Hollingworth Lake
Reservoir in a hillside niche with tourist facilities
Where?
Get there
- Public Transport
Bus/Train, 20mins walk - Private Transport
Large carparks, usually enough
Train station and bus stops at Littleborough, but the walk is an uphill slog on a busy road. Try the little Ealees Valley, or Smithy Bridge train station is a shorter walk, but steep. Private transport: carparking at the entry junction or by the visitor centre, large but when busy not enough.
Review
Hollingworth Lake was once known as an ‘Inland Resort’. The marks are the Penny Arcades and the once‐glamorous Beach Hotel. Nested in a unique South Pennines niche, Hollingworth Lake is yet a large reservoir, with postcard scenery, a flat walk round then fish, chips and icecream to finish. There are facilities here, also some tourist commerce (pizza, public houses, Space Invaders…). On the east side is a building now run by the RSPCA with a basic but large cafe. On the south side is a small nature reserve, adventure playground, short trails through trees, and a second cafe. And, though Hollingworth Lake is not an obvious place to start, from here you can walk miles up and into the South Pennines. There are downsides: the walk from Littleborough is a low point in tourist access. The circle walk is complete but not ideal—one quarter is on a small road with no footpath, half is unmetalled but wide. The glamour is gone—and Rakewood Viaduct is surreal. That said, those who care for the place have done what they can. Popular—on a sunny bank holiday it’s an inland waterfront.