Aldenham Reservoir
Encyclopedia
Aldenham Reservoir is situated in the County
of Hertfordshire
in England
about one mile (1.6 km) to the west of the village of Elstree
.
Originally, it was 65 acres (263,045.9 m²) in extent [now 55 acres (222,577.3 m²) after repairs to the dam] and was built by the Grand Union Canal Company to control the water levels in the River Colne
following the construction of the Grand Union Canal
. It was hand dug by French prisoners of war between 1795 and 1797.
It is the source of the stream, Tykes Water, that runs north through Radlett
.
It now forms the centre piece of the Aldenham Country Park and is used for recreational purposes, fishing and sailing. Aldenham Sailing Club http://www.aldenhamsc.co.uk is based here. Aldenham SC is a dinghy racing club, sailing mostly Laser, Enterprise, and RS300 dinghies.
The very active club is also home to one of the largest fleets of Illusion mini-keelboats and it has a substantial Optimist ('Oppie') fleet. Aldenham SC is RYA affiliated, an RYA
Volvo Champion Club and a recognized RYA Training Centre, providing a valuable service to the local community (see webcam and weather station: http://www.aldenhamsc.co.uk/attheclub.html).
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
of Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
about one mile (1.6 km) to the west of the village of Elstree
Elstree
Elstree is a village in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire on the A5 road, about 10 miles north of London. In 2001, its population was 4,765, and forms part of the civil parish of Elstree and Borehamwood, originally known simply as Elstree....
.
Originally, it was 65 acres (263,045.9 m²) in extent [now 55 acres (222,577.3 m²) after repairs to the dam] and was built by the Grand Union Canal Company to control the water levels in the River Colne
River Colne, Hertfordshire
The Colne is a river in England which is a tributary of the River Thames. It flows mainly through Hertfordshire and forms the boundary between the South Bucks district of Buckinghamshire and the London Borough of Hillingdon...
following the construction of the Grand Union Canal
Grand Union Canal
The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system. Its main line connects London and Birmingham, stretching for 137 miles with 166 locks...
. It was hand dug by French prisoners of war between 1795 and 1797.
It is the source of the stream, Tykes Water, that runs north through Radlett
Radlett
Radlett is a small town in the county of Hertfordshire between St Albans and Borehamwood on Watling Street with a population of approximately 8,000. It is located in the council district of Hertsmere and is covered by two wards, Aldenham East and Aldenham West...
.
It now forms the centre piece of the Aldenham Country Park and is used for recreational purposes, fishing and sailing. Aldenham Sailing Club http://www.aldenhamsc.co.uk is based here. Aldenham SC is a dinghy racing club, sailing mostly Laser, Enterprise, and RS300 dinghies.
The very active club is also home to one of the largest fleets of Illusion mini-keelboats and it has a substantial Optimist ('Oppie') fleet. Aldenham SC is RYA affiliated, an RYA
Royal Yachting Association
The Royal Yachting Association is the national governing body for certain watersports in the United Kingdom. Activities it covers include:* Sailing* Windsurfing* Motor cruising* Sportsboats* Personal watercraft* Powerboat racing...
Volvo Champion Club and a recognized RYA Training Centre, providing a valuable service to the local community (see webcam and weather station: http://www.aldenhamsc.co.uk/attheclub.html).