'It would have to be very wet for water to flow over the setts and through the two holes into the field below, but it must be a ford because the sign says so!'

'These were taken in October 2002. The depth was about 5 inches, easy passage with only slight incline. Bottom as you can see is some kind of slabbed material. Length, just over one car I would say.'

At the end of a steep descent from Waterfall lies this simple ford. It loks like it has been recently 'adopted' and sports new stepping stones, cobbled bottom and handrail. The crossing is however, quick and simple lasting for just over a car length.

'Shallow with a cobbled base'

'Dovedale is one of England's most famous beauty spots; Beresford Dale forms its upper reach. At the foot of tarred and public Beresford Lane, a ford took the unmade road on to Wolfscote across the Dove (here the boundary with Derbyshire). In this lovely place I came upon the bailiff. He told me that eleven years ago the landowner, who had previously permitted use of his private road, got fed up with large groups of 4x4s behaving in a thoughtless manner, and decided to close the ford. It would still be passable, even though the ramp on the Derbyshire side has been colonised by reeds. Meanwhile, an attractive modern timber footbridge takes the public footpath across.'

Just an Irish bridge.

Butterton is quite possibly the most unusual ford I have come across. Essentially, it is a ford made up of several fords, some part-time, some full time. My visit was hampered by construction work in the village which meant that I had to drive down a closed road and avoid several builders and JCB's to get these images. As you approach the ford from the south (after a steep descent), the first impression you get is of a couple of cobble-bottomed part-time fords in quick succession. (Image 1)

However, this is just a taster and as you round the corner you join the stream bed for about 5 car lengths (Image 2). If all the fords are active, the result would be a ford of around 12-15 car lengths. In summary, Butterton is a fascinating village ford which is well worth a visit!

The Image 1 mouseover shows Butterton in full flow. Sent in by Al Hinks (24/11/2002)

'Old ford now mostly redundant by the new!? bridge alongside.'

'The ford here serves a purpose, in that the bridge is hump-backed, the ford is necessary for very large vehicles and so will never be actually redundant. However, I've never seen a large vehicle have to use it. I've used it in a Ciitroen 2CV many times. My Dad tells me that a large US Army vehicle during WW2 took the bridge at speed, crashed, and two soldiers were killed. There is a farm track downstream from here about 30 yards which enters the brook and uses the stream bed for about 100yards until just before a concrete weir and then it emerges to enter a field to the right of the stream.' Phillip Deacon

Nothing special here. Small watersplash with a handy layby for fordies. Signs.

'Shallow with a cobbled base'

Far Hoarcross is a good quality 'deep' ford of around 2 car lengths just of the A515. It has a very unusual bottom which appears to consist of kerb stones. These are there to aid traction during deep flows but actually hamper progress in shallow waters.

This one is more of a puddle than a ford and a bit rough around the edges. Gravelly bottom, small waterfall downstream and signs.

'The Ford is situated about 1/2 mile off the A523 the entrance is down what looks like a private driveway but the Private Sign is out side the farm itself. The road sweeps off to the right then left down to the ford the road carries on for a short distance to what looks like gated property. It is situated down a small hill suitable to all, has a concrete bottom. It is approximately just over a cars lengths, just over 1" deep as can be seen from the car tyres.'

'This ford is only passable by 4x4s however the track is VERY narrow and only accessible from the Gradbach end where it passes through a Scout Camp. The track on the west side as seen here is not passable more than 200 meters further on so vehicles would need to turn around and return to Gradbach. via foot as the road is blocked to traffic at each end.'

Another cobbly Staffs watersplash. This one is unusual as it has very smooth access so you can hit is quite fast. Signs and footbridge.

Great Moor is an exceptionally unusual ford for many different reasons. However, its main feature is the fact that it is 300 metres long which is something of a record in this guide. I have encountered a few fords where the road acts as a streambed for some distance, but at Great Moor the streambed is actually the road! The sign says that the ford is unsuitable for motors, but with care there is nothing to troublesome - judge for yourself when you get there. The dodgiest section is on the Great Moor side of the ford where a sizeable descent into the ford is encountered, after that it is basically a gravelly track where the water rarely exceeds an inch or two in depth. Great Moor also forms part of the annual 'Tough Guy' 9 mile assault course, where competitors are forced to wade up the deep January flows. Definitely worth a visit! Image 2 mouseover sent in by Gary Cooper (24/10/2004)

This is a decent long and shallow ford just off the A5 in Staffordshire. It is formed where the river just literally spills across the road to find its course. Unfortunately, after the ford the road is 'restricted to residents only' and so is out of access to motorists.'

'On Dunstall Lane, Hopwas, Tamworth. The local brook breaches road during moderate rain.'

