Burrator Reservoir Circular Walk

Burrator Reservoir Circular Walk is a 3.9-mile loop from Burrator Dam around the reservoir, usually a 1½–2 hour outing. It crosses both dam walls, skirts the water through woodland, passes Longstone Manor and Norsworthy Bridge, then returns to the south-side start. Choose it for several different kinds of scenery in one compact circuit: stonework and water, old ruins, roots and short road walks. It is gentle compared with a moorland climb, but the path is not a smooth, even lakeside promenade.

Start at the roadside parking just west of Burrator Dam and cross the first wall before picking up the path around the water. A gate leads onto Sheepstor Dam, where the reservoir opens out beside you. The track then turns north through woodland and follows the shore toward Longstone Manor. Dirt, gravel, exposed rock and roots alternate; roots make a few narrow sections uneven, and rain can leave them muddy. The reservoir view comes and goes through the trees. Where the shore opens, Sheepstor rises beyond the water. Longstone Manor’s stone ruins sit beside the path, a reminder of the settlement that stood here before the reservoir was built. Bluebells can add a brief splash of colour in the woods in spring.

Near the northeast corner, the route reaches Narrator Brook and the River Meavy, then Norsworthy Bridge. The stone bridge is a clear halfway landmark. From here, follow the river back toward the reservoir and continue along the opposite shore. This side also shifts between water-edge path and wooded track; streams cross the route, and the roots and stones need more attention than the gentle overall grade suggests. There are several short road sections and one longer stretch beside a road, so expect breaks in the lakeside path. At a T junction after the bluebell woods, take the stile and road to the right; the grassy-looking left branch is a dead end. A low shoreline section can be underwater when the reservoir is high, with a road bypass to rejoin the path. A short uphill spur near the finish reaches an open bench above the dam and water, but it adds a climb and is outside the mapped loop. From the dam, frame the stone arches with their reflection for the clearest view of the structure.

Use the roadside parking on the south side of Burrator Dam; Burrator Quarry car park is a separate nearby option, and Norsworthy Bridge has another access point if you prefer to join the circuit there. Public toilets are near the dam at Burrator Discovery Centre. Dogs are allowed on this route but should be kept on a lead. The loop is mostly level, with no summit scramble, though the rough footing, stream crossings and wet woodland can slow you down. The reservoir was completed in 1898 to supply drinking water to Plymouth and nearby towns; the dam walls are the walk’s most distinctive landmarks. There is no dependable food stop on the circuit, so treat any van near the dam or bridge as a bonus rather than part of the plan.