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| Watendlath Tarn | ||
|---|---|---|
| Historic Name | vatn + endi + hlaða + tjǫrn | |
| Name Meaning | Water-end barn Barn at the end of the lake |
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| Name Origin | Old Norse | |
| Type | Small valley tarn | |
| Inflows | Bleatarn Gill Bowdergate Gill Raise Gill |
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| Outflows | Watendlath Beck | |
| Max. Length | 731 metres (2,400ft) | |
| Max. Width | 472 metres (1,550ft) | |
| Max. Depth | 13 metres (42.6ft) | |
| Surface Area | 3.99 hectares (9.88 ac) | |
| Surface Elevation | 263 metres (863ft) | |
| No. of Islands | None | |
| Access | Single track lane and footpaths | |
| Topo Map | OL4 Explorer | |
| Coordinates | 54.535295 , -3.1216818 | |
| OS Grid Ref. | NY 27518 16137 | |
| what3words | director.chiefs.strut | |
Watendlath Tarn is a small valley lake, nestled at an elevation of 263 metres (863ft) in a hanging glaciated trough of the narrow Watendlath Valley. It is located at the hamlet of the same name to the east of the Borrowdale Valley, and south-east of Derwentwater. The surrounding fells offer picturesque views of the tarn, which can be accessed from several paths, and provide opportunity to extend walks further to nearby Blea Tarn and Dock Tarn. Offered here is year-round fishing, stocked with brown and rainbow trout.[1] The rainbow trouts are grown locally at Seathwaite and stocked regularly, and boats are available for hire.[2] In the Borrowdale Valley are the hamlets of Rosthwaite, Borrowdale, and Stonethwaite. Over the eastern ridge of High Tove, and its parent peak, High Seat, is the lake-turned-reservoir, Thirlmere.
Watendlath Tarn has similar characteristics to other small valley lakes, such as Little Langdale Tarn, at the head of the Langdale Valley. Loughrigg Tarn and Blea Tarn (Langdale) share further similarities also as they lie in hanging valleys, both excavated by glacial movement, and overlooked by fells. Whilst similar in many respects, they do have subtle differences in look and how they were created. Watendlath Tarn lies in a basin of volcanic rock, which at water level looks relatively flat, although the floor reaches a respectable depth of 17 metres (56ft). Aquatic plants including white and yellow water lilies thrive here, made possible as a result of its sheltered location.[1]
The slopes around this mid-tiered section of the valley is dominated by attractive wood pasture, providing an "internationally important assemblage of around 500 ash and other pollarded species including oak, sycamore and birch."[3] Wood pastures are incredibly important to the UK's "natural and historic environment," and as such is classified as a priority habitat that contributes to the ecosystem.[4] Within the civil parish of Borrowdale (which includes Watendlath), and the Glenamara Park at the head of Ullswater, are two such wood pastures within Lakeland that fall into this important category. Not only is the valley here a popular tourist spot for hiking and fishing, it is also an important habitat for wildlife and the survival of these ancient trees. The banks are boggy in places, predominantly built up of alluvial material and glacial till, much of which is located at the head of the tarn where Bleatarn Gill enters as its main inflow.[5] The water here finds its source from Blea Tarn some 215 metres higher up the valley,[6] along with the catchment from the northern slopes of Ullscarf.
Watendlath
The hamlet of Watendlath is made famous by the fictional heroine Judith Paris, Hugh Walpole's second novel of the Herries Chronicles, published in the 1931. Situated here is Fold Head Farm. It is one of many farms across Lakeland owned by the National Trust with tenant farmers. It was here that Walpole used the 16th century, Grade II World Heritage Site as the fictional home of Paris. The cottage buildings have rustic charm and character. It's not too difficult to understand why Walpole chose this place to play a vital role in his epic saga, in a part of the country he loved so dearly. The original core of one of the farm buildings consisted of hall and bower, along with spiral stairs and a fireplace hood constructed of timber; with modernisation and extension in early and mid 19th century.[7] Across the site there is an assortment of original farm buildings, including barns, stables, sheds, caffle houses, and cow byres, all ranging from the 17th to 19th centuries, and included under the same World Heritage Site protected status.
