The Invisible River

This photo shows the River Lathkill in Derbyshire... or rather the dried up bed of the River Lathkill. The river has done its famous disappearing trick again.

English Nature, which manages Lathkill Dale as a National Nature Reserve, is trying to work out why the river vanishes without trace every few years. A popular theory is that it leaks away into old mine shafts.

Some years ago a team of volunteers put a lot of effort into lining the bed of the river with clay to prevent the water from leaking away. Sadly, the problem now seems to be worse than ever.

Comments

[Mr. Whiskers (AKA Da Goldfish)]

Whoops! Sorry, I drunk it. Thought it was beer.

[michael]

How odd- maybe it's just a lack of rain? In Derbyshire though they
must get tons of rain compared with say, Kent that always seems to have hose pipe bans threatened every year no matter what!

[jonathan crouch]

Really enjoying your pictures here. The Lathkill picture - it's always been the same when I've walked or cycled along the Manifold track/path/way (starting at Waterhouses end and going towards Wetton Mill).

I'd always guessed that the water was actually flowing just underneath the surface etc. Perhaps an undeground river has worn out over the years?

Thanks for the pics.
Jonathan