Environment & Community

Recreation

Access to United Utilities' land holdings

United Utilities owns 58,000 hectares of water gathering land in some of the most scenic and environmentally sensitive areas of North West England, including the Lake District, Peak District and the Forest of Bowland.  We welcome everyone to our estates to enjoy the scenic beauty and admire the wildlife and spectacular landscapes, in fact we have had open access agreements on most of our upland moorlands long before the Countryside and Rights of Way (CROW) Act 2000 opened up areas legislatively.  As a responsible landowner and water provider we are committed to balancing the benefits of public access and recreation with the need for environmental and water quality protection.

All kinds of recreation, both organised and informal, are enjoyed across United Utilities land holdings, from walking, bird watching and climbing to hang-gliding, model aircraft flying, mountain biking, horse riding, orienteering, mountain marathons, dog walking, llama trekking, mountain rescue and many others.  Many of our reservoirs support clubs including sailing, wind surfing, canoeing, fishing and water skiing. 

Click here to see a map showing places you can visit and the kind of activities you can do there. You can search for more information on these places/activities at the bottom of this page.

We welcome you to come and enjoy our land and reservoirs that make up some of Britain's most beautiful landscapes.  You are welcome to come and explore these areas, just please remember that these environments are sensitive to the impacts of visitors.  Please protect your drinking water and act responsibly.

Please download the Information for visitors leaflet to see how you can help to protect your drinking water sources whilst enjoying the facilities these provide for visitors.  To help you make the most of your visit, additional information is available on the Countryside Access website.

 If you are interested in taking a group or organising an event on United Utilities' land, please follow this link.

We are always looking to improve our service and would appreciate any feedback you may have.  Please contact us with your comments.

 Please see our Green Portfolio, for more information about our policies regarding company owned land.

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