle for the Shady Oak :)

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  4. Michael and Hanne - Funnily enough, the buoy made me think of the world as well; even though the colours are a wee bit odd.

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  5. I always do such a nice sightseeing tour on your blog and now I also will look for a pub, lol !

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  6. Fresh air, water, a good walk and then a visit to a pub - you're my kind of gal!

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  7. The buoy is amazing : the world normally appears like that after I have been to the pub, not before.

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  8. I came back when the photo of the reservoir caught my eye. The water is lovely and so calm. Impressive, especially since it has lasted the test of time and still works today.

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