The Otterhead Estate near the Somerset/Devon border is a nature reserve which is completely off-grid with no connections to any mains services. In 2024, they completed the installation of a micro hydro scheme providing a free, permanent and zero-carbon electricity supply.
Re-using an ancient mill leat, the tiny turbine produces 300W. With 7kWh of battery storage this is plenty to power the Coach House, which is the one remaining building on site and now used by a Forest School.
The Tour
Tours of the micro hydro system are conducted by the project manager who was responsible for the scheme and is one of the directors of the Otterhead Estate Trust. Tours last a little over an hour and include:
• Turbine and how it works
• Supply pipe and purpose-made filtration system
• Victorian culvert & underground pipework
• Purpose-made control sluice
• ½ mile medieval leat, from the spring – closed to the public.
• Beaver dams (very likely)
• The electronics (inverter etc) and battery storage in the Coach House.
Footwear: Bring Wellies if you want to see the turbine itself as this is best viewed from within the shallow river. At times the very top of the leat path can also be boggy. Everything else is fine to access without wellies.
Facilities: Composting toilets are available.
Access: not suitable for wheelchair users, due to the rough surface of some of the paths. There is a ¼ mile walk from the car park to the beginning of the tour. If the car park is full, further parking can be found at the nearby Otterford Church.
Donations: The OET receives no core public funding and is reliant on donations and grants. All donations go to support the Trust’s work in nature conservation.
Location: Anders Lane, Otterford, Somerset. Nearest postcode TA3 7EE.
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https://otterheadestate.org
