A pregnant woman had to be rescued by a passing family after she struggled to walk the Swinsty Reservoir diversion on Saturday.
Helen Riley, who is in the early stages of pregnancy, thought she was going for a quick stroll on her usual route around the reservoir.
She set out in the afternoon with some firm walking boots and soon found the diversion but did not realise how muddy it has become. She said:
“Some of the route is simply impossible to walk. If that family wasn’t there to help I don’t know what would have happened. I was in tears when I eventually got back.”
Yorkshire Water introduced the diversion last month. It is due to be in place for 18 months while £6 million safety works take place.
Read more:
- Swinsty Reservoir footpath to close for 18 months
- Swinsty Reservoir footpath diversion ‘too muddy to walk’
The company warned the route was uneven and “sometimes wet” and therefore unsuitable for pushchairs or wheelchairs.
However, many readers have expressed concerns about its suitability and Helen told the Stray Ferret the warnings do not fully reflect the reality:
“The rain, the cows and the number of walkers have made the route difficult to walk. My boots were covered in mud and it came up to my shins at some points.”
Yorkshire Water is diverting excess water from the reservoir to Lindley Wood reservoir to protect the embankment from flood erosion.
A spokesperson for the company told the Stray Ferret:
“We’re aware that the diversion footpath at Swinsty reservoir has become slightly difficult to navigate – with some areas very muddy.
“We are speaking to North Yorkshire County Council about ways they may be able to improve the public right of way.”
Yorkshire Water also encouraged anyone worried about the diversion route to visit other nearby reservoirs, such as Fewston and Thruscross.
