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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. |
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. |
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By name alone, the Lake district has only one ''lake'' |
By name alone, the Lake district has only one ''lake'' out of the 17 main lakes in the National Park. That lake is [[Bassenthwaite Lake]] in the north-west region. There is a general misconception that [[Windermere]], the largest of the lakes, is prefixed with the word ''Lake'' to differentiate it from the small town of the same name. This grammatical construct typifies the redundancy of the word, which is not needed due to ''mere'' already being present. Although the Lake District has only one body of water with ''lake'' in the title, the remaining 16 of the big "lakes" are named with ''[[What is a mere?|mere]]'' or ''[[water]]''. These words are synonymous with the lakes born in this wide open land, either by glacial withdrawal or by human intervention. |
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| ⚫ | The term "ice age" can be somewhat ambiguous. The earth is in an ice age called the Quaternary glaciation, which began around 2.58 million years ago and has had many periods of glacial advance and retreat. We are still in this ice age, as suggested by the ice caps present at the poles. However, we are currently experiencing an interglacial or warmer period. In the UK this period is called the {{w1|Flandrian interglacial}}.<ref name="lower-alpha">The Flandrian interglacial period started at the end of the Devensian glaciation (also known as the {{w2|Last Glacial Period|last glacial period}}), which was at its maximum approximately 22,000 years ago. This cold period had come to end around 11,700 years ago after which the earth saw a period of warming, the period that we are currently in.</ref> This led to retreating ice that left us with glacially "plucked" and eroded valleys that formed the lake district we see today. Not only the ice, but people too, are responsible for changing the landscape. [[Haweswater]] and [[Thirlmere]] are reservoirs, although the former was once a natural lake. It was dammed to raise the water level in a bid to supply fresh water for the people of Manchester, at a price that flooded two Cumbrian villages, now lost to the murky darkness. The once ebb and flow of ice and, in much more recent times, people, continue to have an effect on the natural backdrop of the second oldest national park in England after the Peak District.<ref group="lower-alpha">The Lake District National Park was formed on 9 May, 1951, second after that of the Peak District, which was formed on 17 April, 1951.</ref> |
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Before we move on, let's have a quick look at where these words are derived. With so much Norse influence in the area |
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| ⚫ | 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 could rightly surmise, is by size. Whilst the humble [[tarn]] is usually reserved for the smaller bodies of water, size alone is not the only trait for the lakes. 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. |
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The word ''mere'' comes from Old English ''[https://bosworthtoller.com/22650 mere]'', meaning a "lake" or a "pool". In compound words it could also mean "sea". It is interesting to note how the word, from its earliest root through to present day, has very similar meanings, not only through time but also across a broad spectrum of European countries. |
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From the original root word ''[[wiktionary:Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/móri|móri]]'' (sea or standing water) the following descendants follow the English lineage: |
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*Proto-Germanic ''[[wiktionary:Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/mari|*mari]]'' → sea, ocean, lake, body of water |
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*Proto-West-Germanic ''[[wiktionary:Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/mari|*mari]]'' → sea or lake |
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*Old English ''[[wiktionary:mere#Old_English|mere]]'' → lake, pool or (compound) sea |
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*Middle English ''[https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/middle-english-dictionary/dictionary/MED27421/track?counter=1&search_id=23362984 mere]'' → lake, pond, pool; also, a sea or an ocean |
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*English ''[[wiktionary:mere#Etymology_3|mere]]'' → A body of standing water, such as a lake or a pond. More specifically, it can refer to a lake that is broad in relation to its depth. |
