Crookes Valley Park

Crookes Valley Park is a public park in the Crookesmoor area of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It sits just under two kilometres west of the city centre, so it is an easy walk out from downtown. Most of the grounds are taken up by a lake, and that lake was not built for decoration: it began life as a water-supply reservoir.

What is Crookes Valley Park?

It is an area of public parkland and one of the three "Crookesmoor Parks". The other two are Weston Park and The Ponderosa. All three lie in the same part of western Sheffield, which makes it simple to link them into one longer walk. What sets Crookes Valley Park apart is that water is its centrepiece.

Where did the lake come from?

The lake was originally a reservoir supplying the town with water, known as the Old Great Dam. Local heritage records say the reservoir and the Dam House were built for Sheffield Water Works in the 1780s, with the dam completed in 1785. The Dam House stands on the south-western edge of the grounds and, according to those sources, was originally the home of the Water Board's solicitor.

How did a reservoir become a park?

In 1905 Sheffield Corporation laid out a recreation ground beside Crookes Valley Road. It had a shelter, the city's first municipal bowling green and tennis courts. The present name dates from 1951, when the Old Great Dam was turned into a boating lake with thirty rowing boats and the Dam House was converted into the Festival Restaurant. The whole area was then named Crookes Valley Park.

What can you do here today?

• Walk around the lake. The water is the heart of the park and gives it its character.
• Fish. The lake is now used for fishing.
• Use the playground and bowling green. There is something here for families with children and for lawn bowls players.
• Spot the historic traces. The Dam House and the shape of the lake recall the park's eighteenth-century purpose.

Visitors used to be able to hire a rowing boat, but that is no longer offered. Even so, people who use the park say the lake remains an important part of the place.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Crookes Valley Park? In the Crookesmoor area of Sheffield, just under two kilometres west of the city centre, at roughly 53.3834° N, 1.4929° W.

Can you take a boat out on the lake? No. The rowing boats introduced after 1951 are no longer available. The lake is now used for fishing.

Is it the same as Weston Park? No. They are separate parks, but both belong to the "Crookesmoor Parks" group together with The Ponderosa.

Is there an entry fee? It is a public city park, so you can simply walk in.

Who is it for? Anyone wanting a quiet walk close to the centre, families with children, anglers, and people curious about the history of the city's water supply.

In short

Crookes Valley Park is a good example of how industrial infrastructure can turn into a place to relax. An eighteenth-century reservoir, council facilities from the early 1900s and the 1951 makeover together tell a clear story. For visitors to Sheffield it is a simple green stop near the centre, best combined with a stroll through neighbouring Weston Park.