Bassenthwaite Lake
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.
| Bassenthwaite Lake | |
|---|---|
View from Blackstock Point | |
Bassenthwaite Lake Location in the Lake District National Park | |
Map (1925) | |
| Location | Lake District |
| Coordinates | 54°39′N 3°13′W |
| Primary inflows | River Derwent Newlands Beck |
| Primary outflows | River Derwent |
| Catchment area | 96.5 sq mi (250 km2) |
| Basin countries | United Kingdom |
| Max. length | 4 mi (6.4 km) |
| Max. width | 0.8 mi (1.3 km) |
| Surface area | 1.98 sq mi (5.1 km2) |
| Max. depth | 70 ft (21 m) |
| Shore length1 | 11.3 mi (18.2 km) |
| Surface elevation | 223 ft (68 m) |
| Islands | 0 |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Bassenthwaite Lake is the only body of water in the Lake District to use the word 'lake' in its name, all the others using the local terms 'water' (e.g. Derwentwater), 'mere' (e.g. Windermere) or 'tarn' (e.g. Dock Tarn). Some maps dating from the 18th century do in fact mark this lake with the name Bassenwater, and the use of the name Broadwater for this lake is also attested.
The A66 dual carriageway runs roughly north–south along the western side of the lake. The lay-bys are popular spots for photographers and bird watchers looking for osprey. The section running south towards Keswick was built along the course of the former Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith railway line.