River Kinder facts for kids
Quick facts for kids River Kinder |
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The River Kinder above Kinder Reservoir
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The River Kinder is highlighted in red
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| Country | England |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Kinder Scout SK089881 636 m (2,087 ft) 53°23′22″N 1°52′04″W / 53.38950°N 1.86770°W |
| River mouth | River Sett SK050870 220 m (720 ft) 53°22′48″N 1°55′35″W / 53.37990°N 1.92630°W |
| Length | 3 miles (4.8 km) |
The River Kinder is a small river in Derbyshire, England. It's only about 3 miles (5 km) long. It starts high up on a flat, peaty area called Kinder Scout. From there, it flows west until it joins another river, the River Sett, at a place called Bowden Bridge. This bridge is very old and special, known as a 'packhorse bridge'.
On its journey, the Kinder flows past cool rocks called Kinder Gates. It then tumbles over a famous waterfall, the Kinder Downfall. The river also flows through Kinder Reservoir, a large lake built over 100 years ago to store water.
Kinder Downfall: The Tallest Waterfall
Kinder Downfall is the highest waterfall in the Peak District area. Its water drops about 30 meters (98 feet)! Long ago, this waterfall was called Kinder Scut. This is where the nearby flat area, Kinder Scout, got its name.
Most of the time in summer, the waterfall is just a small trickle. But when there's a lot of rain, it becomes very powerful and impressive. If there's a strong wind, especially from the west, the water can even be blown back up! This creates a cloud of spray that you can see from miles away.
A famous walking path called the Pennine Way crosses the River Kinder just above the waterfall. In very cold winters, when the waterfall freezes, it becomes a popular spot for ice-climbing. There's also a running race called a fell race that features Kinder Downfall as a highlight.
Kinder Reservoir: A Water Supply Story
In 1899, the Stockport Corporation (like a local council) took over the local water company. They immediately started looking for new places to get water. An engineer named James Mansergh found a good spot above a village called Hayfield.
Building the reservoir was a big job! A company was hired to build a stone dam. They even built a special railway to bring materials and workers to the site. Some workers and their families lived in temporary huts nearby. Two farms had to be removed for the construction.
Work began in 1903, but they ran into problems with the ground. This caused construction to stop in 1905, and they had to change the design to an earth dam. There were also legal arguments about money between the Stockport Corporation and the original builders.
Finally, construction started again in 1908. The reservoir was officially opened on July 11, 1912. Kinder Reservoir can hold about 2.2 billion liters (500 million imperial gallons) of water. Its surface covers about 17.83 hectares (44 acres).
The building next to the reservoir that used to filter the water was closed in 1996. Now, the water from Kinder Reservoir is sent through pipes to a newer water treatment plant near Stockport before it's ready to drink.
