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Dove Stone* is situated in the Peak District National Park, east of Oldham and Ashton-under-Lyne on Saddleworth Moor. There are four reservoirs in the valley which collect water from the surrounding moorlands. Yeoman Hey is the oldest reservoir, constructed in 1880, whilst Dove Stone Reservoir, constructed in 1967, was the last and largest. All the reservoirs supply water to the outskirts of Manchester.

The area surrounding Dove Stone Reservoir is a spectacular and picturesque spot which is a popular destination with visitors and for family days out. The main reservoir has its own sailing club, a permanent orienteering course, an extensive network of footpaths and good links to areas of open access moorland. There is also a large concentration of gritstone Crags including Dovestones Edge, Quarries, the Ravenstones and the weirdly-sculpted Wimberry Rocks which makes it a making it a popular area with rock climbers.

The site is managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) in partnership with Oldham Council, United Utilities and the Peak District National Park (who have a ranger station on site).

Local myth has it the area is named after a collection of stones on the skyline that look like a dove. Another version is that in the local dialect some words of celtic origin (dubh for black) were still in usage when Ordnance Survey staff recorded and thus fixed the placename.

Link RSPB Dove Stone
Link Oldham MBC Dove Stone
Link United Utilities Dove Stone

* I have seen the area listed variously as Dovestones, Dovestone and Dove Stone in different documents but the signs around the reservoir currently use the name "Dove Stone".