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It should be noted that Old English ''mere'' also corresponds with Old Frisian ''mere'', Old Saxon ''meri'', Old Dutch ''*meri'' and Old High German ''meri''. It is cognate with West Frisian ''[[wiktionary:mar#Etymology_2_6|mar]]'', Dutch ''[[wiktionary:meer#Dutch|meer]]'', and German ''[[wiktionary:Meer#German|Meer]]''. Like the English lineage above, they also derive from the reconstructed Proto-Germanic ''*mari''. |
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The word ''mere'' comes from Old English ''[[https://bosworthtoller.com/22650 mere]]'' and ''[[wiktionary:mere#Old_English|mere]]'', meaning a lake, pool or sea (poetic or in compounds); from the reconstructed Proto-Germanic word ''[[wiktionary:Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/mari|mari]]'', meaning sea, ocean, lake or body of water. It is cognate with West Frisian ''mar'', Dutch ''meer'', Low German ''Meer'', and German ''Meer''. They derive from the reconstructed Proto-Germanic ''*mari'', itself from the reconstructed Proto-Indo-European word ''*mori'', meaning 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>Whaley, p.411</ref> although this is not strictly so as [[Blea Water]] is a tarn and only marginally larger than Elter Water. |
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The Indo-European root *''mori'' |
The Indo-European root *''mori'' spawned similar words in other European languages too: Italian ''[[wiktionary:mare#Italian|mare]]'', Spanish ''[[wiktionary:mar#Spanish|mar]]'', French ''[[wiktionary:mer#French|mer]]''; Old Celtic ''*mori'', Irish ''[[wiktionary:muir|muir]]'', Welsh ''[[wiktionary:môr#Welsh|môr]]'', Breton ''[[wiktionary:mor#Breton|mor]]'', Cornish ''[[wiktionary:mor#Cornish|mor]]'', all of which mean "sea" in various forms. However, in the English lineage, the larger sense of "sea" has been obsolete since Middle English.<ref>{{oed|title1=mere|title2=Mere|day=22|month=January|year=2022}}</ref> |
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''Mere'' in the present instance refers to the names [[Buttermere]], [[Grasmere]], [[Kentmere]], [[Thirlmere]] and [[Windermere]], which are recorded from the late 12th or 13th century and would generally mean lake. The term "water" is used more often for the larger of the lakes<ref>Whaley, p.411</ref> although this is not strictly so as [[Blea Water]] is a tarn and smaller than all of the big lakes, with the exception of Elter Water. |
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===The origin of "water"=== |
===The origin of "water"=== |
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The word ''water'' comes from ... |
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*'''Water''': |
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==Glacial origins== |
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| ⚫ | The term "ice age" can be somewhat ambiguous. The earth is in an ice age called the Quaternary glaciation, which began around 2.58 million years ago and has had many periods of glacial advance and retreat. We are still in this ice age, as suggested by the ice caps present at the poles. However, we are currently experiencing an interglacial or warmer period. In the UK this period is called the {{w1|Flandrian interglacial}}.<ref name="lower-alpha">The Flandrian interglacial period started at the end of the Devensian glaciation (also known as the {{w2|Last Glacial Period|last glacial period}}), which was at its maximum approximately 22,000 years ago. This cold period had come to end around 11,700 years ago after which the earth saw a period of warming, the period that we are currently in.</ref> This led to retreating ice that left us with glacially "plucked" and eroded valleys that formed the lake district we see today. Not only the ice, but people too, are responsible for changing the landscape. [[Haweswater]] and [[Thirlmere]] are reservoirs, although the former was once a natural lake. It was dammed to raise the water level in a bid to supply fresh water for the people of Manchester, at a price that flooded two Cumbrian villages, now lost to the murky darkness. The once ebb and flow of ice and, in much more recent times, people, continue to have an effect on the natural backdrop of the second oldest national park in England after the Peak District.<ref group="lower-alpha">The Lake District National Park was formed on 9 May, 1951, second after that of the Peak District, which was formed on 17 April, 1951.</ref> |
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| ⚫ | 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 could rightly surmise, is by size. Whilst the humble [[tarn]] is usually reserved for the smaller bodies of water, size alone is not the only trait for the lakes. 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. |
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===Bassenthwaite Lake=== |
===Bassenthwaite Lake=== |
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Revision as of 21:54, 25 April 2023
The lakes of the Lake District are creations of nature; beautiful and inspiring. The National Park is home to the deepest lake. It is also home to the four largest lakes in England and Wales.[1] 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.
