Ladybower Reservoir

Ladybower Reservoir is a large Y-shaped lake in the Upper Derwent Valley in Derbyshire. It is the lowest of three reservoirs fed by the River Ashop and the River Derwent. The reservoir was built between 1935 and 1943 to supply water to the East Midlands. Its dam is a clay-cored earth embankment with a deep cut-off trench below. Two steel-and-concrete viaducts carry trunk roads over the water. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth opened the reservoir in 1945. The dam has two bellmouth spillways known locally as ‘plugholes’. These stone structures regulate water levels by draining excess flow into tunnels. When they overflow in wet winters, crowds gather to watch. The water is treated at Bamford and sent 45 kilometres south to Nottingham, Derby and Leicester. A stone aqueduct with valve houses passes through Chatsworth House park on its way. At the northern tip stands the Fairholmes visitors’ centre. The east arm of the reservoir is overlooked by Hordron Edge stone circle. When drought lowers the water, the ruins of Derwent village reappear. In 1976, 1995, 2018 and 2022 visitors walked among the exposed cottages and church tower. The site has also suffered mud rescues and vandalism during these rare exposures.