Upper Derwent Valley

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Upper Derwent Valley

The Upper Derwent Valley is situated in the stunning Peak District National Park. Ladybower was completed in 1945 to supply an ever increasing demand.

The Derwent, Howden and Ladybower Reservoirs that make up the Upper Derwent Valley were created in the early 20th Century to provide 10,000 million gallons of water for the growing urban population in the East Midlands and South Yorkshire. The history of Upper Derwent

The reservoirs of Derwent and Howden were built nearly 100 years ago to supply the cities of Sheffield, Nottingham, Derby and Leicester. Over 1000 people were involved in building them and were housed in the temporary ‘Tin Town’ at Birchinlee. This resulted in the flooding of the villages of Derwent and Ashopton – when water levels are low, you may get a glimpse of the village remains. The settlements of Derwent and Ashopton were abandoned to make way for the reservoirs and the imposing neo-gothic dams were built in the deep valley to contain and control the fast flowing moorland rivers. The valley sides were planted with thousands upon thousands of conifers to protect the steep slopes and the precious water below. What will I find there today? Today the Upper Derwent Valley is a popular visitor attraction with over 2 million visitors per year. The site is renowned for it’s natural beauty and managed by Severn Trent Water in partnership with Peak District National Park Authority. What wildlife will I see? The conifer plantations have been carefully maintained to become vast woodland areas home to the threatened Goshawk. You may also see some of the Red Grouse, Ring Ouzel and Merlin who have made their home on the nearby moorlands of the Dark Peak. Not many people know...

The Derwent, Howden and Ashopton Resevoirs were in fact once the training site of the famous Dambusters Squadron.

11/07/2026

☀️Hot Weather Alert ☀️

We’re expecting a warm, sunny and busy day few days at the Upper Derwent Valley this week, so if you’re planning a visit please remember...

🏊No swimming - we know the water looks inviting but please do not swim in the reservoirs. There are hidden obstacles, steep drops and very cold temperatures making them unsafe for swimming!
🔥No BBQs or open fires are allowed within the Peak District National Park. Bring a picnic instead!
🐾Keep your pets cool, hydrated and on a lead.
🚰Stay hydrated! There’s a free water fountain at Heatherdene Car Park and water available to buy from Derwent Café.
⛺There is no overnight camping anywhere within the Upper Derwent Valley.
🚯Take your rubbish home with me or drop it in one of the bins provided.
🚗Please only park in designated spaces and do not block any emergency access points.

The rangers will be out and about patrolling the site, if you see them on the boat give them a wave 👋🏼

02/07/2026

We’re looking for people to feature in a photoshoot at the Upper Derwent Valley on Saturday 11th July 📸
We want our photography to reflect the real people who enjoy our sites and the many different ways people spend time here — whether that’s walking, cycling, grabbing a coffee, wildlife spotting, family days out or simply enjoying the scenery.

We’d love to hear from:
• Singles
• Couples
• Friendship groups
• Families
• Multi-generational families

No modelling experience is needed — we just want genuine people who love spending time outdoors.
If selected, you’ll receive a FREE annual parking pass for the Upper Derwent Valley as a thank you for taking part.

Interested? Please send us a DM with:
• Your group size and who would be taking part
• Your availability on Saturday 11th July
• What you usually enjoy doing at our site
Feel free to share this post with anyone who might be interested 💙

24/06/2026

☀️ Hot weather - please don't swim 🏊⛔

We know it looks tempting to take a dip during this sunny spell - but please don't swim in the reservoir. The water may look inviting, but it hides cold temperatures, strong currents and underwater hazards that can put lives at risk.

If you do accidentally find yourself in the water or in trouble, then remember to Float to Live. Tilt your head back with your ears submerged, relax and try to control your breathing, move your hands and legs if needed, and remember that it’s OK if your legs sink — we all float differently. Once your breathing is under control, call for help or swim to safety.

22/05/2026

Recently Severn Trent marked a special moment at Derwent Dam, donating a replica 'bouncing bomb' from the former museum to the RAF's 617 Squadron.

See the post below for more details about this great event celebrating the amazing 110 year history of Derwent Dam ⬇️

14/05/2026

We’re aware of concerns about paddlesports at Ladybower and wanted to provide an update.
In previous years, paddlesports operated alongside the fishery. This year, the two are being run independently and, due to a combination of operational factors — including limited parking capacity and the costs associated with running the activity — the paddlesports provider has taken the decision to stop providing paddlesports at Ladybower at this time.

We want to reassure everyone that we remain committed to supporting paddlesports at Ladybower. We’re currently exploring options for a suitably qualified and experienced operator to provide activities over the summer, while we develop a longer term plan.

If you’re aware of any operators who are suitably qualified and have the appropriate insurances in place, we’d be happy to hear from them — please ask them to contact us at [email protected].

We appreciate your patience and will share updates as soon as we can.

17/03/2026

🌱🌸🌲Did you know trees have flowers too?

After ’s Conifer ID course we’ve been seeing our evergreens and newly planted deciduous trees in a whole new light. In early Spring before we are graced with many woodland flowers the trees are putting on a show of their own with flowers, catkins, and cones beginning to bud. Well worth a wander round the Upper Derwent Valley to see what you can spot 🔍

1. Beautiful Larch roses in flower
2. Female Alder catkins with their ruby threads (seen through a hand lens)
3. Crimson Lawson’s Pine male flowers filled with pollen

15/03/2026

🌼Happy Mothers Day from us at Upper Derwent Valley! We hope you all have an amazing day💐🪻

19/02/2026

Upper Derwent Valley // 📸Captured by our Rangers

10/02/2026

🔉Sound on‼️

Ladybower is full and The Plugholes are in full flow🌊🌪️

Have you seen them in action yet? Let us know in the comments!

ExploreUK

05/02/2026

‼️Can you help us?⁉️

Our feathery friends have gone missing at Upper Derwent and we need your help!🦆

This February half term help us find our missing quackers birds and win a quack-a-lackin' prize with every duck you return to Derwent Café.🕵️

How many can you find?

Address

Upper Derwent Valley
Bamford
S330AQ

Telephone

01433 650953

Website

https://www.stwater.co.uk/our-visitor-sites/upper-derwent-valley/

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