Winscar Reservoir
ENTRY
Free
WHERE
Sheffield
What it’s like
A flat tarmac bridleway round a big reservoir for walking or cycling, with free parking and picnic spots but no swimming.
The route round Winscar is Bridleway 68, a wide tarmac track that's flat all the way, so it's a decent one for a buggy, a balance bike or a scooter without anyone getting tired legs on hills. There's no set circuit length given, but it's the kind of walk you can turn round and shorten whenever you've had enough.
Swimming is a firm no, and it's not just a rule for the sake of it. The site is blunt about why: the water stays cold even in summer, there's machinery and strong currents under the surface from the treatment works, and blue-green algae can show up too. That goes for dogs as well, so if you're bringing one, keep it on the lead and away from the water's edge rather than letting it paddle in.
Parking is free, which is nice, but there isn't much of it. Forty spaces at Dunford Road and fourteen at Windleden Lane, and both fill up quickly, so an early start on a nice day is the difference between parking near the water and parking a fair walk from it. Toilets are on site and picnics are allowed.
Between March and July there are ground nesting birds and farm animals about, so leads on for dogs during that stretch matters more than usual.
Facilities
Need to know
- Parking
- Two free car parks: 40 spaces at Dunford Road, 14 at Windleden Lane
- Dogs
- Keep dogs under control and on lead near farm animals and ground nesting birds (1 March to 31 July)
- Free entry and free parking, but only 54 spaces between the two car parks combined
- Blue-green algae can appear on the water, so keep dogs away from the edge, not just out of it
- Keep dogs on leads near farm animals and ground nesting birds from 1 March to 31 July
- Picnics are allowed and there are toilets on site
Plan your visit
Can we swim in the reservoir?
No. The water's cold year round, there's hidden machinery and strong currents from the treatment works, and blue-green algae can appear on the surface.
Is there parking?
Two free car parks, 40 spaces at Dunford Road and 14 at Windleden Lane. Both fill up quickly, so get there early if the weather's good.
Is it buggy and bike friendly?
The main bridleway is a wide tarmac track and flat, so it works for buggies, scooters and bikes.
Can dogs go in the water?
Best not to. The same cold water, currents and algae risks apply to dogs, and they shouldn't drink from it either.
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