How Many Lakes Are in the Lake District?
The Short Answer: One, Sixteen, and the Tarns
Ask someone how many lakes are in the Lake District, and the strictest answer is a surprising one: officially, only one has the word 'lake' in its name. That is Bassenthwaite Lake. The rest are waters, meres, and tarns. However, the usual answer is that there are sixteen main lakes, forming the long, deep valleys that define the national park.
Beyond these sixteen lie the tarns. These are the small mountain waters, usually held in high hollows scooped out by ice, and there are a great many of them scattered across the fells. To make sense of the map, it helps to know that 'mere' and 'water' are simply the old words for a lake, while a tarn is a smaller upland lake. Whether you know the deep valley waters or the high fell tarns best, the Lake Posters collection offers a way to take a favourite stretch of water home.
The Sixteen Main Lakes
Sitting at a surface height of about 39 m above sea level, Windermere is England's largest natural lake, measuring about 16.8 km long with an area of about 14.8 km². It forms the long spine of the southern fells. View the Windermere — Watercolour Map Poster.
Resting at a surface height of about 145 m, Ullswater is long and bent, spanning about 11.8 km with an area of about 8.8 km². The sharp ridges of Helvellyn rise steeply above its western shore. Remember this dramatic valley with the Ullswater Lake Map — Watercolour Contour Poster.
Situated at an elevation of about 75 m beside Keswick, Derwentwater measures about 4.6 km long and covers about 5.2 km². It is known for its quiet, wooded islands and the wide ring of fells around it. Bring the memory home with the Derwent Water — Watercolour Map Poster.
Lying at a surface height of about 69 m, Bassenthwaite Lake extends to about 6.2 km long and about 5.0 km² in area. It remains the only one officially called a lake in the region. Find it here: Bassenthwaite Lake — Watercolour Map Poster.
Found at about 44 m above sea level, Coniston Water is roughly 8.6 km long and 4.7 km² in area. It sits directly below the steep crags of the Old Man of Coniston. Trace its shoreline with the Coniston Water — Watercolour Map Poster.
Held back at a surface height of about 240 m, Haweswater is a high reservoir, roughly 6.4 km long and covering about 3.5 km². Deep beneath its surface lies the drowned village of Mardale Green. Mark this remote valley with the Haweswater — Watercolour Map Poster.
At a surface height of about 112 m, Ennerdale Water is the westernmost of the sixteen, about 4.0 km long with an area of 3.0 km². Unusually quiet, it has no road along its shore, preserving a wild character. Take it home via the Ennerdale Water — Watercolour Map Poster.
Sitting at about 61 m above sea level, Wast Water spans about 5.0 km long and 2.8 km² in area. It is the deepest lake in England, plunging darkly beneath the vast slopes of the Screes. See its stark profile in the Wast Water — Watercolour Map Poster.
Lying at an elevation of about 178 m, Thirlmere is a long reservoir, about 5.8 km long with an area of about 2.8 km². It fills a steep, deep trench under Helvellyn's western flank. Remember this striking valley floor with the Thirlmere Lake Map — Watercolour Contour Poster.
Resting at about 99 m above sea level, Crummock Water measures about 4.1 km long with an area of about 2.6 km². It is Buttermere's larger neighbour, spreading broadly below the steep fall of Mellbreak. View the Crummock Water — Watercolour Map Poster.
Found at a surface height of about 101 m, Buttermere is roughly 2.1 km long and covers about 0.9 km². Famed for the dark pines on its shore, it sits with Fleetwith Pike rising sharply at its head. Find it at Buttermere — Watercolour Map Poster.
Sitting at about 65 m above sea level, Esthwaite Water is roughly 2.5 km long with an area of about 0.9 km². It remains a quiet lake by Hawkshead, sheltered among low fells and woods. Trace its shape with the Esthwaite Water — Watercolour Map Poster.
At an elevation of about 61 m, Grasmere is a small water about 1.6 km long and about 0.6 km² in area. Known widely as Wordsworth's lake, it holds a single, dark island near its centre. Take the memory home with the Grasmere Lake Map — Watercolour Poster.
Resting at about 121 m, Loweswater spans roughly 1.7 km long and covers about 0.6 km². Unusually for the region, it drains inward towards the centre of the fells, flowing down towards Crummock Water. See its outline on the Loweswater — Watercolour Map Poster.
Lying low at a surface height of about 54 m, Rydal Water is roughly 1.2 km long with an area of about 0.3 km². It is small and reedy, sitting quietly next door to Grasmere. Mark its quiet shores with the Rydal Water — Watercolour Map Poster.
Found at an elevation of about 56 m, Elterwater is the smallest of the sixteen, about 1.0 km long and just 0.1 km² in area. It sits among the meadows at the mouth of Langdale. Find it at the Elterwater Lake Map — Watercolour Contour Poster.
