Wessenden Head Reservoir, Peak District West Yorkshire

[Naaaysmith]

This evening I drove out to the Wessenden Head Reservoir, just off the A635.

There's a little gravel car park opposite the gate entrance. You could make out the Milky Way [time 9.00pm BST 12th October] even though it wasn't completely dark. Before it clouded over, I managed a quick scan of the Cygnus constellation with binoculars and the number of stars visible was beyond expectation. No doubt the darkness of this site far exceeds anything that can be expected inside the M60.

At the car park, you are still exposed to car head lights, but hopefully the Wessended Head Reservoir, only a 10 minute walk downhill through the gate, promises to be an ideal spot shielded away from car head lights. I'll confirm this next time I go.

I think what makes this place surprisingly dark is the elevation. Wessenden Head Reservoir is at a high elevation, 500m above sea level and 400m above Manchester. Manchester is thankfully located in a basin which means a lot of the light pollution is blocked by the surrounding hills.

[mapstar]

Hi Naaaysmith

Thats not far away from where we observe from at winscar reservoir at the top of the peak District.

It's not a bad site and we've had some good sessions up there.

Damian

[nightfisher]

Iused to view from diggly res not far from there and a very good site it was, must go back soon