The Lake District Lakes
There is in fact only one piece of water that is officially a lake and that is Bassenthwaite Lake 3 miles from Keswick. All the other bodies of water are either a mere or water for example Windermere and Ullswater or a tarn which means a small body of water.
There are 20 major lakes of which the largest and busiest is Windermere. Windermere is a thriving tourist destination with an excellent choice of Windermere bed and breakfast venues but there are many hotels Windermere has to offer too. Windermere the town is located 1.5 miles from the lake but Bowness-on-Windermere sits right by the lake swarming with boats, tourists and tours. At nearly 11 miles long, Windermere can fit a lot on it including 14 islands. The speed limit of 10 miles per hour maximum has caused some controversy but of course it has also pleased some people. Another very fascinating fact is that in the heavy rain of January 2005, Windermere rose by nearly a meter overnight. That equates to an extra seventeen thousand litres of water!
The next largest lake is Ullswater in a different part of the county but which offers a much quieter experience. Ullswater is set amongst some of the largest mountains, the main one being Helvellyn, the Lake Districts 3rd largest. The Ullswater Steamers operate on the lake so not only does this area appeal to walkers, but also some sightseers for the spectacular views and quiet lake.
Derwentwater is the 3rd largest lake and offers a very good choice of Lake District guest house venues surrounding it and is located just a mile from Keswick which is a haven for walkers. Derwentwater is only 3 miles long which is significantly smaller than the Windermere and Ullswater.
The deepest lake is Wastwater, being 79 metres or 258 feet deep. At the end of Wastwater at the head of the Wasdale valley are some of the highest mountains in the Lake District, Scafell Pike (which is the highest), Great Gable and Lingfell. The Screes is a mountain that catches the eye on wastewater. It measures 2000 feet from top to base but 200 feet of it is below the surface of Wastwater. The view towards Scafell Pike from the other end of Wastwater, won Britains Favourite View in the ITV programme last year.
It is not just the size of the Lake District that attracts tourists but the density of the area. No other National Park in the UK has the amount of fells and lakes so it is truly special and should be visited by everyone.
There are 20 major lakes of which the largest and busiest is Windermere. Windermere is a thriving tourist destination with an excellent choice of Windermere bed and breakfast venues but there are many hotels Windermere has to offer too. Windermere the town is located 1.5 miles from the lake but Bowness-on-Windermere sits right by the lake swarming with boats, tourists and tours. At nearly 11 miles long, Windermere can fit a lot on it including 14 islands. The speed limit of 10 miles per hour maximum has caused some controversy but of course it has also pleased some people. Another very fascinating fact is that in the heavy rain of January 2005, Windermere rose by nearly a meter overnight. That equates to an extra seventeen thousand litres of water!
The next largest lake is Ullswater in a different part of the county but which offers a much quieter experience. Ullswater is set amongst some of the largest mountains, the main one being Helvellyn, the Lake Districts 3rd largest. The Ullswater Steamers operate on the lake so not only does this area appeal to walkers, but also some sightseers for the spectacular views and quiet lake.
Derwentwater is the 3rd largest lake and offers a very good choice of Lake District guest house venues surrounding it and is located just a mile from Keswick which is a haven for walkers. Derwentwater is only 3 miles long which is significantly smaller than the Windermere and Ullswater.
The deepest lake is Wastwater, being 79 metres or 258 feet deep. At the end of Wastwater at the head of the Wasdale valley are some of the highest mountains in the Lake District, Scafell Pike (which is the highest), Great Gable and Lingfell. The Screes is a mountain that catches the eye on wastewater. It measures 2000 feet from top to base but 200 feet of it is below the surface of Wastwater. The view towards Scafell Pike from the other end of Wastwater, won Britains Favourite View in the ITV programme last year.
It is not just the size of the Lake District that attracts tourists but the density of the area. No other National Park in the UK has the amount of fells and lakes so it is truly special and should be visited by everyone.