Scar House walk

Covid-19 update

In accordance with government guidance, our recreational sites and car parks remain open during the national lockdown for people to exercise locally. We ask that you follow the latest guidance to help keep yourself, our key workers and others safe. In the current lockdown this includes:

• Please do not travel to one of our sites if it isn’t local (which the government has defined as the village, town, or part of a city where you live).
• Please only visit to exercise with your household, your support bubble, or to meet one other person.

If you do plan to visit, we continue to request that you are respectful of our sites, staff members, other visitors and local communities:

• Please maintain social distancing throughout your visit.
• Please follow any instructions on signage around the site.
• Please follow designated paths. The paths are there to keep you and our key workers safe.
• Make sure you take any litter home with you and do not light any BBQs or fires.
• If the car park is full, please do not park on verges or on the road as this causes traffic issues and can block important access for operational vehicles or the emergency services.

All of our toilet facilities are currently closed so please be mindful of this when visiting.

Situated at the head of Nidderdale, this often wild yet beautiful area can be explored using this circular route around the water. Scar House Reservoir is remote and peaceful and surrounded by impressive scenery. Along this route you can also admire the impressive architecture of the neighbouring Angram Reservoir, with its dramatic arches across the spillway which flows into Scar House.

Location

Near Middlesmoor in Nidderdale, north of Pateley Bridge

Difficulty

3 out of 4

Route Length

4 miles

Walking Time

3 hours

Terrain & Gradient

A mixture of rough, uneven tracks, tarmac roads, and moorland paths. Some sections can get muddy and boggy at wetter times of year. There are some steep climbs. Sturdy boots, waterproofs and appropriate warm layers are recommended, as this is an exposed area where the weather can quickly change.

How To Get There

By car: This route starts from our free car park (Point 1), which is near the end of the reservoir dam and does not have a height barrier. To get here, follow Yorkshire Water’s private tarmac access road, which turns off to the right about 100 metres after Lofthouse village when driving towards Middlesmoor.

To get to Lofthouse Village from Pateley Bridge, follow Low Wath Road for about 7 miles.

From Masham: follow Fearby Road, which becomes Keld Bank and passes through Healey and Leighton. After Leighton Reservoir, Keld Bank becomes Pott Bank, then Pott Moor High Road, then Trapping Hill before entering Lofthouse Village, about 10 miles from Masham. Take a right at the T-junction, then look out for the Yorkshire Water access road on the right after about 150m.

By public transport: Unfortunately here is no public transport currently available to Scar House Reservoir.