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| Moss Eccles Tarn | ||
|---|---|---|
| Historic Name | Moss Eccles Moss | |
| Name Origin | Old Norse / Old English + family name |
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| Type | Artificial | |
| Max. Depth | 5 metres (15 feet) | |
| Surface Elevation | 166 metres (544 feet) | |
| No. of Islands | 1 | |
| Access | Footpaths | |
| Topo Map | OL7 Explorer | |
| Coordinates | 54.362944 , -2.9678045 | |
| OS Grid Ref. | SD372968 | |
| what3words | dares.dwelled.certified | |
Moss Eccles Tarn is set against the rolling hills of Claife Heights in a picturesque setting between the lakes of Esthwaite Water and Windermere, it's gentle undulations add character to this minor-in-height plateau. It is a popular destination for walkers and anglers alike and access to it is direct from both Near Sawrey and Far Sawrey. The route passes the tarn's eastern shore, which was once an ancient right of way between Near Sawrey and High Wray.[1] The walk is not strenuous, yet the rewards along route are plentiful, proving you do not need to ascend the highest of fells to appreciate the vistas on offer. Given its proximity to Hawkshead and the ferry crossing at Windermere, there will be plenty of footfall across the plateau during the summer months and weekends throughout the year. There are multiple paths to be enjoyed across Claife Heights, which can be utilised as there and back or circular routes.
Etymology
The name appeared as Moss Eccles Moss on the 1851 Ordnance Survey map. By 1919 it was Moss Eccles Tarn (fish pond). In this case the first element moss, which comes from Old Norse mos and Old English mos is a dialectal word referring to a tract of raised bog, usually of acidic peat, except in limestone areas.[2] The second element Eccles comes from the family name, which appeared in parish registers from 1756 to the early 19th century.[3] What is unusual is the word order, with the generic word first and the family name second. The third element comes from Old Norse tjörn, which means pond or pool. Therefore, Moss Eccles it is the artificial tarn that has been created from the moss (bog), most likely as a result of damming.
Beatrix Potter
and, along with Esthwaite Water, was partly the inspiration for Beatrix Potter’s now infamous, yet disconsolate frog in The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher, first suggested in a letter to five year old, Noel Moore in 1893.[a][4][5] Potter and her husband, local solicitor William Heelis, once owned a section of this tarn. Between them they held a substantial amount of property and land in and around Near Sawrey, and beyond totalling 17 farms and eight cottages. Yet Moss Eccles was one of her favourite places. To them it was special, somewhere they spent time together, rowing, fishing and sketching. "William and I fished (at least I rowed) till darkness; coming down the lane about eleven. It was lovely on the tarn, not a breath of wind...." is the quote on the National Trust information board. It is evocative of their time there, enjoying their company in some of the most beautiful of lowland settings, something we are still able to do today, with the exception of rowing as boating is prohibited. It is here that they planted a red and white lily in the shallows. A century later and the tarn is valued for its wide variety of aquatic and wetland flora, including dragonflies and damselflies.[6] The water lilies are now festooned along the tarn's northern and western shores, producing showy displays when in season. The entire western half of Moss Eccles is lined with a combination of deciduous and coniferous trees.
Moss Eccles Tarn is just a short walk to Potter's Lakeland writing retreat at Hill Top in Near Sawrey, and their home at Castle Cottage in Far Sawrey is just a short walk from Moss Eccles. Today, it is wholly owned by the National Trust, but it came to them in two parts. When Beatrix died in 1943, the small western arm of the tarn and a total of 1,638 hectares (4049 acres) of land across south-east Lakeland was bequeathed to the Trust on 1 June 1944.[7] It would be another 33 years before the remaining, and more substantial part of the tarn, would come to the Trust via a purchase on 5 July 1977 with money from the Pearsall Memorial Fund and Lake District funds.[8]
SSSI status
The tarn is protected within the boundaries of Claife Tarns and Mires, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, first notified in 1965. The reason for its notification is given in the original citation (abridged here) stating:
Claife Tarns and Mires SSSI lies between 150 and 251 metres O.D. on the undulating plateau of Claife Heights, an area of low fell land between Lake Windermere and Esthwaite Water. Much of this area has been afforested with conifer plantations but these are dissected by a network of small streams and mires, many of which were dammed in the 19th century to form small, artificial tarns. The site encompasses several of these tarns and a number of valley and basin mires, habitats which are nationally rare and scarce in South Cumbria. This diverse association of tarns and mires is of particular importance for its rich wetland flora and also because it supports an outstanding assemblage of dragonflies including both uncommon and rare species.
There are three main basin mires, within the site, Nor Moss, Highs Moss and Ustick Moss. Nor Moss is the largest and supports a particularly diverse mire flora....The three main open tarns within the site, Hodson’s Tarn, Three Dubs Tarn and Moss Eccles Tarn support a wide range of aquatic and wetland plants....Furthermore, these tarns have been the subject of detailed freshwater biological research by the Freshwater Biological Association....The tarns and mires are also of particular importance as they support an outstanding dragonfly fauna.[9]
Fishing
Fly fishing is allowed at Moss Eccles, with two-fish limit per day. It is run by the Windermere, Ambleside & District Angling Association, who encourage catch and release using barbless hooks. They stock the tarn with brown trout on an annual basis, the average size being over 0.5 kilos (1 pound). The season operates between 15 March and 30 September, with the busiest periods being weekends and during July and August.[10] As mentioned above, boats also are not allowed.
Nearby tarns
There are 11 named tarns along this ridge of slightly higher ground between Windermere and Esthwaite Water, however only six are accessible by public rights of way.[11] Those with access are: Brownstone Tarn, High Moss Tarn, Lily Pond, Scale Head Tarn and Wise Een Tarn, which is the largest from this group. The inaccessible tarns are: Hagg Pond, Hodson’s Tarn,Robinson’s Tarn, Three Dubs Tarn and Wraymires Tarn. Some have been used by the Freshwater Biological Association for research purposes, and almost all have been altered by some form of damming.[11]
Notes
- ↑ Noel Moore was the son of Potter's former governess and friend, Annie Moore. Noel had been ill and was then recovering from a bout of scarlet fever. It was at this time that Potter decided to tell him about a story based on her real pet rabbit, Peter Piper.
References
- ↑ Cooper, W.H. (1960). The Tarns of Lakeland. London: Frederick Warne and Co. Ltd. p.220.
- ↑ Whaley, Diana (2006). A Dictionary of Lake District Place-Names. English Place-Name Society. School of English Studies, University of Nottingham. p.412.
- ↑ Whaley (2006) p.243
- ↑ Peter Rabbit: the tale of 'The Tale' Victoria and Albert Museum. Accessed 10 July, 2023.
- ↑ Denyer, Susan (2009). At Home with Beatrix Potter: The Creator of Peter Rabbit. Frances Lincoln. p. 111.
- ↑ National Trust information board, Moss Eccles Tarn.
- ↑ Our land History: Heelis Bequest National Trust. Accessed 10 July, 2023.
- ↑ Our land History: Moss Eccles Tarn (part) National Trust. Accessed 10 July, 2023.
- ↑ Claife Tarns and Mires SSSI Citation Natural England. Accessed 10 July, 2023.
- ↑ Moss Eccles Tarn FishAdviser. Accessed 10 July, 2023.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Blair, Don (2003). Exploring Lakeland Tarns: A Complete Guide. Revised Edition. Keswick: Lakeland Manor Press. p.39.