Lakes of the Lake District

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The Lakes provide the greatest charm of the Lake District, and indeed its name. These are the shining waters delighting the dale bottoms across the mountain fastness spread across Cumberland, Westmorland and Lancashire North of the Sands. They have been drawing visitors since the Victorians and it is from these waters that Cumberland and Westmorland are known as "the Lake Counties", or "Lakeland".

Amongst all the lakes, only one is actually named "Lake", namely Bassenthwaite Lake, while the others bear the title "Mere" or "Water", while the little lakes high on fell slopes are known as tarns, from the Norse word ‘’tjørn’’, but now a word thoroughly native.

Major lakes

The largest of the lakes is Windermere, on the border of Lancashire with Westmorland, a lake of 5.7 square miles (3,642 acres), 11 miles long.

The ten largest of the lakes, all but one a square mile and more, are:

Name County Area Volume Mean depth (ft) Max. depth (ft) Surface elev. (ft)
Windermere Lancashire and Westmorland 5.7 sq miles 69,180 million gal 70 feet 201 feet 128 feet
Ullswater Cumberland and Westmorland 3.4 sq miles 49,053 million gal 83 feet 207 feet 476 feet
Derwent Water Cumberland 2.1 sq miles 6,379 million gal 18 feet 72 feet 246 feet
Bassenthwaite Lake Cumberland 2 sq miles 6,137 million gal 17 feet 62 feet 223 feet
Coniston Lancashire 1.9 sq miles 24,922 million gal 79 feet 184 feet 143 feet
Haweswater Westmorland 1.5 sq miles 16,849 million gal 77 feet 187 feet 807 feet
Thirlmere Cumberland 1.3 sq miles 11,548 million gal 53 feet 151 feet 584 feet
Ennerdale Water Cumberland 1.2 sq miles 11,702 million gal 58 feet 138 feet 368 feet
Crummock Water Cumberland 1 sq mile 14,606 million gal 88 feet 144 feet 321 feet
Esthwaite Water Lancashire 0.4 sq mile 1,407 million gal 21 feet 51 feet 214 feet

The lakes

Cumberland

Name OS grid ref Area (acres) Location
Angle Tarn NY245075 North of Bowfell
Bassenthwaite Lake NY215295
Blackbeck Tarn NY202127 On Haystacks
Blea Tarn NY166010 Near Boot, Eskdale
Blea Tarn NY291140 On Watendlath fell, north of Ullscarf
Bleaberry Tarn NY166154 North of Red Pike, near Buttermere
Bowscale Tarn NY336313 On the slopes of Bowscale Fell
Buttermere NY183158
Chapelhouse Reservoir NY260357 Southeast of Uldale
Cogra Moss NY096195 Between Ennerdale Water and Loweswater
Crummock Water NY160180
Dalehead Tarn NY229152 Between Dale Head and High Spy
Derwent Water NY259210
Devoke Water SD158969
Dock Tarn NY273143 East of Rosthwaite, south of Watendlath
Ennerdale Water NY104154
Floutern Tarn NY124170 North of Great Borne
Foxes Tarn NY209064 By Scafell summit
Greendale Tarn NY147074 By Middle Fell near Wasdale
Harrop Tarn NY311136 In the Wythburn fells, west of Thirlmere
High House Tarn NY241093 South of Glaramara
Innominate Tarn NY198130 On Haystacks
Little Tarn NY249338 Near Orthwaite, south of Uldale
Low Tarn NY160092 South of Red Pike; between Yewbarrow and the Seatallan-Haycock ridge
Lowes Water NY125217
Meadley Reservoir NY050145 By Flat Fell above Ennerdale
Burnmoor Tarn NY183043 Between Eskdale and Wasdale
Over Water NY252350 South of Uldale
Parkgate Tarn NY117005 Near Eskdale
Red Tarn (Langdale) NY268037 Between Cold Pike and Pike of Blisco
Scales Tarn NY329281 Below the summit of Blencathra and Sharp Edge
Scoat Tarn NY159103 Below Red Pike and Scoat Fell
Siney Tarn NY162011 North of Eskdale
Sprinkling Tarn NY228091 Between Scafell Pike and Seathwaite Fell
Styhead Tarn NY221098 At the head of Styhead Gill at Sty Head Pass, between Scafell Pike and Great Gable
Tarn at Leaves NY258122 On Rosthwaite Fell
Tewet Tarn NY305235 Below Low Rigg near St John's in the Vale
Thirlmere NY313160
Tosh Tarn NY127052 Southeast of Wast Water near the River Irt
Wast Water NY162055
Watendlath Tarn NY275161 South of Watendlath
Woodhow Tarn NY136042 Southeast of Wast Water near the River Irt

