This is an older report, but we've finally decided to post it. Hope you enjoy!
Hury Reservoir, which is named after a local village, is located in a small dale which goes by the name of Balderdale. It was constructed in 1892 for the Stockton and Middlesbrough Water Board and is located approximately four miles south of Middleton-in-Teesdale. The reservoir is now controlled and managed by Northumbria Water and it supplies water to the Teesdale area. In 1991, Northumbria Water became the first company to entirely empty the reservoir as part of a large-scale maintenance plan for the area. Blackton Reservoir, which is also managed by Northumbria Water, is situated to the immediate west of Hury Reservoir, and it can be accessed via the same access road. Hury Reservoir, which is stocked on a weekly basis using local fish from a farm in Teesdale, is exclusively a fly fishery and is extremely popular among fly anglers.
The spillway that emerges from Hury Reservoir, also known as the Balder Slide, is estimated to be 101 metres long. Beginning from the top of the dam, the spillway continues to a pool at the bottom which marks the start of the River Balder. Although the river section behind the dam – between Cotherstone and the Balder Slide – is a popular grade three section for kayakers and canoeists, Northumbria Water regularly remind the general public that kayaking and rafting activities are not permitted on the slope.
We generally consider ourselves to be a group of climbers, as opposed to rafters or kayakers – preferring not to drown in white water rivers and the like –, but on occasion we have been inclined to get the old dingy out to do something interesting; whether that be sliding down a slipway, or attempting to paddle out to an abandoned castle off the coast of Scotland (that, however, is another story for another day I’m afraid). So, on our way to have a boulder on a nearby crag, we decided that we’d stop off and have a crack at the slipway. Unfortunately, we hit the first hurdle of the day before we’d even reached the reservoir, when a tractor with a particularly large trailer blocked the narrow lane we were travelling down, – having decided to unload hundreds of individual hay bales. Half an hour later though, we were back on track, heading in the direction of Hury Reservoir. Skipping the part where we arrived at the wrong reservoir, we’d noticed that Northumbria Water were out in force on this day, therefore we parked up a short walk away from the slipway and, as discretely as possible, retrieved the raft from the boot. Walking along the road to the slipway with Northumbria Water employees driving past is no easy task I can tell you, but somehow we made it to a small clearing in the trees at the base of the slide. It was here we quickly inflated the dingy and continued to the summit, quite aware that we were fully exposed to the road at the base of the river. Nonetheless, we managed two successful runs before the inflatable raft decided it’d had enough. Afterwards, we packed up the broken vessel and emerged on the road just as two more Northumbria workers drove past, offering a momentary friendly wave as they passed. Next stop for the day: Goldsborough for a spot of climbing.
1: The Balder Slide (Roadside Shot)
2: Site Instructions
3: Hury Reservoir
4: The Balder Slide (From the Top)
5: The Spillway
6: Part of the Dam
7: Climbing the Bank
8: Preparing the Dingy
9: Jumping into the Slide
10: Getting Down to Business: Lowering the Raft In
11: Preparing to Depart
12: All Aboard!
13: And They're Off!
14: Problems Keeping Straight
15: Regaining Control...
16: Gaining Some Speed...
17: The Botched Landing
18: The Better Landing (2nd Attempt)
19: The Survivors
20: Paddling Away to Avoid Detection
21: Land Ahoy!
22: Back on Dry Land
23: The Slope (From the Bottom)
24: Caution
25: Warning: No Unauthorised Access
Hury Reservoir, which is named after a local village, is located in a small dale which goes by the name of Balderdale. It was constructed in 1892 for the Stockton and Middlesbrough Water Board and is located approximately four miles south of Middleton-in-Teesdale. The reservoir is now controlled and managed by Northumbria Water and it supplies water to the Teesdale area. In 1991, Northumbria Water became the first company to entirely empty the reservoir as part of a large-scale maintenance plan for the area. Blackton Reservoir, which is also managed by Northumbria Water, is situated to the immediate west of Hury Reservoir, and it can be accessed via the same access road. Hury Reservoir, which is stocked on a weekly basis using local fish from a farm in Teesdale, is exclusively a fly fishery and is extremely popular among fly anglers.
The spillway that emerges from Hury Reservoir, also known as the Balder Slide, is estimated to be 101 metres long. Beginning from the top of the dam, the spillway continues to a pool at the bottom which marks the start of the River Balder. Although the river section behind the dam – between Cotherstone and the Balder Slide – is a popular grade three section for kayakers and canoeists, Northumbria Water regularly remind the general public that kayaking and rafting activities are not permitted on the slope.
We generally consider ourselves to be a group of climbers, as opposed to rafters or kayakers – preferring not to drown in white water rivers and the like –, but on occasion we have been inclined to get the old dingy out to do something interesting; whether that be sliding down a slipway, or attempting to paddle out to an abandoned castle off the coast of Scotland (that, however, is another story for another day I’m afraid). So, on our way to have a boulder on a nearby crag, we decided that we’d stop off and have a crack at the slipway. Unfortunately, we hit the first hurdle of the day before we’d even reached the reservoir, when a tractor with a particularly large trailer blocked the narrow lane we were travelling down, – having decided to unload hundreds of individual hay bales. Half an hour later though, we were back on track, heading in the direction of Hury Reservoir. Skipping the part where we arrived at the wrong reservoir, we’d noticed that Northumbria Water were out in force on this day, therefore we parked up a short walk away from the slipway and, as discretely as possible, retrieved the raft from the boot. Walking along the road to the slipway with Northumbria Water employees driving past is no easy task I can tell you, but somehow we made it to a small clearing in the trees at the base of the slide. It was here we quickly inflated the dingy and continued to the summit, quite aware that we were fully exposed to the road at the base of the river. Nonetheless, we managed two successful runs before the inflatable raft decided it’d had enough. Afterwards, we packed up the broken vessel and emerged on the road just as two more Northumbria workers drove past, offering a momentary friendly wave as they passed. Next stop for the day: Goldsborough for a spot of climbing.
1: The Balder Slide (Roadside Shot)
2: Site Instructions
3: Hury Reservoir
4: The Balder Slide (From the Top)
5: The Spillway
6: Part of the Dam
7: Climbing the Bank
8: Preparing the Dingy
9: Jumping into the Slide
10: Getting Down to Business: Lowering the Raft In
11: Preparing to Depart
12: All Aboard!
13: And They're Off!
14: Problems Keeping Straight
15: Regaining Control...
16: Gaining Some Speed...
17: The Botched Landing
18: The Better Landing (2nd Attempt)
19: The Survivors
20: Paddling Away to Avoid Detection
21: Land Ahoy!
22: Back on Dry Land
23: The Slope (From the Bottom)
24: Caution
25: Warning: No Unauthorised Access
