Toilets are at Fairholmes, rather than at the dam. Closing is approximately 17:00 in winter and 19:00 in summer, subject to staffing; opening time is unverified.
Fairholmes paid parking: up to 2 hours £3.50, 2–4 hours £6, over 4 hours £7. Cash, card and RingGo accepted. Daylight access only; no overnight parking and closure is possible in extreme weather.
Fairholmes offers paid parking, toilets and seasonal refreshments. No public toilets or refreshments at the dam itself have been verified.
Opening hours
All times are local to the place. Facility hours may differ from access to the grounds. N/A means no timetable was available in the sources checked; read the notes for access guidance.
Fairholmes car park
Fairholmes toilets
Reservoir site
Fairholmes car park
Day
Opening times
monday
Not yet checked
tuesday
Not yet checked
wednesday
Not yet checked
thursday
Not yet checked
friday
Not yet checked
saturday
Not yet checked
sunday
Not yet checked
Open during daylight; exact clock times vary. Closed in extreme weather; no overnight parking.
A Grade II listed early twentieth-century dam with castellated stone towers, visited by a longer waterside walk from Fairholmes.
Built between 1901 and 1912, Howden Dam is a monumental gritstone structure in the Upper Derwent reservoir system. Historic England records Edward Sandeman as engineer and W. Flockhart as architectural adviser. The approach along the west shore of Derwent Reservoir leads towards views of its masonry and towers.
A closer look
Discover the landscape and stories behind this place.
Before you set out
Details and coordinates can be incomplete or out of date. Check current access, conditions, weather and your route with the site operator before travelling. This is not live navigation or emergency guidance.
Editorial review: 6 November 2026. Conditions may change.
Approach
Allow 65 minutes one way (estimated) from Fairholmes, following the operator’s west-shore route past the west tower of Derwent Dam and north beside the reservoir to Howden Dam. View from permitted paths and return the same way; the full reservoir circuit is outside this visit range.
Walking time from arrival (one way)
65 minutes (approximate)
Terrain & steps
Reservoir-side tracks and sections of road with gradients. This remains a walk of several kilometres each way, rather than a stop beside a visitor-centre car park.
Accessibility
No complete current access audit for this exact approach has been verified. Assess gradients, surfaces, traffic and any temporary barriers before choosing it for mobility equipment.
Access & restrictions
The Severn Trent route map states that visitors cannot cross Howden Dam. Keep to the west-shore public route and do not treat the dam marker as permission to enter operational areas.
Seasonal considerations
Facilities and vehicle access can be affected by winter weather and staffing. Walk in daylight, follow current signs and keep dogs on leads; swimming, fires and barbecues are prohibited at the reservoirs.
Historic buildings · Woodland & water · Industrial heritage
Approach walk: approximately 65 minutes one way from the stated arrival point.
Typical total visit: 150–210 minutes, including exploring.
Step-free approach: not checked.
One-way approach: 65 minutes (estimated) from Fairholmes along the west shore to permitted views of Howden Dam. Total visit: 150–210 minutes (estimated) for the return walk and stops. The estimate is based on the mapped shore route of roughly 3.5–4 km each way; it is not the operator’s 16 km circuit. Crossing the dam is not permitted.
Source for these planning details
More to discover nearby
A few other places within 25 miles of Howden Dam. Distances are approximate, straight line; use each guide’s arrival point to plan your journey.
