Greenbooth Reservoir, reservoir in Greater Manchester, England, UK
Greenbooth Reservoir is a water storage facility near Rochdale, held back by an earth and stone dam set in open moorland and grasslands. A broad, well-maintained footpath circles the water, offering access to walks around the site and onward connections to nearby reservoirs and moorland trails.
The site was home to the Butterworth family for generations, who built a wool mill and the village of Green Booth in the 19th century. The dam was constructed in the late 1950s and completed in 1961, submerging the entire village and its remaining houses beneath the new water.
The reservoir occupies the site where the village of Green Booth once stood, built around the Butterworth family's wool mill and community. Walking here today, visitors sense the quiet history of a place where families lived and worked before the water came.
The site is free to access and open every day, with two main car parks that are rarely crowded, one at Over Town Lane near the White Lion pub and another at Forsyth Lane on the east side of the dam. Most of the walking path is flat and suitable for families, though some sections have small hills or steps that may be tiring for less able visitors.
A small waterfall exists at the southwestern edge of the reservoir, becoming visible and loud after heavy rain and reached down a steep set of stairs into a rocky area with trees. In dry weather it may barely appear, but when rainfall is heavy, it becomes a lively feature tucked into a secluded spot surrounded by nature.
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