River Ashop
Encyclopedia
The River Ashop is a river
in the Derbyshire
Peak District
, England
. Its source
is on Black Ashop Moor, just east of the Pennine Way
, and north of Kinder Scout
.
The river flows approximately ten kilometres east, following the Sheffield
to Manchester
Snake Pass
road through remote countryside, before emptying into Ladybower Reservoir
, which itself flows into the River Derwent
.
The only significant tributary
of the River Ashop is the short River Alport
. The flow of the Alport is partially diverted by a weir
to feed into the Ashop above the impound weir built in the 1920s to increase the catchment area of the Derwent Reservoir
prior to the building of the Ladybower Reservoir downstream. The weir impounded the water and fed it into an open culvert (water conduit) that was built along the side of the hill. The culvert then feeds into a siphon
over the river in a 6 feet (1.8 m) iron pipe before entering a tunnel
to pass through the hill to the Derwent Reservoir
via an open watercourse, entering the reservoir just north of the dam wall. The concrete structure of the weir is visible when travelling up the Snake Pass
route from Sheffield.
. This is usually limited, as in times of normal rainfall the river is too shallow, but after heavy rainfall the river becomes a raging torrent. When the river is in this state it becomes very technical, with many weirs and holes. The river is quite narrow and relatively shallow, making the rocky bed hazardous for kayakers who capsize. By far the most challenging part of the river is where a small tributary of the Ashop flows swiftly through a steep tunnel under the road. This is the higher-volume upper section of the river. At times of high water the river is plagued by fallen trees, which must be navigated around. A number of fences have also been built across the river, making running it very stop and start, and dangerous if the river is flowing quickly.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in the Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
Peak District
Peak District
The Peak District is an upland area in central and northern England, lying mainly in northern Derbyshire, but also covering parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, and South and West Yorkshire....
, 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...
. Its source
Source (river or stream)
The source or headwaters of a river or stream is the place from which the water in the river or stream originates.-Definition:There is no universally agreed upon definition for determining a stream's source...
is on Black Ashop Moor, just east of the Pennine Way
Pennine Way
The Pennine Way is a National Trail in England. The trail runs from Edale, in the northern Derbyshire Peak District, north through the Yorkshire Dales and the Northumberland National Park and ends at Kirk Yetholm, just inside the Scottish border. The path runs along the Pennine hills, sometimes...
, and north of Kinder Scout
Kinder Scout
Kinder Scout is a moorland plateau in the Dark Peak of the Derbyshire Peak District in England. Part of the moor, at 636 m above sea level, is the highest point in the Peak District, the highest point in Derbyshire, and the highest point in the East Midlands. It is accessible from the villages of...
.
The river flows approximately ten kilometres east, following the Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
Snake Pass
Snake Pass
The Snake Pass is the name given to the remote, higher reaches of the A57 road where it crosses the Peak District between Manchester and Sheffield in the north of England...
road through remote countryside, before emptying into Ladybower Reservoir
Ladybower Reservoir
Ladybower Reservoir is a large Y-shaped reservoir, the lowest of three in the Upper Derwent Valley in Derbyshire, England. The River Ashop flows into the reservoir from the west; the River Derwent flows south, initially through Howden Reservoir, then Derwent Reservoir, and finally through Ladybower...
, which itself flows into the River Derwent
River Derwent, Derbyshire
The Derwent is a river in the county of Derbyshire, England. It is 66 miles long and is a tributary of the River Trent which it joins south of Derby. For half its course, the river flows through the Peak District....
.
The only significant tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the River Ashop is the short River Alport
River Alport
The River Alport flows for 9 km in the Dark Peak of the Peak District in Derbyshire, England. Its source is on Bleaklow, from which it flows south through the Grains in the Water swamp, then over gritstone to Alport Bridge on the A57 Snake Pass route from Sheffield to Manchester, where it joins...
. The flow of the Alport is partially diverted by a weir
Weir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
to feed into the Ashop above the impound weir built in the 1920s to increase the catchment area of the Derwent Reservoir
Derwent Reservoir
There are two Derwent Reservoirs in England:* Derwent Reservoir * Derwent Reservoir on the border between County Durham and Northumberland...
prior to the building of the Ladybower Reservoir downstream. The weir impounded the water and fed it into an open culvert (water conduit) that was built along the side of the hill. The culvert then feeds into a siphon
Siphon
The word siphon is sometimes used to refer to a wide variety of devices that involve the flow of liquids through tubes. But in the English language today, the word siphon usually refers to a tube in an inverted U shape which causes a liquid to flow uphill, above the surface of the reservoir,...
over the river in a 6 feet (1.8 m) iron pipe before entering a tunnel
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
to pass through the hill to the Derwent Reservoir
Derwent Reservoir
There are two Derwent Reservoirs in England:* Derwent Reservoir * Derwent Reservoir on the border between County Durham and Northumberland...
via an open watercourse, entering the reservoir just north of the dam wall. The concrete structure of the weir is visible when travelling up the Snake Pass
Snake Pass
The Snake Pass is the name given to the remote, higher reaches of the A57 road where it crosses the Peak District between Manchester and Sheffield in the north of England...
route from Sheffield.
Recreational use
The river is sometimes used for recreational purposes, mostly kayakingKayak
A kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...
. This is usually limited, as in times of normal rainfall the river is too shallow, but after heavy rainfall the river becomes a raging torrent. When the river is in this state it becomes very technical, with many weirs and holes. The river is quite narrow and relatively shallow, making the rocky bed hazardous for kayakers who capsize. By far the most challenging part of the river is where a small tributary of the Ashop flows swiftly through a steep tunnel under the road. This is the higher-volume upper section of the river. At times of high water the river is plagued by fallen trees, which must be navigated around. A number of fences have also been built across the river, making running it very stop and start, and dangerous if the river is flowing quickly.