The Tarns and Smaller Waters
Langdale and Grasmere
Blea Tarn sits at about 476 m between Great and Little Langdale, looking across to the Langdale Pikes; view the Blea Tarn — Watercolour Contour Map Poster. Stickle Tarn lies at about 469 m, held high under the steep cliff of Pavey Ark above Great Langdale; see the Stickle Tarn — Watercolour Map Poster. Easedale Tarn is found at about 278 m above Grasmere, reached by walking up past the white water of Sourmilk Gill; find it at the Easedale Tarn — Watercolour Map Poster. Loughrigg Tarn rests quietly at about 93 m under Loughrigg Fell, near Ambleside; trace its outline on the Loughrigg Tarn — Watercolour Map Poster. Little Langdale Tarn lies low at about 102 m on the valley floor of Little Langdale itself; view the Little Langdale Tarn — Watercolour Map Poster.
Helvellyn and Patterdale
Red Tarn sits at about 716 m in Helvellyn's high eastern cove, held tightly between Striding Edge and Swirral Edge; it is the highest water on these sheets, found at the Red Tarn — Watercolour Map Poster. Grisedale Tarn lies at about 539 m, occupying the high pass between Fairfield and Dollywaggon Pike; see the Grisedale Tarn — Watercolour Map Poster. Angle Tarn rests at about 473 m on the fellside above Patterdale, sitting deeply indented below Angletarn Pikes; find it at the Angle Tarn — Watercolour Map Poster. Brothers Water lies much lower at about 157 m, spreading across the valley floor at the foot of Kirkstone Pass by Hartsop; view the Brothers Water — Watercolour Map Poster.
Mardale and the Far East
Blea Water is held high at about 483 m in Mardale below the broad ridge of High Street, and is said to be the deepest tarn; find it at the Blea Water — Watercolour Map Poster. Small Water sits nearby at about 452 m, also in Mardale, passed on the steep way up to Nan Bield Pass; trace it on the Small Water — Watercolour Map Poster. Hayeswater lies over the ridge at about 422 m above Hartsop, deep in a valley below High Street; see the Hayeswater — Watercolour Map Poster.
Coniston and the South
Tarn Hows sits at about 187 m above Coniston, forming a carefully made tarn dotted with islands; view the Tarn Hows — Watercolour Map Poster. Levers Water lies higher at about 410 m in the Coniston fells, sitting in a bowl above the old workings of Coppermines Valley; find it at the Levers Water — Watercolour Map Poster. Blelham Tarn rests at about 42 m, a low and wooded water tucked away near Hawkshead; see the Blelham Tarn — Watercolour Map Poster.
The West and the Northern Fells
Devoke Water spreads widely at about 233 m on the high moor above Eskdale, and is often called the largest tarn; find it at the Devoke Water Lake Map — Watercolour Contour Poster. Burnmoor Tarn lies at about 253 m on the lonely stretch of moor between Eskdale and Wasdale; trace its shores on the Burnmoor Tarn — Watercolour Map Poster. Scoat Tarn sits high above Wasdale at about 596 m, sheltered close under the crags of Scoat Fell; view the Scoat Tarn — Watercolour Map Poster. Watendlath Tarn rests at about 258 m by the quiet, dead-end hamlet of Watendlath above Borrowdale; see the Watendlath Tarn — Watercolour Map Poster. Overwater lies at about 191 m to the north of Bassenthwaite, marking the edge of the remote Northern Fells; find it at the Overwater — Watercolour Map Poster.
About the Map Posters
Each sheet is a quiet record of one water seen from directly above. The design is completely stripped back: the true shoreline is presented as a deep blue watercolour wash, while the fells around it are marked by fine grey contour lines. The water's name sits in capitals above, and the words THE LAKE DISTRICT sit beneath. There are no roads, no labels, and no compass markers. Everything matches the real shoreline and the real contours.
People often choose the water they know best, hanging them to keep a favourite memory close. Because they are designed to match, the sheets are made to hang together. It is common to see them displayed in twos and threes along a hallway or grouped above a desk, mapping out a walking route or a familiar valley.
Sizes, Frames, and Ordering
Every piece is a framed poster available in three sizes: a neat 30 x 40cm at £89.99, a larger 45 x 60cm at £119.99, or a broad 50 x 70cm at £129.99. The frames are made of solid wood in black, white, or natural wood. They are glazed with shatterproof acrylic rather than glass, meaning they travel safely and hang easily. Hanging fixtures are fitted as standard, and the prints are set with no mount, reaching edge to edge. Each map is printed on 200gsm enhanced matte fine-art paper for a crisp, flat finish.
Everything is strictly made to order. It takes 2-5 working days to print and frame, followed by 3-7 working days for UK delivery. A gift message can be added at checkout, which is particularly useful if you are sending one ahead of Christmas. To see the full range of waters and tarns, explore the Lake Posters.