By name alone, the Lake district has only one lake out of the 17 main lakes in the National Park. That lake is Bassenthwaite Lake in the north-west region. There is a general misconception that Windermere, the largest of the lakes, is prefixed with the word Lake to differentiate it from the small town of the same name. This grammatical construct typifies the redundancy of the word, which is not needed due to mere already being present. Although the Lake District has only one body of water with lake in the title, the remaining 16 of the big "lakes" are named with mere or water. These words are synonymous with the lakes born in this wide open land, either by glacial withdrawal or by human intervention.
Etymology
Before we move on, let's have a quick look at where these words are derived. With so much Norse influence in the area
The origin of "mere"
The word mere comes from Old English mere, meaning a "lake" or a "pool". In compound words it could also mean "sea". It is interesting to note how the word, from its earliest root through to present day, has very similar meanings, not only through time but also across a broad spectrum of European countries.
From the original root word móri (sea or standing water) the following descendants follow the English lineage:
- Proto-Germanic *mari → sea, ocean, lake, body of water
- Proto-West-Germanic *mari → sea or lake
- Old English mere → lake, pool or (compound) sea
- Middle English mere → lake, pond, pool; also, a sea or an ocean
- English mere → A body of standing water, such as a lake or a pond. More specifically, it can refer to a lake that is broad in relation to its depth.
It should be noted that Old English mere also corresponds with Old Frisian mere, Old Saxon meri, Old Dutch *meri and Old High German meri. It is cognate with West Frisian mar, Dutch meer, and German Meer. Like the English lineage above, they also derive from the reconstructed Proto-Germanic *mari.
The Indo-European root *mori spawned similar words in other European languages too: Italian mare, Spanish mar, French mer; Old Celtic *mori, Irish muir, Welsh môr, Breton mor, Cornish mor, all of which mean "sea" in various forms. However, in the English lineage, the larger sense of "sea" has been obsolete since Middle English.[2]
Mere in the present instance refers to the names Buttermere, Grasmere, Kentmere, Thirlmere and Windermere, which are recorded from the late 12th or 13th century and would generally mean lake. The term "water" is used more often for the larger of the lakes[3] although this is not strictly so as Blea Water is a tarn and smaller than all of the big lakes, with the exception of Elter Water.
The origin of "water"
The word water comes from ...
Glacial origins
The term "ice age" can be somewhat ambiguous. The earth is in an ice age called the Quaternary glaciation, which began around 2.58 million years ago and has had many periods of glacial advance and retreat. We are still in this ice age, as suggested by the ice caps present at the poles. However, we are currently experiencing an interglacial or warmer period. In the UK this period is called the Flandrian interglacial.[4] This led to retreating ice that left us with glacially "plucked" and eroded valleys that formed the lake district we see today. Not only the ice, but people too, are responsible for changing the landscape. Haweswater and Thirlmere are reservoirs, although the former was once a natural lake. It was dammed to raise the water level in a bid to supply fresh water for the people of Manchester, at a price that flooded two Cumbrian villages, now lost to the murky darkness. The once ebb and flow of ice and, in much more recent times, people, continue to have an effect on the natural backdrop of the second oldest national park in England after the Peak District.[a]
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 could rightly surmise, is by size. Whilst the humble tarn is usually reserved for the smaller bodies of water, size alone is not the only trait for the lakes. 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.[5] 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 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
- ↑ The Lake District National Park was formed on 9 May, 1951, second after that of the Peak District, which was formed on 17 April, 1951.
References
- ↑ Smith (2012), p.3.
- ↑ Mere Online Etymology Dictionary. Accessed 22 January, 2022.
- ↑ Whaley, p.411
- ↑ The Flandrian interglacial period started at the end of the Devensian glaciation (also known as the last glacial period), which was at its maximum approximately 22,000 years ago. This cold period had come to end around 11,700 years ago after which the earth saw a period of warming, the period that we are currently in.
- ↑ Smith (2014), p.8.