TheRiver Ashopis ariverin theDerbyshirePeak District,England.Itssourceis on the eastern slopes ofMill Hill,three miles south east ofGlossopand just north ofKinder Scout.
| River Ashop | |
|---|---|
 The River Ashop in Snake Woodlands | |
  | |
| Etymology | Old Englishæsc-hop,"AshValley "[1] |
| Location | |
| Country | England |
| Counties | Derbyshire |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Ashop Head, Black Ashop Moor,Derbyshire |
| Mouth | |
• location | Ladybower Reservoir,Derbyshire |
• coordinates | 53°22′23″N1°42′38″W/ 53.372985°N 1.710658°W |
| Length | 10 km (6.2 mi) |
| Basin size | 49.5 km2(19.1 sq mi)[2] |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | River Alport |
| • right | Fair Brook, Blackden Brook |
| Progression: Ashop—Derwent—Trent—Humber | |
The river flows approximately ten kilometres east, following theSheffieldtoManchesterSnake Passroad through remotecountryside,before emptying intoLadybower Reservoir,which itself flows into theRiver Derwent.
The only significanttributaryof the River Ashop is the shortRiver Alport.The flow of the Alport is partially diverted by aweirto feed into the Ashop above the impound weir built in the 1920s to increase the catchment area of theDerwent Reservoirprior to the building of the Ladybower Reservoir downstream. The weir impounded the water and fed it into an open culvert (water conduit) that was built along the side of the hill. The culvert then feeds into asiphonover the river in a 6-foot-diameter (1.8 m) iron pipe before entering atunnelto pass through the hill to theDerwent Reservoirvia an open watercourse, entering the reservoir just north of the dam wall. The concrete structure of the weir is visible when travelling up theSnake Passroute from Sheffield.[3]
Recreational use
editThe river is occasionally used for recreational purposes, such askayaking.This is usually limited to periods after heavy rainfall when the river is in spate, because in times of normal flows the river is too shallow to use. When the river is in spate it becomes very technical, with many weirs and holes. The river is quite narrow and relatively shallow, making the rocky bed hazardous for kayakers who capsize. By far the most challenging part is in the higher-volume upper section of the river, where a small tributary of the Ashop flows swiftly through a steep tunnel under the road. The river has many obstacles such as fallen trees, and fences which lie across the channel and must be negotiated. This makes it dangerous at times of high water if the river is flowing rapidly.[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"Ashop Fm:: Survey of English Place-Names".epns.nottingham.ac.uk.
- ^"WFD Surface Water Classification Status and Objectives 2012 csv files".Environment Agency. Archived fromthe originalon 24 February 2014.Retrieved20 February2013.
- ^Robinson, Brian (1993).Walls Across the Valley: Building of the Howden and Derwent Dams.Scarthin Books. p. 272.ISBN0-907758-57-6.
- ^Yates, Mark."River Ashop – Top of Snake Pass to River Alport confluence".ukriversguidebook.co.uk.Retrieved8 March2012.