Our Visitor Sites
From Monday 12th September, a section of the route along the western edge of the Upper Derwent reservoir will be closed to allow for management of the neighbouring woodland.
There will be no vehicle, pedestrian or cycle access for the public during this time.
Work we will be doing
Phytophthora ramorum also known as ‘larch disease’, is a disease that has affected large areas of larch plantations in the UK – including within the Peak District which causes infected trees to die quickly.
We will be helping to reduce the spread of larch disease across the woodlands using mechanical harvesters and forwarders to fell, process, and remove the trees from the woodland. Please note the machinery will be operated from the road.
The work will be undertaken through a Statutory Plant Health Notice, (a legal directive from the Forestry Commission) to remove infectious trees and is expected to take approximately three months.
What this means for you
The closure means that a popular circular route running around the two reservoirs often starting and finishing at the nearby Fairholmes visitor centre will not be available for the duration of the closure. Our Upper Derwent Valley map details the closures.
During this time, to ensure the safety of visitors, a full circuit around Derwent and Howden will not be possible on this road. A series of alternative routes will still be open around Ladybower and the East side of Derwent and Howden reservoir.
Once the felling process is complete, the area will be restocked with a mix of native and forestry stock trees, which are more resilient to diseases, with all works carried out to minimise the impact to residents, wildlife and visitors.
The Peak District National Park Authority have confirmed that both the Fairholmes visitor facilities and Upper Derwent bike hire centre will continue to remain fully open for visitors to enjoy other existing and alternative routes in the area.
