Lake District
The Lake District, also known as the Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region and national park in Cumbria, North West England. It is famous for its landscape, including its lakes, coast, and the Cumbrian mountains; and for its literary associations with Beatrix Potter, John Ruskin, and the Lake Poets.
| Lake District | |
|---|---|
| Cumbrian Mountains | |
The Skiddaw massif, town of Keswick and Derwent Water seen from Walla Crag | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Scafell Pike |
| Elevation | 978 m (3,209 ft) |
| Coordinates | 54°27′15″N 3°12′42″W |
| Geography | |
| Location | Cumbria |
| Country | England, United Kingdom |
| Largest lakes by area | Windermere, Ullswater, Derwentwater |
| Largest settlements | Kendal, Ambleside, Windermere, Keswick |
| Geology | |
| Orogeny |
|
| Age of rock | Primarily Ordovician |
| Type of rock | Primarily volcanic and sedimentary |
| Lake District National Park | |
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape) | |
The Lake District national park | |
| Area | 2,362 km2 (912 sq mi) |
| Established | 9 May 1951 |
| Visitors |
|
| Governing body | Lake District National Park Authority |
UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| Official name | The English Lake District |
| Criteria | Cultural: ii, v, vi |
| Reference | 422 |
| Inscription | 2017 (41st Session) |
| Area | 229,205.19 ha |
The Cumbrian mountains, or fells, include England's highest: Scafell Pike (978 m (3,209 ft)), Helvellyn (950 m (3,120 ft)) and Skiddaw (931 m (3,054 ft)). The region also contains sixteen major lakes. They include Windermere, which with a length of 11 miles (18 km) and an area of 5.69 square miles (14.73 km2) is the longest and largest lake in England, and Wast Water, which at 79 metres (259 ft) is the deepest lake in England.
The Lake District National Park was established in 1951, and covers an area of 2,362 km2 (912 square miles), the bulk of the region. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017.