Southlakes | Lakes & Waters


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Loweswater by Ian Atkinson

Within the Lake District National Park are many lakes and waters as such. But when is a lake not a lake? Bassenthwaite Lake is the only body of water in the Lake District to be technically defined as a "lake" and to use the word "lake" in its name. All the others being "waters" (for example, Ullswater, Loweswater), "meres" (for example, Buttermere) or "tarns" (for example, Tarn Hows). 'Mere', is simply an Old English term meaning 'lake' or 'pool'.

As beautiful as they all might be, we are only listing information on some the major ones at the moment. Though this website is primarily concerned with South Lakeland it is impossible not to list some of those situated to the north of us. They are not in any order of merit, size or beauty - smply from the North heading Southward.

Lakes & Waters within The National Park

Ullswater is the second largest lake in the lake district, and is highly regarded for its outstanding natural beauty. To the southern edge of Ullswater stands the dramatic Helvellyn at a height of 3,116 ft. On the western edge look out for waterfalls that cascade from the Aira Beck gorge. William Wordsworth and his sister were walking in the area in 1802. His sister commented on the daffodills swaying in the breeze. This was the inspiration for one of his most loved peoms, 'Daffodils'.

Length:	7.3 miles (11.8 km)
Width:	0.63 miles (1.02 km)
Depth:	207 ft (63 m)

Ullswater

Derwent Water is England's widest lake. It is possible to explore the lake and its surrounding areas via the ferry - as there are many stop-off points. The famous consevationist John Ruskin declared the the view from Friar's Crag on the northern shore was, 'one of the finest in Europe'. However, the outlook from 'Surprise View' on the east (pictured below) takes some beating.

Length:	2.9 miles (4.6 km)
Width:	1.25 miles (1.91 km)
Depth:	72 ft (22 m)

Derwent Water - from Surprise View

Loweswater, though one of the smaller lakes, it is nevertheless very beautiful. One of its advantages is that it is generally quiter than other lakes due to tourists bypassing it on their way to Crummock Water or Buttermere. There is a lakeside path which goes right round the lake. The south side of the lake is the site of Holme Wood, a small forest, within which, is Holme Force, a waterfall of spectacular beauty (which is hardly visited as it is not noticeable from the pathway).

Length:	1.1 mile (1.8 km)
Width:	0.34 miles (550 m)
Depth:	52 ft (16 m)

Loweswater

Crummock Water is situated between Buttermere to the south and Loweswater to the north. It is fed by the highest waterfall in the Lake District, Scale Force, which has a drop of 170 feet, and empties via the River Cocker, which flows out of the lake. Sutuated in the Buttermere valley, it is speculated that Crummock Water and Buttermere were once the same body of water, now separated by meadow land.

Length:	2.5 miles (4 km)
Width:	0.6 miles (0.97 km)
Depth:	140 ft (43 m)

Crummock Water

Thirlmere is actually a man-made reservoir with a dam at the northern end. It was constructed in the 19th century by the Manchester Corporation to provide the rapidly expanding city of Manchester with water supplies. The 96 mile-long Thirlmere Aqueduct still provides water to the Manchester area. Due to the landscape you can walk right round the perimeter.

Length:	3.7 miles (6.05 km)
Width:	584 ft (178 m)
Depth:	131 ft (40 m)

Thirlmere

Buttermere is particularly stunning being surrounded by high hills such as Hay Stacks at 1,959 ft and Fleetwith Pike at 2,126 ft. It is situated in the Buttermere valley and almost adjoins Crummock Water as mentioned further up the page. The village of Buttermere stands at the north western end of the lake.

Length:	1.2 miles (2 km)
Width:	0.35 miles (0.57 km)
Depth:	75 ft (23 m)

Buttermere

Hawswater is actually a reservoir created in 1929 in the Mardale valley. Famously (or infamously) the village of Mardale Green was lost. (For more information on Mardale Green please take a look at www.mardale.green.talktalk.net). Haweswater was in fact a natural lake about four kilometres long, almost divided in two by a strip of land at Measand. The two areas of the lake were known as High Water and Low Water. The building of the dam raised the water level by 95 ft (29 m).

Length:	4.2 miles (6.7 km)
Width:	0.57 mile (0.9 km)
Depth:	187 ft (57 m)

Hawswater

Wast Water is the deepest lake in England, whilst Scafell Pike at the head of the valley is the highest peak in England (3,210 ft). Situated in the Wasdale valley, the surface of the lake is actually about 200 ft above sea level. If you are searching tranquillity this is the place to visit, rather than perhaps Windermere, which is mentioned next.

Length:	3.03 miles (4.88 km)
Width:	0.49 miles (788 m)
Depth:	258 feet (79 m)

Wast Water

Windermere is the largest natural lake in England, containing 18 islands. Waterbourne passenger services run the whole length of the lake, from Lakeside railway station, at the southern end of the lake, to Waterhead Bay near Ambleside in the north. Intermediate stops are made at Bowness. Windermere is probably the busiest and most commersialised of all the lakes, with popular tourist destinations dotted arount it such as the towns of Bowness & Windermere, and on the west shore, The Aquarium of the Lakes, and on the southern tip, the ever popular Fell Foot Park.

Length:	11.23 miles (18 km)
Width:	0.93 miles (1.49 km)
Depth:	219 ft (66.76 m)

Windermere

Coniston Water is the third largest lake in the Lake District. Famously, in 1966 Donald Campbell attempted to exceed 300 miles per hour in order to retain the water speed record. On January 4, 1967 the water was still and calm (no doubt similar conditions to the photo below) and he achieved a top speed of over 320 miles per hour in Bluebird K7 on the return leg of a record-breaking attempt. He then lost control of Bluebird, which somersaulted and crashed, sinking rapidly. Campbell was killed instantly on impact.

Length:	5.5 miles (8.8 km)
Width:	0.49 miles (793 m)
Depth:	184.1 ft (56.1 m)

Coniston Water

Ambleside, Arnside, Backbarrow, Barrow-in-Furness, Bowness, Cark, Carnforth, Cartmel, Coniston, Dalton-in-Furness, Eskdale, Flookburgh, Grange-over-sands, Grasmere, Grizedale, Haverthwaite, Hawkshead, Kendal, Keswick, Kirkby Lonsdale, Levens, Milnthorpe, Newby Bridge, Ravenglass, Sedbergh, Ulverston, Windermere, Bassenthwaite Lake, Ullswater, Derwent Water, Loweswater, Crummock Water, Thirlmere, Buttermere, Hawswater, Ennerdale Water, Wast Water, Lake Windermere, Coniston Water, and many more Wonderful Places.

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