Warland Reservoir: Unveiling History and Hidden Depths

Nestled amidst the dramatic Pennine landscape, Warland Reservoir offers a captivating blend of natural beauty, engineering marvels, and intriguing history. A recent visit provided a fascinating glimpse into this impressive body of water, revealing its past and the secrets it holds.

Our journey to Warland Reservoir began at an intriguing old entrance, marked by two weathered stone pillars bearing the inscription "R.C. W.W 1925." This carving points to the reservoir's deep historical roots, likely indicating the Rochdale Corporation Water Works, who extended the reservoir in 1927. While this date marks an expansion, the reservoir itself has a much older lineage; it was originally constructed around 1857 by the Rochdale Canal Company to ensure a consistent water supply for the canal, a vital artery of commerce in the region.

As we ventured further, the sheer scale of Warland Reservoir became apparent. On a cloudy day, the vast expanse of water stretched out before us, flanked by the sturdy dam wall and the rugged, moorland terrain. The water levels were noticeably low, exposing significant portions of the reservoir bed, which added a unique and somewhat stark beauty to the scene.

A prominent feature of the reservoir is its imposing intake tower, a testament to the engineering prowess involved in its creation. This castellated structure stands sentinel in the water, connected to the bank by a robust bridge, efficiently managing the water supply.

One of the most intriguing aspects of our visit was the sight of the "boat remains" exposed on the bed of Warland Reservoir. These skeletal remnants, looking like decaying wooden frames and structures, offer a poignant reminder of past activities on the water. Local accounts suggest that these boats, reportedly three in total, were deliberately submerged during World War II. The theory is that they were joined together with cables to prevent enemy seaplanes from landing on the reservoir and using it as a strategic staging point. While I only saw the remains of one boat during my visit, the idea of these submerged vessels playing a role in wartime defence adds a fascinating layer to Warland Reservoir's history.

Further exploration of the exposed reservoir bed revealed a surprising "waterfall" cascading down a rocky outcrop, an unusual sight in what would normally be submerged land. The vast, sandy, and muddy expanse, aptly named "The Beach" in one of the image descriptions, showed signs of erosion and the forces of nature at play.

Warland Reservoir is not just a functional body of water; it's a place with a story to tell. The visible "R.C. W.W 1925" sign, the majestic intake tower, and especially the mysterious sunken boat remains all contribute to a rich tapestry of history and intrigue. Our visit offered a unique perspective on this remarkable landscape, highlighting not only its natural beauty but also the human footprint left upon it over the decades. It's a place that invites contemplation, sparking questions about its past and the lives it has touched.

I took these pictures with Nikon d3300 on 27th May 2025, clicking any of the images below should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

The next 3 pictures were taken with my Canon EOS R100, again clicking on them should open a link to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

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Baitings Reservoir Now Very Low 24 September 2022

Baitings Dam is a reservoir built to supply Wakefield with fresh water, completed in 1956 it is the higher of the 2 dams that block the flow of the River Ryburn here, the lower being Ryburn Dam. Construction cost around £1.4 million and took 8 years to complete, it involved flooding a small hamlet known as Baitings and sub merging the old packhorse bridge that provided a road link between Lancashire and Yorkshire, the bridge still stands and is revealed every time the water level is low. The bridge was replaced by a concrete structure called Back O'th Heights Bridge which gives a good indication of how high the dame is when full by the time marks just underneath the road level. When full the dam can hold over 113,000,000 cubic feet of water, or approx. 703,858,407 gallons.

Baitings is fed by runs offs from the local moorland and is the start of the River Ryburn that flows down the valley eventually reaching the River Calder at Sowerby Bridge approx 6 miles down the valley. It also flows in to the Ryburn Dam a little lower down the valley and built in 1933, also to supply water to Wakefield.

The dam must be somewhere near a historically low level now, the bridge completely uncovered and recently a sluice gate has appeared. I am assuming this was to regulate the flow in to the Ryburn Dam prior to Baitings being built. There was a footpath bridge between this sluice gate and the dam head but the water hasn't got low enough yet to reveal wether this is still there. Maybe a couple more weeks of low rainfall and it might appear if still there.

These pictures were taken on the 24th September 2022 using a Nikon d330 SLR camera, they can be seen below and on Clickasnap full size, resolution and un-watermarked.

The packhorse bridge appearing from beneath the water has gone from a once in decade or so event to every couple of years.

Whilst it's likely that levels have been low enough before for the original dam and sluice gate to appear, this was the first time I had seen them.

The original packhorse bridge, often submerged seen through the legs of it's modern replacement.

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Early Morning at Baitings Dam

Baitings Dam is a reservoir built to supply Wakefield with fresh water, completed in 1956 it is the higher of the 2 dams that block the flow of the River Ryburn here, the lower being Ryburn Dam. Construction cost around £1.4 million and took 8 years to complete, it involved flooding a small hamlet known as Baitings and sub merging the old packhorse bridge that provided a road link between Lancashire and Yorkshire, the bridge still stands and is revealed every time the water level is low. The bridge was replaced by a concrete structure called Back O'th Heights Bridge which gives a good indication of how high the dame is when full by the time marks just underneath the road level. When full the dam can hold over 113,000,000 cubic feet of water, or approx. 703,858,407 gallons.

Baitings is fed by runs offs from the local moorland and is the start of the River Ryburn that flows down the valley eventually reaching the River Calder at Sowerby Bridge approx 6 miles down the valley. It also flows in to the Ryburn Dam a little lower down the valley and built in 1933, also to supply water to Wakefield.

The pictures were taken around dawn on the 19th August 2022, whilst Baitings was at its lowest level for a couple of years. Despite being low and contrary to what local news outlets would have you believe this was not the first time in over 50 years the old bridge was visible, having been seen on at least 3 occasions in the last few years. It was once in a decade event but with the recent summer heat events being experienced in the UK this is becoming more regular.

The pictures were taken using a Nikon d3300 SLR and can also be seen on Clickasnap where they are full size, resolution and un-watermarked, copies can also be purchased there.

The tide marks underneath Back O'th Heights Bridge show the dams level when full.

The former bridge is submerged for most of the year, it's appearances becoming
more frequent in recent years.

The former bridge can be seen beyond it's replacement, this gives an idea of how low
the water level has dropped due to the recent dry weather.

The waterless back of the dam beyond the former bridge, the water level normally
hiding the river that feeds it.

I took this further up the A58 towards Rochdale, looking across the fields in the direction
of the bridges and Baitings Dam.

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Sunrise at Baitings Dam (Single Shot)

Baitings Dam has featured in our local newspapers quite regularly during the recent hot weather, due to how low the water level has dropped. Reading some of them online, they have claimed that the bridge which can be seen in the foreground of the picture has been unveiled for the first time in over 50 years. This is incorrect, whilst it used to be perhaps a once in a decade event the water level dropping so low that the bridge appears, it is now every couple of years. I took a set around the bridge in September 2019 with the level similarly low in the dam, and I believe it has happened again since then.

Baitings Dam is a place I regularly walk my dogs and it was whilst out walking them a couple of days ago I thought i'd try and get up there early and picture the dam and bridges as the sun was rising. The following picture is the first of the set, the others to follow in a few days. The picture can also be seen on my Clickasnap account full size, resolution and un-watermarked.

The picture was taken using a Nikon d3300 SLR on the 19th August 2022.

The bridge in the foreground is the original packhorse bridge that crossed the River Ryburn before Baitings Dam was completed in 1956. Its replacement bridge Back O'th Heights seen behind, the water level at it's highest a couple of feet below it. The sun is rising in the distance with the dam head wall just visible beyond the higher bridge.

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