It’s one of the Peak District’s most impressive bodies of water – but it gets a whole lot more mighty when there’s been a lot of rain.
And given that Greater Manchester isn’t exactly famed for its dry and sunny weather, winter is actually one of the best times to wrap up warm, suck it up, and get out for a walk.
Ladybower Reservoir stands beside Snake Pass in the heart of the national park, around an hour’s drive from Manchester city centre.
The huge y-shaped body of water is maybe best-known for its two bellmouth overflows – better known as its ‘plugholes’.
The overflows are 24 metres in diameter, and carry excess water to the base of the dam.
There’s often no water flowing through the drains. Credit: Instagram @nudelboiiOne of the ‘plugholes’ seen from above. Credit: Instagram @damian_kuhne
The water level often isn’t high enough to see the plugholes in action – but when they are, it creates quite the spectacle.
Ladybower Reservoir is one of three reservoirs in the Upper Derwent Valley.
Its construction was completed in 1943 in a bid to keep up with the demand for water in industrial towns in the North West.
The reservoir itself is beautiful, but sizeable – it’s about 5.5 miles to walk around the water’s edge.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach reveals exclusive glimpse at new ‘tallest of its kind’ ride
Daisy Jackson
Blackpool Pleasure Beach has unveiled a first glimpse of what its new £8.72m ride will look like.
The brand-new ride is set to be the ‘tallest of its kind’ and will change the Blackpool skyline when it opens next year.
Aviktas will be a towering 138ft gyro swing which will fly riders alongside the other world-famous rides at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, including the Big One.
It’ll be the tallest ride of its kind in the UK and will spin riders 120 degrees, facing outwards with legs dangling as you soar along the coastline.
There are other swinging pendulum rides in the UK, but none come close to Aviktas in terms of height – it’s almost twice the height of Drayton Manor’s Maelstrom.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach has now released the first CGI of what the ride will look like when it opens in 2026.
Amanda Thompson OBE, CEO of Pleasure Beach Resort said: “We’re known for going big at Pleasure Beach, and Aviktas is exactly that.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach reveals exclusive glimpse at new ‘tallest of its kind’ ride Aviktas
“We hope by releasing this video, guests will be able to understand the mammoth scale of our new investment, and the huge impact it’ll have on our park and the industry as a whole. This ride will be colossal, daunting, exhilarating and an incredible addition to the town.”
Amanda added: “This is the first small tease of what we have planned, there’s plenty more teasers on the way!
“Keep an eye on our socials, as what may now seem mysterious, will eventually be revealed!”
Aviktas will open in 2026 – in the meantime you can book advance tickets to visit Blackpool Pleasure Beach HERE.
Beat-Herder Festival 2025 – a magical weekend of music, madness, miniature worlds and more
Emily Johnson
Some festivals give you good music. Some give you great crowds. And a very rare few create a world so immersive, you forget you’re even at a festival; the cult favourite Beat-Herder Festival does it all – and then some.
Tucked into the Ribble Valley countryside in the Lancashire town of Clitheroe, The Beat-Herder Festival isn’t your average weekend of tents and tunes.
It’s a handcrafted, mind-bending wonderland built by a small crew of dreamers who clearly love what they do and want you to feel the same.
Whether it’s your first time or your fifteenth, the moment you step through the gates, you know you’re in for something special
Then there’s Hotel California, not just an Eagles reference but a site where you could catch a full-on rave in a wild west saloon, as well as The Parish Church: a gothic fairytale where choirs turn into choons and the altar doubles as a DJ booth.
One of the weekend’s highlights came tucked inside The Beat-Herder Working Men’s Club, where The Clone Roses had the entire crowd bouncing with their uncanny tribute to The Stones.
When ‘I Am the Resurrection’ dropped, it was hands-in-the-air euphoria; a true pinch-me moment. Ian Brown might as we have been on the stage, the way the crowd were going wild.
