A narrow road to Cow Green Reservoir in England
England, europe
3 km
510 m
hard
Year-round
Okay, picture this: Cow Green Reservoir, perched high up on the border between Cumbria and County Durham in England, about 1,673 feet above sea level. This isn't your average lake; it's a massive body of water, holding back a whopping 40,000 million liters! It was built back in the late '60s and early '70s by a crew of around 300 people to keep the industries down in Teesside humming.
Getting here is an adventure in itself. The road is paved, but it's a bit of a squeeze, so be prepared for some tight spots if you meet another car. It's a pretty steep climb too, with gradients hitting 9% in places, so give your engine a little pep talk before you start. From the village of Langdon Beck, it’s about 2.9 miles up to the car park. From there, a private road (gated, unfortunately) leads another 2 miles to the dam.
Good news: it's usually open year-round! Bad news: winter weather can be a real bummer, so expect closures. Even on a sunny day, pack a jacket because it can get chilly up there. In the winter, the water regularly freezes over – brrr!
But oh, the views! This drive rewards you with stunning panoramas of Cross Fell, Great and Little Dun Fells, Meldon Hill, and Mickle Fell – all those epic North Pennine peaks spread out before you. Trust me, it's worth the climb!
Where is it?
A narrow road to Cow Green Reservoir in England is located in England (europe). Coordinates: 53.9698, -0.9659
Road Details
- Country
- England
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 3 km
- Max Elevation
- 510 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 53.9698, -0.9659
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