Abbeystead

If you’ve never been to Abbesytead you’ll soon realise how beautiful it is as you park at Stoops Bridge.  There is enough parking for about eight cars and in all our years of coming here we’ve never seen it full.

This walk sets off following Tarnbrook Wyre upstream which eventually becomes the River Wyre.  You can actually carry on right up to the spring on Tarnbrook Fell if you wish, but today’s short walk cuts back towards Abbeystead to take in Reservoir and Weir.

The Abbeystead Disaster:  In 1984 there were over 40 people vising the valve house at the waterworks, when sadly a methane explosion caused the roof to collapse instantly killing eight people and injuring others.  Another eight people died in hospital afterwards.

After an official inquiry if was found that methane had seeped out from coal deposits about 1,200m under ground, which had then built up in an empty pipeline.  Today there is a memorial plaque in Abbeystead commemorating those who sadly died on the day.

Read more here.