Rudyard Lake
| Rudyard Lake | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Rudyard Lake | |
| Location | Staffordshire |
| Coordinates | 53°8′10″N 2°5′10″W / 53.13611°N 2.08611°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary outflows | Caldon Canal |
| Basin countries | United Kingdom |
| Managing agency | Canal & River Trust |
| Built | 1799 |
| Surface area | 664,000 square metres (164 acres) |
| Water volume | 2,950,000m³ (648 million gallons) |
Rudyard Lake is a reservoir in Rudyard, Staffordshire, located north-west of the town of Leek, Staffordshire. It was constructed in the late 18th century to feed the Caldon Canal. During the 19th century, it was a popular destination for daytrippers taking advantage of easy access using the newly constructed North Staffordshire Railway. The lake is still used for many water activities such as boating, canoeing, fishing and also for walks and recreational steam train trips.
History
Legend has it that the village of
Rudyard Lake was constructed by the
As built, the lake is around 2 miles (3.2 km) long and 0.25 miles (0.40 km) wide. It was formed by creating a 63-foot (19 m) earth dam at the southern end of the steep wooded valley, which is faced with stone on the upstream side, to prevent erosion. A spillway, some 60 feet (18 m) wide, was built at the eastern side of the dam, and feeds the 2.5-mile (4 km) feeder than carries water to the Leek Branch. The main source of water supply to the lake is a feeder that runs from the headwaters of the River Dane. This was refurbished in the mid-1990s by the Waterway Recovery Group. The lake has gradually silted up, but there are problems associated with dredging it, due to a lack of access for vehicles, and English Nature's concern over the disturbance of some rare fauna.[5]
On 26 June 1846 the
Because of the accessibility brought by the railway stations, daytrippers and tourists began visiting the lake. Visitors included
Attractions
The lake is home to Rudyard Lake Sailing Club and North Staffordshire Rowing Club. Fishing, walking, canoeing and boat trips are popular attractions.[9] The lake has a visitor centre, toilets and an activity centre which can be hired for functions or conferences. An annual lake festival is held on a Sunday in August and a firework display takes place in November.
The Rudyard Lake Steam Railway runs narrow gauge steam trains that operate up the east side of the lake on many days throughout the year. It is possible to walk round the lake or walk part way and start/finish the journey by steam train.
Top Gear episode
The BBC's motoring show Top Gear held a challenge at the lake in 2006 to see which presenter had designed the best amphibious car. Richard Hammond's attempt sank while Jeremy Clarkson's attempt capsized with Richard on board at the end of the challenge. However, James May's Triumph Herald, complete with sail and mast, performed well, despite the almost total absence of wind, and he was able to drive it out of the water, thus winning the challenge.[10]
See also
References
- ^ Mills, A.D. (1998). A Guide to English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- ^ a b The Potteries – Did You Know, Rudyard Lake Accessed 16 July 2012
- ^ a b c "A history of Rudyard". Rudyard Lake. Archived from the original on 1 July 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
- ^ Hadfield 1985, p. 200.
- ^ Sims 2004, p. 75.
- ISBN 978-1-899889-05-1.
- ^ Sims 2004, p. 74.
- ^ The African Blondin - Performances Accessed 9 May 2016
- ^ Rudyard Lake official website – Activities Accessed 16 July 2012
- ISBN 9781448140084
Bibliography
- Hadfield, Charles (1985). The Canals of the West Midlands. David and Charles. ISBN 978-0-7153-8644-6.
- Sims, Jon (April 2004). "An Exceedingly Good Lake". Waterways World. ISSN 0309-1422.
External links
