Derwentwater

Last updated

Derwentwater
Derwent-water.jpg
Derwentwater
Lake District National Park UK relief location map.png
Red pog.svg
Derwentwater
Location relief map United Kingdom Allerdale.svg
Red pog.svg
Derwentwater
Location in Allerdale, Cumbria
Location Lake District, England
Coordinates 54°35′N3°09′W / 54.583°N 3.150°W / 54.583; -3.150
Primary inflows River Derwent, Watendlath Beck, Brockle Beck
Primary outflows River Derwent
Basin  countriesUnited Kingdom
Max. length4.6 km (2.9 mi) [1]
Max. width1.91 km (1 mi 329 yd) [1]
Surface area2 sq mi (5 km2)
Average depth5.5 m (18 ft 1 in) [1]
Max. depth22 m (72 ft) [1]
Water volume29×10^6 m3 (1,000×10^6 cu ft) [1]
Residence time 55 days [1]
Shore length19.5 mi (15.3 km)
Surface elevation75 m (246 ft)
Islands 4 plus 9 small (13)
References [1]
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Derwentwater, or Derwent Water, is a lake in the Lake District in North West England, immediately south of Keswick. It is in the unitary authority of Cumberland within the ceremonial county of Cumbria. It is the third largest lake by area, after Windermere and Ullswater. It has a length of 4.6 kilometres (2.9 mi), a maximum width of 1.91 kilometres (1.19 mi), and an area of 5.4 square kilometres (2.1 sq mi). Its primary inflow and outflow is the River Derwent, which also flows through Bassenthwaite Lake before reaching the Irish Sea at Workington. There are several islands within the lake, one of which is inhabited. Derwentwater is a place of considerable scenic value. It is surrounded by hills (known locally as fells), and many of the slopes facing Derwentwater are extensively wooded. A regular passenger launch operates on the lake, taking passengers between various landing stages. There are seven lakeside marinas, the most popular stops being Keswick, Portinscale and the Lodore Falls, from which boats may be hired. Recreational walking is a major tourist activity in the area and there is an extensive network of footpaths in the hills and woods surrounding the lake.

Contents

The Keswick to Borrowdale road runs along the eastern shore of the lake and carries a regular bus service. There is a lesser, or unclassified, road along the western shore connecting the villages of Grange and Portinscale.

Derwentwater gave its name to the Earldom of Derwentwater.

From 2008 to 2014, the lake was believed to be the last remaining native habitat of the vendace (Coregonus vandesius) fish from the four originally known sites: Bassenthwaite Lake and Derwentwater in the Lake District, and the Castle Loch & Mill Loch in Lochmaben. [2] However, a breeding population was discovered at Bassenthwaite Lake by conservationists in September 2014. [3] The lake (and many others) is polluted with the invasive New Zealand Pigmyweed. [4]

Etymology

'Derwent' is " '(River) with oak trees', traditionally explained from Brit." (i.e.: Brythonic Celtic) or Old Welsh, " 'derwā' 'oak' plus suffixes, hence of the same origin as other English rivers named Derwent, Darwen, Darent and Dart...The river gave its name to Derwent Water (which was also known as the 'Lake of Derwent', 'Keswick Lake', or 'Keswick Water' in the 18th-19th centuries)...". [5] Plus "OE 'wæter', with the meaning probably influenced by its ON relative 'vatn'." [6]

Derwentwater's islands

There are numerous islands in Derwentwater, the largest being Derwent Island, Lord's Island, St Herbert's Island, Rampsholme Island, Park Neb, Otter Island, and Otterbield Island. There is a house on Derwent Island. [7]

St. Herbert's Island is named after a 7th-century hermit priest; Herbert of Derwentwater. [8]

In art and literature

Letitia Elizabeth Landon's poetical illustration Derwent Water is attached to a plate of Derwent Water, from the Castle Head, Cumberland (artist Thomas Allom) in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1837. [9]

A slightly cropped and color hue-edited real photo with an open view of the Derwentwater was used by Team Silent as a backdrop image at the very beginning of the Konami's "Silent Hill 2" video game, to serve as a higher ground touristic observational viewpoint of the fictional "Toluca Lake" (not to be confused with Toluca Lake, Los Angeles) in the local area encompassing the fictional eponymous town of "Silent Hill", Maine. Derwentwater was used in the 2018 video game Forza Horizon 4. The album artwork for the 2010 album Black Sands by Bonobo features a photograph taken of Derwentwater. The tower in the background is located in Castlerigg (54°35′29.95″N 3°7′3.43″WCoordinates: 54°35′29.95″N 3°7′3.43″W). On his album Republic of Geordieland, singer-songwriter Richard Dawson has a song titled "Derwentwater Farewell." Derwentwater was used as the principal location for the planet Takodana in the sci fi movie sequel Star Wars: The Force Awakens .

Panoramas

Derwent Water, Keswick - June 2009.jpg
Derwentwater from the northern shore near Keswick
Derwent Water Panorama, Lake District - June 2009.jpg
A panoramic view of Derwentwater from Cat Bells on the western side

See also

Herdwick sheep crop.jpg   Cumbriaportal

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Derwent, Cumbria</span> River in Cumbria, England

The Derwent is a famous river in the county of Cumbria in the north of England; it rises in the Lake District and flows northwards through two of its principal lakes, before turning sharply westward to enter the Irish Sea at Workington

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keswick, Cumbria</span> Town and Civil Parish in Cumbria, England

Keswick is a market town and civil parish in the Cumberland unitary authority area of Cumbria, England. Historically, until 1974, it was part of the county of Cumberland. It lies within the Lake District National Park, Keswick is just north of Derwentwater and is four miles from Bassenthwaite Lake. The parish had a population of 5,243 at the 2011 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coniston Water</span> Lake in Cumbria, England

