Lakes | Visit Keswick, Lake District

A dark tarn among rough grass with the fells closing round it

Six lakes, and a great many tarns

Mile-wide Derwentwater, island-studded and with Keswick on its shores, is probably the busiest. Buttermere, Crummock Water and Loweswater lie close together in the lovely and peaceful Vale of Lorton.

Nearby, Bassenthwaite Lake — the only true lake — and Thirlmere, the reservoir for Manchester, are both dominated by the steep slopes of their shoreline mountains.

Loading map…

15 minutes on foot
Derwentwater
The lake Keswick sits on, with seven landing stages, four islands and a launch service with seasonal timetables. Check current operating dates before travelling.
Ospreys
Bassenthwaite Lake
The only body of water in the district actually called a lake, with breeding ospreys watched from Dodd Wood.
A four-mile walk
Buttermere
Set in an amphitheatre of mountains over the Honister Pass, with a level path the whole way round.
Scale Force
Crummock Water
Buttermere’s larger neighbour, once the same lake, with England’s highest waterfall a mile up the beck.
Red squirrels
Thirlmere
A reservoir that drowned two lakes and a hamlet, and now supplies Manchester — with a red squirrel refuge in the woods around it.

And then there are the tarns

Hundreds of them are dotted over the uplands — permanent standing water, varying from almost small lakes to very large puddles, and usually with nobody else there.

Innominate on Haystacks, where Wainwright’s ashes are scattered; Tewet below High Rigg with Blencathra behind it; Watendlath, Bowscale, Harrop and the rest are on the tarns page.

A paddleboarder standing out on flat calm water below the wooded fells

Safety on the water

The water can look appealing but even in summer it can be particularly cold. Follow these swimming do’s and don’t’s to have fun and stay safe.

Safety on the fells and water

Things to do on the lakes

do
Keswick Launch
Scenic lake cruises and boat hire on Derwentwater with year-round operations and heritage service.
Details
do
Derwent Water Marina
Watersports marina in Portinscale offering hire, moorings and trained instruction near Keswick.
Details
do
Keswick Adventures
Lake District adventure centre with kayaking, canyoning, packrafting and workshops. Family restaurant with camping barn.
Details
do
Rocqua Adventures
Discover the Lake District with Rocqua Adventures, a family-run outdoor adventure company offering ghyll scrambling, canyoning, rock climbing, abseiling, paddleboarding and unforgettable adventure days around Keswick.
Details