Access
Access to the hamlet and tarn are by a single track road off the B5289 Borrowdale Road at Barrow Bay and Ashness Gate, one of the jetties in operation by the Keswick Launch Company. This minor road, starting with coniferous and deciduous woodland, is the main thoroughfare for Ashness Bridge, one of the famous packhorse bridges of the Lake District owned by the National Trust. Set amongst a tranquil backdrop of woodland and fell, this popular spot gives a weary walker a glimpse of old Lakeland, only now with a partial view of Derwentwater. This perfect rest top is but a mere stepping stone towards the next National Trust offering of Surprise View, providing a much better view across the lake from an elevated position. The road does include several passing places along the way; for some though this may not be the most enjoyable driving experience. The road shares a similar route with the tarn's outflow of Watendalth Beck, which itself has several tributaries on its journey towards Lodore Falls, the impressive waterfall of considerable height that displays showy torrents of white water after heavy or prolonged spells of rain. The road eventually opens out where scenic offerings are abundant, climbing steadily until the Watendalth packhorse bridge and farm where the National Trust car park is located, with space for around 25-30 cars.
Etymology
The word Watendlath has roots in Old Norse and Old English. A compound of three elements, it has a complex history, and has been spelt differently since the 12th century: Wattendlane (1190s), Watendelair (1209), Wathendeland (c.1250), Wattendleth (1564), and Watendlath (1867).[8]
- The first element comes from Old Norse vatn (water, lake), which obviously refers to the body of water we know today as the tarn.
- The second element endi (end, conclusion), also from Old Norse, has a literal meaning of end of the lake or lake-end.
- The third element has been understood differently at different periods, which makes it a little more complicated. It could possibly be of Old English origin with lanu (lane), probably referring to a sunken water-course, such as present-day Watendlath Beck; then Middle English lathe (barn for livestock or grain), which comes from Old Norse hlaða (storehouse, barn).[8]
What throws a spanner in the works is the name Wattintundelau or Wathenthendelau. The first element wattin represents water as described above. However, the second element is a personal name. Here Tundelau bears a resemblance with Gwenddoleu, a Cymric chief from whom Caer-wenddoleu was named. There is a possibility that Watendlath could have been the body of water named after a Cymric survivor among the Norse settlers, much in the same vein as Norse chiefs Ulf (Ullswater), and Thorstein (Thurston Water – present-day Coniston Water). In the case of Wattintundelau etc., there is no Old Norse or Old English word to represent -tunde- or -thende- even if the latter element -lau (lathe) can be explained.[9]
A fourth element from Middle English refers to the body of water terne, tarne (lake, pool, pond),[10] which comes from Old Norse tjǫrn (small lake, pond pool).
From this we can summarise that:
- vatn + endi = water + end
- lathe / hlaða = barn
In its simplest form this means water-end barn or lake-end barn – the barn at the end of the lake. When specifically referring to the tarn in its modern usage, this could be seen as a tautological expression, where wat– and tarn are effectively the same thing (water, lake), making tarn redundant.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Blair 2003, p.147
- ↑ Watendlath Tarn Fishing Lake District. Accessed 14 February 2024.
- ↑ ATF field visit to the Lake District Ancient Tree Forum. Accessed 16 February 2024.
- ↑ Wood Pasture Ancient Tree Forum. Accessed 16 February 2024.
- ↑ Smith 2014, p.22
- ↑ Smith 2014, p.23
- ↑ Farmhouse, Fold Head Farm, Watendlath National Trust Heritage Records Online. Accessed 14 February 2024.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Whaley 2006, p.360
- ↑ Collingwood 1918, p.98
- ↑ MEC-McSparran, terne, tarne
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.
- Collingwood, W.G. (1918).Mountain Names. Transactions of the Cumberland & Westmorland Antiquarian & Archaeological Society. Kendal: Titus Wilson and Son.
- 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 (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.