And it wasn’t just music. The Working Men’s also hosted ‘Beat-Herder’s Got Talent’, which is a chaotic and charming mix of poetry, dragon dancing, comedy sketches and more. Heartfelt, hilarious and very Beat-Herder.
Truly immersive worlds
Venture deeper into the wonderful world of Beat-Herder and you’ll find entire miniature towns within the festival. There’s a literal high street, complete with its own tattoo parlour, barbers, a swap shop and even a secret swimming pool.
We’re not going to disclose its location, but let’s just say if you find a dodgy-looking wooden gate and hear splashing on the other side – knock twice and bring a towel…
Late-night mayhem
As the sun went down, the party really came to life. The Beyond Tunnel was your portal to new dimensions, opening out into a maze of secret stages and psychedelic visuals.
From psytrance at The Sunrise Stage, to bassline chaos at The Laundrette and candy-coloured chaos at Bubba Gumma, it was a rabbit hole of sound you never wanted to leave.
Then there was The Temple – a fire-breathing stage that became a haven for breakbeats, jungle, techno and house. Tim Reaper’s set here was a standout for us – fast, furious, and euphoric.
And just when we thought the night was over, we found ourselves at a secret 3am b2b set with Tim Reaper and Samurai Breaks that blew us away – two talented DJs that had the crowd wanting even more despite the sun quite literally rising on the next day.
Another hidden gem was The Ring, an intimate open-air arena where we caught Jungle pioneer Goldie, alongside Sheffield’s own Silva Bumpa and Soul Mass Transit System for a bass-heavy b2b set that rattled your bones and lit up the crowd.
Then there’s The Factory – a steel-clad rave bunker pumping out electro, acid and heavy techno deep into the night. Dancing inside while the rain pelted the tin roof added a layer of gritty industrial magic – proper spine-tingling stuff if you’re into that sweaty, underground energy.
And just when you think you’ve seen it all, along comes Fowler’s Garage: a chaotic, petrolhead fever dream of a stage where you can literally dance on top of cars. DJs spin sets from inside the vehicles, cooking up a storm from the front seat while the crowd parties on the roof.
It’s unhinged in the best way possible and one of the most unique spaces you’ll ever rave in.
Power and the people
What really makes Beat-Herder feel different is the people. There’s an unspoken code of friendliness here – everyone’s up for a chat, a laugh, or a spontaneous dance. You could spill your pint and end up making a friend for life. That kind of energy is rare, and Beat-Herder wears it like a badge of honour.
The merch stand has that signature hand-crafted feel. All of the merch is hand-printed, with designs that feel like proper collector’s items rather than throwaway souvenirs. We spotted punters proudly repping Beat-Herder tees from as far back as 2012 – testament to how deep the community pride runs here.
Even on the way out, with vans and cars getting stuck in the mud, everyone mucked in to help push – proof that the Beat-Herder spirit sticks with you long after you’ve left the gates. Just a bunch of lovely people all getting together to have a good time and make memories for life.
Credit: Andrew Whitton
Fantastic fancy dress
Saturday brought the iconic fancy dress theme – this year, the letter G. And wow, did people go for it. Giraffes towered above the crowd, Gnomes danced in groups, Gardeners handed out seed packets, and one hero turned up as ‘Garbage’, wearing an actual dustbin with a lid strapped to his head. We laughed for a full five minutes.
Final thoughts from the fields
Even though Beat-Herder was slightly scaled down this year due to budget cuts, it never once felt like anything was missing. If anything, it brought a tighter, even more magic-filled experience. The attention to detail, the creativity, and the atmosphere are still unmatched – a reminder that this isn’t just a festival. It’s a fully fledged world of its own.
If you’re looking for something different – stick this one at the very top of your list. But be warned: once you’ve been, you’ll never stop going back.
Tickets for next year go on sale on Thursday, 31 July, and you can be ready to grab your tickets HERE.
You can guarantee you’ll see us at back-to-back Beat-Herder Festivals again in 2026.
Daisy Jackson -
30th December 2022 
