Gaddings Dam

Gaddings Dam is a popular training venue for open water competitors, triathletes and channel swimmers, and for as long as the most ancient locals can remember, has been a favourite place for the people of Todmorden and Walsden to take a swim.

High and exposed, this disused reservoir is often wild and windy, sometimes tranquil, and occasionally a baking sun trap. But whatever the conditions, it usually manages to reward those who make the hike to the top of the moor - not a long hike but sufficient to weed out the casual grockles and ensure the place is never crowded.