Coniston Water is a lake in the Lake District in North West England. It is the third largest by volume, after Windermere and Ullswater, and the fifth-largest by area. The lake has a length of 8.7 kilometres, a maximum width of 730 metres (800 yd), and a maximum depth of 56.1 m. Its outflow is the River Crake, which drains into Morecambe Bay via the estuary of the River Leven. The lake is in the unitary authority of Westmorland and Furness, and the ceremonial county of Cumbria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bassenthwaite Lake</span> Large lake in the United Kingdom

Bassenthwaite Lake is a body of water in the Lake District in North West England, near the town of Keswick. It has an area of 5.3 km2 (2.0 sq mi), making the fourth largest of the lakes in the region. The lake has a length of approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) long and maximum width of 0.75 miles (1 km), a maximum depth of 19 m (62 ft), and a surface elevation of 68 m (223 ft) above sea level. Its primary inflow and outflow is the River Derwent, which drains into the Irish Sea at Workington. The lake is in the unitary authority of Cumberland, and the ceremonial county of Cumbria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aira Force</span> Waterfall in Matterdale, Cumbria

Aira Force is a waterfall in the English Lake District, in the civil parish of Matterdale and the county of Cumbria. The site of the waterfall is owned by the National Trust.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eskdale, Cumbria</span> Human settlement in England

Eskdale is a glacial valley and civil parish in the western Lake District National Park in Cumbria, England. It forms part of the Borough of Copeland, and in 2001 had a population of 264, increasing to 304 at the 2011 Census. One of the Lake District's most popular tourist attractions, the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, runs through the valley, though along with other western valleys of the Lake District, Eskdale is notably quieter during the high summer season than the more accessible eastern areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lakes of Killarney</span> Lakes in County Kerry, Ireland

The Lakes of Killarney are a scenic attraction located in Killarney National Park near Killarney, County Kerry, in Ireland. They consist of three lakes - Lough Leane, Muckross Lake and Upper Lake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Above Derwent</span> Human settlement in England

Above Derwent is a civil parish in Cumbria, England, to the west of Derwentwater and Keswick. It lies entirely within the Lake District National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nakki Lake</span> Lake in Rajasthan, India

Nakki Lake is a lake situated in the Indian hill station of Mount Abu in Aravalli range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rydal Water</span> A lake in Cumbria, England

Rydal Water is a small body of water in the central part of the English Lake District, in the county of Cumbria. It is located near the hamlet of Rydal, between Grasmere and Ambleside in the Rothay Valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scale Force</span> Waterfall in Cumbria, England

Scale Force is considered the highest waterfall in the English Lake District. Opinions vary about how its precise height is calculated, but the total height is normally stated as 170 feet (51.8m). It lies on the stream Scale Beck.

Mardale is a glacial valley in the Lake District, in northern England. The valley used to have a hamlet at its head, called Mardale Green, but this village was submerged in the late 1930s when the water level of the valley's lake, Haweswater, was raised to form Haweswater Reservoir by Manchester Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polignac, Haute-Loire</span> Commune in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Polignac is a commune in the Haute-Loire department in south-central France,

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Storrs Hall</span>

Storrs Hall is a hotel on the banks of Windermere in Storrs in the Lake District, Cumbria, England. The hotel, a Grade II* listed Georgian mansion, is also home to the National Trust-owned folly the "Temple" on the end of a stone jetty on Windermere. Situated in the Lake District, Storrs Hall sits alongside the Windermere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Cochran (artist)</span>

John Cochran or Cochrane was a Scottish portrait miniaturist, a stipple and line engraver and a painter of watercolours. Cochran exhibited his portraits at the Royal Academy between 1821 and 1823, and at the Suffolk Street Gallery from 1821 to 1827.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portinscale</span> Human settlement in England

Portinscale is a village in Cumbria, England, close to the western shore of Derwentwater in the Lake District National Park 1+1⁄2 miles from Keswick.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mamure Castle</span> Castle in Turkey

Mamure Castle is a medieval castle in the Bozdoğan village, Anamur ilçe (district) of Mersin Province, Turkey.

Edward Francis Finden (1791–1857) was a British engraver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph John Jenkins</span> English painter

Joseph John Jenkins was a British engraver and watercolor painter. He is best known for his portraits and landscapes paintings.

Thomas Alfred Woolnoth (1785–1857) was an English engraver. He was known for his portraits of theatre people. He also painted, and engraved works of Correggio and Van Dyck. Woolnoth was engraver to Queen Victoria. His work was also included in Cadell and Davies Britannia depicta.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 McNamara, Jane, Table of lake facts, Environment Agency of England and Wales, archived from the original on 28 June 2009, retrieved 13 November 2007
  2. ↑ "Ice Age fish thrives in new home". BBC News. 27 February 2008. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
  3. ↑ "Extinct fish found in the Lake District after millions is spent on clean-up work". Independent.co.uk . 9 October 2014.
  4. ↑ "Lake District: New Zealand Pigmyweed spreads in Derwent catchment". BBC. 9 August 2023.
  5. ↑ Whaley, Diana (2006). A dictionary of Lake District place-names. Nottingham: English Place-Name Society. pp. lx, 423 p.95. ISBN   0904889726.
  6. ↑ Whaley, 2006, p.422
  7. ↑ "Keswick - Derwent Isle House". Visit Cumbria. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  8. ↑ Welch, Annette. "St. Herbert and his Island". Our Lady of the Lakes, Keswick. Archived from the original on 9 May 2006.
  9. ↑ Landon, Letitia Elizabeth (1836). "picture". Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1837. Fisher, Son & Co.Landon, Letitia Elizabeth (1836). "poetical illustration". Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1837. Fisher, Son & Co.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.