The Lake District is made up of series of over 80 glacial lakes, mountain tarns and several reservoirs. Of these around 20 are considered significant.
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Travelling on the B5289 from Keswick, take the Watendlath turning and stop at Surprise View for a first glimpse of Bassenthwaite which lies beyond the lovely Derwentwater. The lake is about four miles...more »
Buttermere is one of the small lakes, only a mile and a quarter long and about half a mile wide. It is set in the Buttermere valley close to two other lakes, Crummock and Loweswater. On two sides, the...more »
Coniston Water is more than five miles in length; it averages a width of one and a half miles. At the foot of the lake, the scenery is gentler and becomes much more impressive towards the head of Coni...more »
Crummock Water is the largest lake in the Buttermere Valley. It is three and a half miles long and around three quarters of a mile in width. The dramatic fell of Melbreak Peak overlooks the lake. Oppo...more »
Derwent Water is thought by many to be the most beautiful of the lakes and is known as the “Queen of the Lakes”. It is three miles in length and a little over a mile wide. There are three...more »
Originally this lake was known as Broadwater but has been known by the name of the valley for many years. It is approximately two and a half by three quarters of a mile. The River Liza flows down from...more »
Esthwaite is a small lake, close to Hawkshead and not far from the side of Lake Windermere opposite to the main town. This lake is popular with trout fishermen but is not visited by many tourists. It...more »
Grasmere Lake is a small but beautiful gem in the landscape. It is only about a mile long and no more than half a mile at its widest point, with a small island in the middle. The west bank is beautifu...more »
Haweswater used to be a smaller, prettier lake than it is today. Shortly before World War II, the Manchester Water Company raised the level of the water, submerging an attractive church and several fa...more »
The third and smallest of the lakes in the Buttermere Valley is Loweswater. It is a fairly small lake, just over a mile in length, and lies around 100 feet above Crummock Water, to which it is joined...more »
One of the best views of Rydal Water is from the fourth cairn, climbing up Loughrigg directly from Grasmere. Loughrigg is a high elevation stretching between Grasmere and Windermere. It has several pe...more »
Tarn Hows is not strictly a lake, but is one of the prettiest spots in the Lake District. It was artificially constructed by damming some marshes and joining some smaller bodies of water. The actual n...more »
Thirlmere is yet another reservoir serving the city of Manchester. There was a local outcry when the area was purchased in the late 19th Century. Soon afterwards, the most northern of the two existing...more »
Ullswater lies in the midst of some of the loveliest scenery in the Lake District. It is almost nine miles long and is sometimes compared to the lakes of Switzerland. The Pooley Bridge lies at the nor...more »
Around Wastwater are footpaths offering panoramic views of the mountains where many climbers train for assaults on the Alps and the Himalayas. Scafell Pike, England’s highest mountain at 3,205 f...more »
Windermere is the largest and probably the best known of the lakes. It is almost eleven miles long and a mile and a quarter wide at its widest point. Tourists arriving from south of the Lake District...more »
