Cod Beck Reservoir

• About 1.5 miles, roughly an hour at a gentle pace, rated easy.
• The section inside the boundary fence on water company land is wide, well surfaced and mostly flat; the stretch outside the fence can be narrower in places.
• There is one gradual rise and fall near the northeast corner, and no sustained climbing.
• Views are of open water backed by pines, with benches and patches of open grass where you can sit or eat.

Paths lead away from the water into the surrounding woodland and up onto the moor, and Osmotherley is a hub for the Cleveland Way, the Coast to Coast and the Lyke Wake Walk. Those are optional extensions: routes that begin in the village or head onto the tops are considerably longer and hillier than the reservoir circuit. If you only want the flat waterside walk, stay on the loop.

Swimming, paddling and water sports are not allowed. The water is cold and deep, there is machinery and there can be strong currents below the surface, blue-green algae can occur, and the reservoir is unlifeguarded. Dogs should not swim in it or drink from it, so bring water for them.

Woodland and open moorland habitats surround the water, and common toads move toward the reservoir in late winter and early spring, crossing the road on the way. Drive slowly and watch the road surface at that time of year, and give any wildlife you see plenty of space. Sightings are never guaranteed.

The walk is short and the scenery is pleasant rather than dramatic, so it may feel slight if you have driven far for it. Parking scarcity is the main practical frustration, the lack of toilets on site means planning a stop in the village, and the swimming ban means this is a place to walk beside water rather than get into it.