LAKES & TARNS

There are sixteen lakes in Cumbria and the Lake District, the largest being Windermere. Only one, Bassenthwaite Lake, is officially a lake by name, the others are meres or waters. In addition, there are also many other pieces of water called tarns. Although some tarns are bigger than one of the Lake District lakes, most of the tarns are very small. In fact, and some are not even named! Tarn comes from the Old Norse word for ‘pool’. It usually refers to a small mountain lake or pool. However, as some tarns are larger than lakes, it’s not an exact science!

Sixteen Largest Lakes in Cumbria

  1. Windermere – 14.8 square kilometres
  2. Ullswater – 8.9 square kilometres
  3. Derwentwater – 5.5 square kilometres
  4. Bassenthwaite Lake – 5.3 square kilometres
  5. Coniston Water – 4.0 square kilometres
  6. Haweswater – 3.9 square kilometres
  7. Thirlmere – 3.3  square kilometres
  8. Ennerdale Water – 3 square kilometres
  9. Wastwater – 2.9  square kilometres
  10. Crummock Water – 2.5 square kilometres
  11. Esthwaite Water – 1 square kilometre
  12. Buttermere – 0.9 square kilometres
  13. Grasmere – 0.6 square kilometres
  14. Loweswater – 0.6 square kilometres
  15. Rydal Water – 0.3 square kilometres
  16. Brothers Water – 0.2 square kilometres 

Tarns in the Lake District

  • Blea Tarn
  • Little Langdale Tarn
  • Overwater Tarn
  • Stickle Tarn
  • Tarn Hows
  • Watendlath Tarn
  • Yew Tree Tarn