'Brick and cobbled bottom with a footbridge to the side. In a nicely kept area as it is right outside a farm house; Very pretty when we were there at the beginning of April. As you can see from the photos, the water very shallow, not particularly fast flowing and doesn't look as though it would ever get very deep under normal winter conditions. Access to the area is a typical barely double track road, with a steep gradient when approaching from the west, but if you ride or drive through fords - it's just a hill.'

Oulton is a very nice ford just on the outskirts of Stone. The ford is brief cobbly watersplash but is situated next to National Trust property. Hence it is quite busy with ample car parking.

'This has had the quaint but narrow two plank bridge replaced by a smart new hardwood affair. This ford has now also been reconstructed, the bed is shallower with the entry and exit ramps less steep; less hazardous for vehicles, but also less interesting for spectators.' Image 2 Sent in by Barry Job, 29/01/2008

A very pretty ford in this charming village. Access is easy (maybe a little steep), but the ford is deep, rough and curves to the right. Just about suitable for all vehicles though.

Account sent in by Tom Housley:
I got caught out in the ford in my Land Rover Discovery. I had been through the ford a few times and it had gone through it fine, then one Saturday evening after heavy rain in November I thought I'd go through it.... I took it at a reasonable speed and made a huge splash. as I had been used to going through fords I knew that the water really slowed you down so full throttle was necessary whilst in the water. I gave it full throttle and nothing happened. being not very technically minded I tried to start it again and just heard a clunk and trickling water. I opened the door to get out of the car and, hardly surprisingly water gushed in and covered the leather seats. Phoned the RAC and they (with great difficulty) towed me out. quite a crowd gathered to see the latest fool get caught out. the car was a write off, the ingress of water caused all the electrics to go green and nasty. Apparently the viewing locals say that cars especially enthusiastic 4x4 drivers get caught out quite often. Not been through a ford since!

'This one is signed 'unsuitable for motors' and was too deep to cross. Silt and gravel river bed bottom, depth about 1 foot. Length, 2 to 2.5 car lengths. About a 35 degree ingress and egress. Probably best left to 4x4s. Footbridge in good condition and places to park nearby.' Image mouseover sent in by Barry (12/06/2009)

'Just at the end of a 'BOAT' on tarmac road this gravel bottomed ford is about 2" deep and only 2'-00" wide but makes a good splash when taken at speed on two wheels. Footbridge to side of ford, no signs.'

A not very exciting part-timer.

'This ford is quite easy with a gentle ingress and egress. Depth was about 9cm when I crossed. There is a small footbridge and offroad parking on a grass verge.'

'This is a small very pretty ford on a byway that crosses a stream running exactly down the Staffordshire/Derbyshire border near hollinsclough. When coming from the North (the easiest direction on the byway) The ford enters the stream next to a narrow packhorse bridge where the stream turns through 90 degrees before following it upstream for about 10 metres and exiting up a steep track, on bedrock, up the valley side. (Exit on accompanying picture is to the bottom left).

The ford is fairly shallow, normally being about six inches deep on a very uneven stoney bottom. I have never seen it more than about 8 inches deep but then again have never seen it in extremely wet conditions. It is only suitable for 4x4s, not only beacuse of the condition of the ford bottom, but beacuse the byway descends down badly washed out rock steps on the north side and re-ascends up a steep track with stone steps on bed rock. The byway is popular and regularly used by 4x4s.

A very pretty little ford in a steep sided valley well off the beaten track.'

'The green lane has recently been closed to vehicles wider than 1.3 metres. There have been some signs erected saying this, albeit bizarrely right by the river crossing, rather than at the end of the road!' Rik Griffin

This is an exceptionally busy ford sited adjacent to the A454 (at least twenty cars passed through whilst I was getting the picture). The ford is quite deep with a concrete base and lasts for a couple of car lengths, but appears to be one that is best avoided in wet weather (Image mouseover sent in by James Saul, 21/05/2005).

A very pretty ford high on the Staffordshire Moorlands. The ford is actually bypassed by a bridge, but has a concrete bottom and is quite driveable. The actual position of the crossing is in a step between two small waterfalls. It is about 2m across and 2" deep. Worth the visit.

A high quality concrete bottomed ford set near the picturesque Manifold Valley. The splashdown lasts for 2-3 car lengths and is of reasonable depth. I found the ford a little slippy on this visit, but I got through fine. The ford is not used very often due to a newer lane being built in parallel to the ford.

Image mouseover shows Wetton Mill significantly deeper than above. Sent in by Al Hinks (24/11/2002)

'This ford on the Dale Brook is found at the entrance to the Mount Pleasant Residential Home at the bottom of Hollow Lane in Winshill near Burton Upon Trent.'

I first splashed through Womborne ford some two years ago when much of the country was under floodwater. It was quite a torrent then and I wished I had got a picture. However, try as I might, it has taken me until now to find the thing again! It is only a small ford, but located unusually in a housing estate. There are warning signs and a footbridge. It has a concrete bottom and is usually a couple of inches deep.