Cumberland / Westmorland

Name OS grid ref Area (acres) Location
Three Tarns NY248060 Between Bowfell and Crinkle Crags
Ullswater NY440204

Lancashire

Name OS grid ref Area (acres) Location
Beacon Tarn SD274900 In the Blawith fells, west of Coniston Water
Bigland Tarn SD356828 Near Haverthwaite
Blelham Tarn NY365005 West of Windermere
Blind Tarn SD262967 On the east side of the ridge south of Dow Crag
Boretree Tarn SD354873 West of the southern end of Windermere
Coniston Water SD301941 In the Furness Fells
Esthwaite Water SD361962
Goat's Water SD266977 West of the Old Man of Coniston
Heights Tarn SD401884
High Dam Tarn SD361887 West of the southern end of Windermere
Levers Water SD279992 On the east side of the Coniston Fells
Low Water SD274982 North slope of the Old Man of Coniston
Moss Eccles Tarn SD372968 Between Windermere and Esthwaite Water
Seathwaite Tarn SD254988 West of the Coniston fells
Simpson Ground Reservoir SD394863 East of Staveley-in-Cartmel
Sow How Tarn SD400879
Stickle Tarn NY287077 Below Pavey Ark in the Langdale Pikes
Tarn Hows NY331000
Three Dubs Tarn SD378973 Between Windermere and Esthwaite Water
Wise Een Tarn SD370975 Between Windermere and Esthwaite Water
Yew Tree Tarn NY322005 Between Holme Fell and Tarn Hows

Lancashire / Westmorland

Name OS grid ref Area (acres) Location
Elter Water NY333042 The very northernmost point of Lancashire
Helton Tarn SD419849 On the River Winster NW of Witherslack
Windermere SD395989

Westmorland

Name OS grid ref Area (acres) Location
Alcock Tarn NY349079 East of Grasmere, below Heron Pike
Angle Tarn NY417143 East of Patterdale, by Angletarn Pikes
Blea Tarn NY293044 Between Pike of Blisco and Lingmoor Fell
Blea Water NY449107 Below High Street
Brothers Water NY402127
Codale Tarn NY299088 East of High Raise and the Langdale Pikes
Easedale Tarn NY308088 West of Grasmere
Grasmere NY340063
Grisedale Tarn NY349121 Between Fairfield and Dollywaggon Pike
Gurnal Dubs SD503991 West of Garnett Bridge
Haweswater NY479139
Hayeswater NY431121
Kentmere Reservoir NY445081
Knipe Tarn SD426943 Southeast of Bowness-on-Windermere
Lanty's Tarn NY383162 West of Patterdale NY383162
Lingmoor Tarn NY301051 On Lingmoor Fell
Little Langdale Tarn NY309031
Littlewater Tarn NY509169 Near Bampton
Loughrigg Tarn NY345044 Below Loughrigg
Potter Tarn SD494989 West of Garnett Bridge
Red Tarn (Helvellyn) NY348152 Below the summit of Helvellyn
Rydal Water NY356062
Schoolknott Tarn SD428972 Southeast of the town of Windermere
Skeggles Water NY479033 Between Kentmere and Longsleddale
Small Water NY455100 Between Mardale Ill Bell and Harter Fell
Wet Sleddale Reservoir NY548115

References