The History of Ladybower Reservoir....

With the building of the Ladybower Reservoir, adjacent to Howden Reservoir, the villages of Derwent and Ashopton were completely submerged. The packhorse bridge which once linked Derwent and Hope Woodlands was re-erected at Slippery Stones in memory of the late John Derry, editor of the 'Sheffield Independent' and a writer on Derbyshire. Hursthead Cote (1,280 ft), Crook Hill, Ouzelden Clough, are all on the westem side of the Derwent Reservoir and can be reached by footpaths from the Glossop-Sheffield road. Back Tor (1,765 ft), Dovestone Tor (1,656 ft), and White Tor (1,599 ft), are the highest points of Derwent Edge and a track from the Glossop-Sheffield road runs along the ridge. These dams were used by Dr. Barnes Wallis and his team to test his bouncing bomb and the film 'The Dam Busters' telling this interesting story was shot here. Near Derwent Reservoir is a monument to 'tip' a sheepdog bitch who for 15 weeks guarded the dead body of her master who died in a blizzard.

The Upper Valley of the Derwent is a deep valley surrounded by gritstone edges and dominated by three great reservoirs, constructed by the Derwent Valley Water Board primarily to provide water for Sheffield. The upper two dams, Howden and Derwent, were constructed between 1901 and 1916 and they were such a large undertaking that a village called Birchinlee was constructed in the upper valley to house the workers and a narrow-gauge railway was built between Howden Dam and the Midland Railway at Bamford. Traces of both these may still be seen. The dams were opened by King George V in 1916.

In recent years forestry has become an important factor here and much of the sides of the Upper Derwent valley have been clothed in conifers. Fortunately the Forestry Commission are a relatively benevolent landowner who allow access and provide amenities for visitors, because this is a popular area for walking, cycling and fishing. They have an information centre and car-park at Fairholmes, just below Derwent dam, run in cooperation with the Peak National Park