Lakes of the Lake District: Difference between revisions
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The larger of the lakes usually carry the suffix of [[mere]] or [[water]], whilst the humble [[tarn]] is usually reserved for the smaller bodies of water. However, there are some tarns larger than lakes, just to confuse matters.<ref>[https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/learning/factsandfigures Lake District Fact and Figures] The Lake District National Park Authority. Accessed 15 January, 2023.</ref> An example of this is evident in [[Blea Water]] (a tarn) being slightly lager than [[Elter Water]], which is the smallest of the lakes. Each body of water, large and small, encompassed by neighbouring fells, woodland and moors, bestow a natural beauty individual in character. One of the best ways to experience this is on foot.
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===The origin of "Mere"===
'''Mere''': Pool, small lake, pond. From Old English ''mere'' meaning "sea, ocean; lake, pool, pond, cistern," from Proto-Germanic ''mari''. Also from:
*Old Norse: ''marr''
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*Old High German: ''mari'' / German: ''meer'' → "sea"
*Gothic: ''marei'' → "sea," ''mari-saiws'' → "lake"
The source of these come from the Proto-Indo-European root word ''mori'', meaning "[[Bodies of water|body of water]]." The larger sense of "sea, or arm of the sea" has been obsolete since Middle English.<ref>{{oed|title1=mere|title2=Mere|day=22|month=January|year=2022}}</ref> Mere in this instance refers to the names [[Buttermere]], [[Grasmere]], [[Windermere]], [[Kentmere]], which are recorded from the late 12th or 13th century. The term "water" is used more often for the larger of the lakes.<ref>
===The origin of "Water"===
*'''Water''':
==The Lakes of Lakeland==
The lakes of the Lake District are creations of nature; beautiful and inspiring. The National Park is home to the deepest and the four largest lakes in England and Wales. Set against a backdrop of Lakeland mountains, known locally as fells, one can easily conjure up thoughts of bygone authors and poets who so loved their craft; forever sealing a picturesque impression of a romanticised setting in one of the wettest parts of the UK.
Water is abundant here; reason alone for its green hues in summer and long, grey winters. There are hundreds of bodies of water in the Lake District, ranging in size from the largest lakes to the smallest pools, many more than most people would ever care to visit. The popular destinations are what brings the masses here to break away from everyday routine. From hardcore hikers and cyclists to the casual, fair-weather day trippers, visitors to the area who explore this great outdoors, do so because its appeal draws them in, time and time again. The lakes are just one, albeit predominantly so, reason for this influx of people every year.
The lakes have been immortalised in text and image by the very people, past and present, with a passion for this rugged landscape. The big lakes are the quintessence of Lakeland, and listed below are 17 bodies of water that give this National Park its name. How these are classified, one would rightly so surmise, is by size. But size alone cannot be the only trait for there are some tarns bigger than the smallest of the big lakes, for example, [[Burnmoor Tarn]] near [[Wast Water]], and [[Seathwaite Tarn]] near the [[Old Man of Coniston]], both of which are bigger than [[Elter Water]] and [[Brothers Water]].<ref>Smith (2014), p.8.</ref> One could easily say that each of the lakes have their own distinctive character, companioned by the landscape in which they sit. Size, depth, inflows, outflows, location, and human intervention all play a vital role in our understanding of these expanses of water, which, seen from above, appear to radiate outwards from a central point near the fell of [[High Raise (Langdale)|High Raise]] in Langdale.
Each lake below is the subject of a compendious listing, with a link to the lake's main article (when these have been written).
===Bassenthwaite Lake===
:''Main article: [[Bassenthwaite Lake]]''
===Brothers Water===
:''Main article: [[Brothers Water]]''
===Buttermere===
:''Main article: [[Buttermere]]''
===Coniston Water===
:''Main article: [[Coniston Water]]''
===Crummock Water===
:''Main article: [[Crummock Water]]''
===Derwentwater===
:''Main article: [[Derwentwater]]''
===Elter Water===
:''Main article: [[Elter Water]] – The smallest of the lakes''
===Ennerdale Water===
:''Main article: [[Ennerdale Water]]''
===Esthwaite Water===
:''Main article: [[Esthwaite Water]]''
===Grasmere===
:''Main article: [[Grasmere]]'''
===Haweswater===
:''Main article: [[Haweswater]] (Reservoir)''
===Loweswater===
:''Main article: [[Loweswater]]''
===Rydal Water===
:''Main article: [[Rydal Water]]''
===Thirlmere===
:''Main article: [[Thirlmere]] (Reservoir)''
===Ullswater===
:''Main article: [[Ullswater]] – The 2nd largest of the lakes''
===Wast Water===
:''Main article: [[Wast Water]] – The deepest of the lakes''
===Windermere===
:''Main article: [[Windermere]] – The largest of the lakes''
==Further reading==
*Smith, Alan (2012). ''The Big Lakes of Lakeland''. The Landscapes of Cumbria No.5. Keswick: Rigg Side Publications
*Smith, Alan (2014). ''The Smaller Lakes and Tarns of Lakeland''. The Landscapes of Cumbria No.6. Keswick: Rigg Side Publications
*Whaley, Diana (2006). ''A Dictionary of Lake District Place-Names''. English Place-Name Society. School of English Studies, University of Nottingham
==Notes==
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==References==
{{reflist}}
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