Blackbrook Reservoir

Blackbrook Reservoir lies between Shepshed and Whitwick in Leicestershire, covering thirty-three hectares of water surrounded by farmland and woodland. Built in 1796 to feed the vanished Charnwood Forest Canal, its first earth dam collapsed in 1799, emptying the lake in eleven minutes and flooding nearby towns. The present gravity dam dates from 1906 and was opened by Joseph Griggs, the first Mayor of Loughborough. In 1957 a magnitude 5.3 earthquake cracked the dam’s coping stones and faces. The site is now a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest, recognised for its rare plant communities and isolated population of native white-clawed crayfish. The reservoir’s margins hold flora found only in a few northern places, including Juncus filiformis at its southernmost point. A public footpath follows One Barrow Lane across the south-eastern end, carried by the blue brick One Barrow Viaduct of three arches. The viaduct once served as the drive to the demolished One Barrow Lodge Farm. Walkers continue to Oaks Road near Mount St Bernard Abbey. The dam and water are managed by Severn Trent but remain closed to the public as part of the Grace Dieu & Longcliffe Estate. Visitors find a quiet expanse of water framed by gentle hills and farm tracks. The reservoir’s history is visible in the repaired dam and the earthquake damage still visible on its faces. Wildfowl gather along the margins where unusual plants grow. The footpath offers views of the viaduct and distant woodland. No buildings remain on the estate side of the water. The scene is calm, with the only movement from occasional walkers crossing the viaduct.