Greenbooth Reservoir, reservoir in Greater Manchester, England, UK
Greenbooth Reservoir is a drinking water reservoir near Rochdale in northern England, held back by an earth and stone dam set in open moorland. A broad path runs all the way around the water, connecting at several points to trails that lead toward nearby reservoirs and open hills.
The Butterworth family ran a wool mill in this valley for generations and built the village of Green Booth around it during the 19th century. The dam was finished in 1961, flooding the whole valley and submerging the last remaining houses of the village.
The water now covers the ground where the village of Green Booth once stood, with houses, gardens and working people filling the valley. Visitors walking the path today pass over a place that was lived in, not just worked on.
There are two car parks: one at Over Town Lane near the White Lion pub and another at Forsyth Lane on the east side of the dam. The circular path is mostly flat and open to everyone at no charge, though a few short sections include small slopes or steps.
At the southwestern corner of the water, a small waterfall drops into a rocky, tree-lined hollow reached by a steep set of stairs. It runs loudly after heavy rain but may almost disappear in dry spells, making it easy to miss on a fine day.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
