Wastwater Lake Vista

About this spectacle

Wastwater is England's deepest lake, cradled in a remote glacial valley in the western Lake District. The view from its shores is one of Britain's most dramatic: dark, still water reflecting the scree slopes of the Illgill Head and Whin Rigg fells, which plunge almost vertically from ridge to waterline. On clear days, Great Gable rises at the head of the valley, framed by the surrounding peaks. The air is typically cool and damp, with the lake surface shifting from silver to deep slate-grey under passing cloud. Visitors experience an overwhelming sense of solitude — this is one of the least visited corners of the Lake District, with no villages on its shores. The scale of the scree and the depth of the water beneath create a sense of raw, unadorned wilderness rarely felt in England.

When to go

Jan — Dec, peak Sep — May

Getting there

Nearest airport: MME. Nearest city: Whitehaven.

Booking options

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