Jumbles Reservoir, lake in the United Kingdom
Jumbles Reservoir is an artificial body of water in a wooded valley north of Bolton that was completed in 1971. Water collects in a basin up to 75 feet deep and is fed by brooks flowing down from two reservoirs situated higher up in the valley.
The valley was originally crossed by a brook and served as a water source for nearby factories, particularly the bleachworks of Horrobin Mill from the late 1700s onward. As Bolton's water demand grew, construction of the reservoir began in 1967 and was completed by 1971.
The name Jumbles comes from an old English word for deep wooded valleys. Today the area serves as a place where people escape the bustle of town life to find peace in nature.
The easy walking trail around the water is about 2.1 miles long and takes around an hour; most sections are flat and suitable for families with pushchairs or people with mobility issues. Pay parking at Bradshaw Road via machine, and a cafe with information centre nearby offers drinks and details about the site's history.
Beneath the water lie the remains of the old Horrobin Mill, and in dry summers parts of the historic factory can sometimes be seen above the surface. A former iron footbridge, now mostly submerged, appears in photographs from 1984 as a silent witness to the area's industrial past.
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