Lakes of the Lake District
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
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 | 1,260 acres | |
| 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 | 229 acres | |
| 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 |