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  1. Bassenthwaite in the spring
    Lakes & Rivers
  2. Buttermere
    Lakes & Rivers
  3. Coniston Water from Brantwood
    Lakes & Rivers
  4. Derwentwater
    Lakes & Rivers
  5. Named England's most beautiful lake, Ullswater's scenery is truly breath-taking. With Pooley Bridge at the North and Glenridding to the South, walkers and visitors are drawn to this area. The stunning Aira Force waterfall is also located here.
    Lakes & Rivers

You are here: Home > Explore Cumbria > Lakes and Rivers

Lakes and Rivers

The clue is in the name: there are a lot of lakes in the Lake District. Sixteen, to be precise, though officially, only one of the sixteen - Bassenthwaite - is officially a lake by name; all of the others are called meres or waters.

And while most of the lakes were created by glacial deposits during the last Ice Age, two of them - Thirlmere and Haweswater - were much smaller lakes transformed into reservoirs so that the city of Manchester could have water. Haweswater was enlarged by the flooding of the Mardale Valley near Penrith in the 1930s; Thirlmere was raised 50 years earlier by submerging the villages of Amboth and Wythburn.   

The largest of the lakes - and the largest lake in all of England - is Windermere, which is over 11 miles long, nearly 5.7 square miles and (fun fact) holds 300 billion litres of water. The deepest is Wastwater in the west of the county, with a maximum depth of 243 feet. The smallest is Brotherswater in the Hartsop Valley of eastern Cumbria, a mere (see what we did there?) 0.07 square miles in size.

In fact, Brotherswater is so small that there’s some debate over whether it’s a lake at all or a tarn, a glacial pool usually found in the mountains. And in Cumbria, there are officially 197 of them (if you count Brotherswater).

Some of the most best-known tarns include Blea Tarn, Little Langdale Tarn, Sunbiggin Tarn and Tarn Hows. If you’re so inclined, you can take part in a bit of ‘tarn dipping,’ which is the watery alternative to doing the Wainwrights - and a lot less strenuous as all you have to do is dip your hand in a tarn to tick it off the list. One of the real pleasures of tarn dipping is that you’ll end up exploring some of the most beautiful parts of the Lake District. The high water mark for tarn dippers is Foxes Tarn on the side of Scafell Pike, England’s tallest mountain: just getting to it takes some effort, but you’re rewarded with some pretty fabulous views (plus the respect of all serious tarn dippers).

And if you want to pay your respects to Alfred Wainwright, his ashes are scattered about Innonimate Tarn, a lovely walk from Buttermere.

While lakes and tarns gets most of the attention, not to be ignored are Cumbria and the Lake District’s rivers, which besides feeding water into the lakes are the ideal destination for anglers and wild swimmers.

For more information on all the lakes in this area, choose from the selection below and check out our A-Z guide to the lakes of the Lake District.

Highlights

Buttermere
Buttermere Lake

Buttermere is ringed by the crags and peaks of Haystacks, Feetwith Pike and others. The 4 mile…

Thirlmere
Thirlmere

Thirlmere was originally two smaller lakes, which were joined to create a single resevoir…

Haweswater
Haweswater

Haweswater is the most easterly lake in the Lake District and is also an important reservoir.…

Windermere Lake
Windermere Lake

Lake Windermere is the largest natural lake in England at 12 miles long and has delightful towns…

Rydal Water
Rydal Water

Rydal Water is one of the smallest lakes and is very popular partly because of its Wordsworth…

Red Squirrels at Smardale Gill Nature Reserve near Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria
Smardale Gill Nature Reserve

Smardale is a gem of a nature reserve away from the hustle and bustle of the Lake District. Dogs on…

Rowing on Grasmere
Grasmere Lake

Grasmere lake lies to the south of Grasmere village, around which there are some gentle walks for…

Derwentwater
Derwentwater

Derwent Water is a local beauty spot that is frequented by walkers who hike around the eastern…

Wastwater
Wastwater

Wastwater is probably the most scenic of all the lakes. It is surrounded by mountains, Red Pike,…

Loweswater
Loweswater Lake

Nestled in a wooded valley in the far west of the Lake District, in the Vale of Lorton, Loweswater…

Esthwaite Water
Esthwaite Water

Esthwaite Water is a natural lake extending to 280 acres. Rated as one of the finest waters in the…

Crummock Water
Crummock Water

Crummock Water has unparalleled views. At 2.5 miles long, it is a clear, rocky bottomed lake…

Killington Lake
Killington Lake

The Lake once supplied water to the Lancaster and Kendal Canal; The 37 acre lake is situated in…

Ennerdale Water
Ennerdale Water

Ennerdale is the most westerly of the lakes, and the most remote. A deep glacial lake, Ennerdale…

Coniston Water
Coniston Water

At 5 miles long, Coniston Water is the third largest of the lakes. Arthur Ransome based his…

Elterwater
Elterwater

Elterwater lies in an attractive setting, a few miles west of Ambleside, hidden behind Loughrigg…

Brotherswater
Brotherswater

Located close to Kirkstone Pass, Brotherswater is surrounded by breathtaking scenery. It is…

Tarn Hows
Tarn Hows

Tarn Hows is a stunning local beauty spot, artificially made in the 19th Century by joining 3 tarns…

Bassenthwaite
Bassenthwaite Lake

Bassenthwaite Lake, owned by the National Park Authority, is 4 miles long and 3/4 mile wide, and…

PrevPrev
  • 1Buttermere Lake
  • 2Thirlmere
  • 3Haweswater
  • 4Windermere Lake
  • 5Rydal Water
  • 6Smardale Gill Nature Reserve
  • 7Grasmere Lake
  • 8Derwentwater
  • 9Wastwater
  • 10Loweswater Lake
  • 11Esthwaite Water
  • 12Crummock Water
  • 13Killington Lake
  • 14Ennerdale Water
  • 15Coniston Water
  • 16Elterwater
  • 17Brotherswater
  • 18Tarn Hows
  • 19Bassenthwaite Lake
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