19/06/2026
A beach... on a hill?
High above Todmorden, hidden among the Pennine moors, sits Gaddings Dam - home to what is often described as England’s highest beach and one of the country’s most unusual wild swimming spots.
Around 1,100 feet above sea level, it’s certainly one of the highest inland beaches you’ll find anywhere in England.
The reservoir was originally built in 1833 as a mill pond, but today its sandy shoreline attracts walkers, swimmers and adventurers from far beyond Calderdale.
This walk takes in far more than the beach itself. Along the way are sweeping views across the Calder Valley, the iconic Stoodley Pike monument standing proudly on the skyline, and the mysterious Basin Stones above Lumbutts.
The stones are linked to local poet, storyteller and lecturer John Hanson, who used the dramatic moorland landscape as inspiration for his talks and writings about the area’s history, folklore and people.
With open moorland, big skies, hidden history and a beach where you’d least expect to find one, it’s easy to see why Gaddings Dam has become one of Yorkshire’s most memorable walks.