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| Blea Tarn (Watendlath) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Type | Small valley tarn | |
| Inflows | 1 inlet (south) | |
| Outflows | Bleatarn Gill | |
| Max. Depth | 13 metres (42.6ft) | |
| Surface Elevation | 478 metres (1,568ft) | |
| Access | Footpaths | |
| Topo Map | OL4 Explorer | |
| Coordinates | 54.517364 , -3.0962722 | |
| OS Grid Ref. | NY 29131 14116 | |
| what3words | worldwide.cage.lifestyle | |
Blea Tarn is a small valley lake, along with others such as Little Langdale Tarn, Loughrigg Tarn, and one its neighbours, Watendalath Tarn. These types of tarns, eight in total, were formed similiarly to the 17 big lakes of Lakeland. They are essentially smaller piedmont lakes, also known as ribbon lakes, with the distinctive shape of long and narrow stretches of water. The tarn sits in a pleasant hollow, albeit somewhat empty-looking, surrounded by gentle slopes of coarse grassland, in a higher section of the valley around 215m above that of its lower neighbour.[1] The whole area sits roughly midway across a broad ridge of a peaty moorland.[2] To the south-west are the crags of Coldbarrow Fell, which do not overshadow the water, giving a sense of an open lansdscape with little to see, especially at water level. However, the emptyness of the landscape does not detract from its natural beauty. The summit of nearby Low Saddle offers variation in the landscape as do pockets of yellow water lilies.[2]
There are three such named tarns in Lakeland. This Blea Tarn has at an elevation of 478m (1,568ft), a depth of 13m (43ft), and is identified by its location on Watendlath Fell; others may associate with its proximity to Borrowdale. The other two are Blea Tarn (Langdale), and Blea Tarn (Eskdale). Back at Watendlath, this tarn's source comes from the slopes of Ullscarf, which rises due south to a fairly impressive 726m. The inflow feeds in from the southern end, whilst the outflow spills out from the north-west, winding its way ever downwards as Bleatarn Gill, through various terrains towards the lower valley farmland and eventually, Watendlath Tarn.
Small valley lakes were formed as a result of "differential erosion of the rocky floors of the valleys...by smaller glacier streams in tributary valleys to the major radiating troughs of the district."[3] Here, at Blea Tarn, the hollow is a rock basin. It was formed by the Watendlath valley glacier, a tongue of ice moving in a northward direction. The western shore of the tarn contains "many rough ice shorn crags and are scattered with perched blocks of volcanic rocks," while one the eastern shore it is "covered with glacial till, peat and poor wet upland grassland."[1] Unlike cirque tarns, there is no obvious sign of a moraine at the outflow.
Getting to Blea Tarn is fairly straight-forward. Follow the bridleway from the hamlet of Watendlath, where there is an initial steep climb. Then where the path forks, continue to follow in a south-easterly direction along a relatively gentle gradient (in some places this can be quite boggy) for around one and half miles until you arrive at the tarn. If you prefer a longer hike, you can continue along the path until you see a coniferous plantation, Harrop Tarn, and Thirlmere beyond.
Etymology
References
Sources
- Blair, Don (2003). Exploring Lakeland Tarns: A Complete Guide. Revised Edition. Keswick: Lakeland Manor Press.
- Bosworth, Joseph. (2014) An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary Online Edited by Thomas Northcote Toller et al., Faculty of Arts, Charles University.
- Cooper, W.H. (1960). The Tarns of Lakeland. London: Frederick Warne and Co. Ltd.
- Middle English Compendium (MEC). Edited by Robert E. Lewis, et al. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1952-2001. Online edition in Middle English Compendium. Edited by Frances McSparran, et al. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Library.
- Smith, Alan (2012). The Big Lakes of Lakeland. The Landscapes of Cumbria No.5. Keswick: Rigg Side Publications.
- Wainwright, Alfred (2016). A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells Book Three: The Central Fells. Walkers (revised) edition. London: Frances Lincoln.
- Whaley, Diana (2006). A Dictionary of Lake District Place-Names. English Place-Name Society. School of English Studies, University of Nottingham.