Leighton Reservoir

Leighton Reservoir is a reservoir which drains via the River Burn to the River Ure in North Yorkshire, England. It neighbours Roundhill Reservoir and is about 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Masham. It takes its name from the nearby village of Leighton.

Leighton Reservoir
Leighton Reservoir
Location	North Yorkshire
Coordinates	54°12′11″N 1°45′24″W
Type	reservoir
Basin countries	United Kingdom
Water volume	5,000,000 litres (1,099,846.241 imp gal; 1,320,860.262 US gal)[1]

Water from the reservoir is used to compensate for abstraction from the River Ure.[2] Although not in Nidderdale, the reservoir is within the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.[2]

Leighton is accessible for fishing and has a car park. The reservoir is on land owned by the Swinton Estate and they stock the waters with fish.[3]

Like its near neighbours in Upper Nidderdale, the construction of Leighton reservoir (and Roundhill) necessitated the building of an industrial railway to bring in materials for construction. A 2 ft (610 mm) 6-mile (9.7 km) railway was built from the north end of Masham railway station where a transhipment yard was located to transfer freight between the narrow and standard gauge lines. The line opened in 1905 and was closed by 1930.[4]

References

1. "Leighton reservoir works to take nine months". Ripon Gazette. 17 March 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
2. "Reservoirs". Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Harrogate Borough Council. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011.
3. "Rivers and Reservoirs on the Swinton Estate". www.theswintonestate.com. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
4. "Disused Stations: Masham Station". www.disused-stations.org.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2016.