The Explore
The overflows at ladybower have had me curious for some time, its quite intimidating looking down into what seems to be an abyss even tho its a lot shorter fall than it looks still enough to do some damage.
The plan was to abseil down these at sunrise this year but that plan hasn't materialized (yet), after almost detaching a testicle on an awkward high fence we were on that ladder to the outfall.
As we climbed down we noticed there was a hut with a man who seemed to be looking our way and on our way walking down we saw what we thought was a dog, putting 2 and 2 together we figured it was probably a severn trent water worker with a potential security pooch so we decided to venture on in and hope he missed us or looses interest.
Apart from the vibrant moss that covered the concrete tunnel there wasnt much to the place a straight walk for a few minutes then round a left hand bend to the bottom of the plug hole, we faffed about down here for about 20mins before deciding to head out to keep Mr nosey happy.
Turns out we hadnt been spotted and the so called security pooch was a rogue sheep that looked lost, we decided to not bother with the other spillway as im presuming its the same.
Brief History
Lady bower Reservoir is a large artificial reservoir and the lowest of three in the Upper Derwent Valley in Derbyshire, England.
The River Ashop flows into the reservoir from the west, the River Derwent flows south initially through Howden Reservoir then Derwent Reservoir and finally through Lady bower Reservoir.
Lady bower was built between 1935 and 1943 by the Derwent Valley Water Board to supplement the other two reservoirs in supplying the water needs of the East Midlands, It took a further two years to fill which was done by 1945.
The second world war caused some delay with the reservoirs construction but later on King George VI accompanied by his wife Queen Elizabeth formally opened the reservoir on 25 September 1945.
During the 1990s the wall was raised and strengthened to reduce the risk of over-topping in a major flood, The original dam wall contains 100,000 tons of concrete, over one million tons of earth and 100,000 tons of clay for the core.
The dam's design is unusual in having two totally enclosed bell mouth spillway overflows locally named the "plugholes" at the side of the wall, These are stone and of 78 feet (24 m) diameter with a drop of 66 feet (20 m).
The plugholes regulate water levels in the reservoir by draining away excess water when they overflow, The water is then carried to the River Derwent through tunnels.
The overflows at ladybower have had me curious for some time, its quite intimidating looking down into what seems to be an abyss even tho its a lot shorter fall than it looks still enough to do some damage.
The plan was to abseil down these at sunrise this year but that plan hasn't materialized (yet), after almost detaching a testicle on an awkward high fence we were on that ladder to the outfall.
As we climbed down we noticed there was a hut with a man who seemed to be looking our way and on our way walking down we saw what we thought was a dog, putting 2 and 2 together we figured it was probably a severn trent water worker with a potential security pooch so we decided to venture on in and hope he missed us or looses interest.
Apart from the vibrant moss that covered the concrete tunnel there wasnt much to the place a straight walk for a few minutes then round a left hand bend to the bottom of the plug hole, we faffed about down here for about 20mins before deciding to head out to keep Mr nosey happy.
Turns out we hadnt been spotted and the so called security pooch was a rogue sheep that looked lost, we decided to not bother with the other spillway as im presuming its the same.
Brief History
Lady bower Reservoir is a large artificial reservoir and the lowest of three in the Upper Derwent Valley in Derbyshire, England.
The River Ashop flows into the reservoir from the west, the River Derwent flows south initially through Howden Reservoir then Derwent Reservoir and finally through Lady bower Reservoir.
Lady bower was built between 1935 and 1943 by the Derwent Valley Water Board to supplement the other two reservoirs in supplying the water needs of the East Midlands, It took a further two years to fill which was done by 1945.
The second world war caused some delay with the reservoirs construction but later on King George VI accompanied by his wife Queen Elizabeth formally opened the reservoir on 25 September 1945.
During the 1990s the wall was raised and strengthened to reduce the risk of over-topping in a major flood, The original dam wall contains 100,000 tons of concrete, over one million tons of earth and 100,000 tons of clay for the core.
The dam's design is unusual in having two totally enclosed bell mouth spillway overflows locally named the "plugholes" at the side of the wall, These are stone and of 78 feet (24 m) diameter with a drop of 66 feet (20 m).
The plugholes regulate water levels in the reservoir by draining away excess water when they overflow, The water is then carried to the River Derwent through tunnels.
