UNLIKE other Yorkshire Water reservoir walks, this route is not all level paths and easy access.

Starting and finishing at Thruscross Reservoir near Blubberhouses, there are plenty of scrambles, both up and down, and parts can get very tricky underfoot.

I slipped while attempting a graceful leap over some boggy ground, and ended up shin deep in smelly, sticky mud.

That aside, it has lovely pine wood paths and a stretch of open moorland. There are also several other paths that set off from it - so a good place to explore from.

A further note of caution, the roads to the free car park - another plus - are not the best, and very likely even worse in poor weather. In times of drought, the remains of the flooded village of West End may be visible.

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Step by step

1. From car park, with your back to reservoir, cross over the road where you came in and follow path into woods. Continue along the path, with the reservoir on your right. The path winds along, crossing over some footbridges and continue as the reservoir narrows into Capelshaw Beck.

2. Continue along the path, which crosses over to the right and over a footbridge, before going right again, with the beck once again on your right. Continue along the path as it winds its way up into shaded pine woods. The path gets a bit confused at times, but there are markers. After a while, you will drop down, sharply at a couple of points, back towards the reservoir.

3. As the reservoir narrows out, follow the path as it crosses over a footbridge. At this point, you can either follow the path into the woods, or take the alternative path, which skirts around the woods and will join up later on the moorland. The path through the woods is probably more interesting, depending on your point of view, but can get very boggy indeed. If you choose the wood route, the path does tend to peter out from time to time, but keep an eye out for markers on trees, keep the reservoir in sight to your right and you'll be okay. You will eventually come onto a clearer path with a wall next to it. Follow it as it climbs quite steeply up hill and away from the reservoir.

4. At the top of the hill, cross the stile and go straight across the moor, following a path. You will see another path coming in from the left, with a ladder stile - this is the alternative route to avoid the boggy wood. Meet up with the path, as it winds its way gradually downhill, over a ladder stile and beside a wood, back down to meet the reservoir. Continue along the path as it makes its way down alongside the reservoir.

5. Continue along the path, sticking to the side of the reservoir, and ignoring road off to the left. The path comes out alongside the quiet road for a while before joining it and dropping down to cross over the reservoir and back to the car park.