Killington Beck

Killington Beck (SD590910) is a stream or beck in Westmorland. It is about 9 miles long. It starts at a height of about 1,000 feet on Lambrigg Fell between Kendal (Westmorland) and Sedbergh (Yorkshire).

Killington Lake

Less than a mile below its source, the beck is dammed to form the Killington Reservoir or Killington Lake. The Lancaster Canal company was empowered by an Act of Parliament obtained in 1807 to deviate from their original route, and to extract water from Farleton Beck, Stainton Beck and Crooklands Beck (later called Peasey Beck), rather than the River Mint. They bought 86 acres of land in 1810, in order to build the reservoir, but over-stretched themselves, and construction had to wait until they had raised more money. It was eventually completed in 1819.

The lake now covers an area of 136 acres, as its banks have been raised several times.

The M6 Motorway passes immediately to the west of the reservoir, and Killington Services, which is only accessible to southbound drivers, is situated on the bank. The services were built in 1972, soon after the motorway opened.

The reservoir offers fishing for rainbow trout and brown trout and of coarse fish: pike, tench, bream. Day tickets are available and the lake is easily accessible from the M6 motorway. It is prohibited to enter the beck without a ticket and trespassers who violate fishing rights will be prosecuted by the local officials.

Below the lake

Below the dam, the waters of Killington Beck are not carried to the canal in an aqueduct; the reservoir merely controls the flow in the beck. A small dam about 6 miles downstream near Crooklands diverts water into the canal. By this time, the beck has become the Peasey Beck which joins the River Bela near Milnthorpe and that in turn joins the River Kent.

Outside links

• Lancaster Canal

References

Books

• Charles Hadfield; Gordon Biddle (1970). The Canals of North West England, Vol 1 (pp.1-236). David and Charles. ISBN 0-7153-4956-2.