Loweswater (lake)

Loweswater is the smallest of the main Lake District lakes (at least of those in my list anyway!), and is unique as the only one of the lakes whose water flows out towards the centre of the district, running into the northern end of Crummock Water. Its name comes from the Old Norse Laufs-saer-vatn, meaning the leafy lake, and the lake is still partly lined with trees - Holme Wood on the southern shore and a thin line of trees alongside the road to the north.

The fells surrounding Loweswater are not the tallest, but they still produce a dramatic effect, further enhanced by the looming presence of Whitside and Grasmoor to the east. The fells to the north reach their highest point at Fellbarrow. To the south Burnbank Fell and the offshoots of Blake Fell come down to the water, while to the south-east are a series of valleys between those fells and Hen Comb and Mellbreak. The longest of these valleys is Mosedale, which runs between Hen Comb and Mellbreak and ends at Floutern Tarn, under the crags of Great Borne. Mellbreak is the most visually impressive of these fells, presenting a very stern face towards Loweswater. 

Loweswater from the southThere is plenty of parking around Loweswater, with two lay-bys at the western end of the lake, and the NT car park at Maggie's Bridge at the east (take the right right-hand turn after the lake when coming from the west, or the second left after the phone box if coming west, signposted as a bridleway).

The scattered Loweswater village lies to the east of the lake, and includes the Kirkstile Inn and a church that was originally an offshoot of St. Bees. 

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