General geography

The Lake District is approximately 34 miles (55 km) across. Its features are a result of periods of glaciation, the most recent of which ended some 15,000 years ago. These include the ice-carved wide U-shaped valleys, many of which are now filled with the lakes that give the park its name. The upper regions contain a number of glacial cirques, which are typically filled with tarns. The higher fells are rocky, with lower fells being open moorland, notable for its wide bracken and heather coverage. Below the tree line, native oak woodlands sit alongside nineteenth century pine plantations. Much of the land is often boggy, due to the high rainfall. The Lake District is one of the most highly populated national parks. Its total area is near 885 square miles (2,292 km²), and the Lake District was designated as a National Park in 1951.

North-west

The north-western area stands between the valleys of Borrowdale and Buttermere, with Honister Pass joining the two dales. This area comprises the Newlands Fells (Dale Head, Robinson, Catbells) and the ridge joining them. To the north stand Grasmoor, Grisedale Pike and the hills around the valley of Coledale, and in the far north-west is Thornthwaite Forest and Lord's Seat. The fells in this area are rounded Skiddaw slate, with few tarns and relatively few rock faces.

West

The western part is the area between Buttermere and Wasdale, with Sty Head forming the apex of a large triangle. Ennerdale bisects the area, which consists of the High Stile ridge north of Ennerdale, the Loweswater Fells in the far north west, the Pillar group in the south west, and Great Gable (2,949 feet/899 metres) near Sty Head. Other tops include Seatallan, Haystacks and Kirk Fell. This area is craggy and steep, with the impressive pinnacle of Pillar Rock its showpiece. Wastwater, located in this part, is England's deepest lake. Rising up around the Western Valley of Wasdale is Scafell Pike, England's highest mountain.

Central

A Herdwick grazing above Thirlmere.

The central part is the lowest in terms of elevation. It takes the form of a long boot-shaped ridge running from Loughrigg Fell above Ambleside—a popular tourist destination—to Keswick, with Derwent Water on the west and Thirlmere on the east. The Langdale Pikes, with High Raise behind them, are another feature popular with walkers. The central ridge running north over High Seat is exceptionally boggy.

East

The eastern area consists of a long north-to-south ridge—the Helvellyn range, running from Clough Head to Seat Sandal with the 3,118-foot (950 m) Helvellyn at its highest point. The western slopes of these summits tend to be grassy, with rocky corries and crags on the eastern side. The Fairfield group lies to the south of the range, and forms a similar pattern with towering rock faces and hidden valleys spilling into the Patterdale valley. It culminates in the height of Red Screes overlooking the Kirkstone Pass.

Far-east

The far-eastern fells lie on the other side of Patterdale and are characterised by steep sides leading up to a huge moorland plateau, again on a north–south axis. High Street is the highest point on the ridge, overlooking the hidden valley of Mardale and Haweswater. In the south of this region are the fells overlooking Kentmere, and to the east is Shap Fell, a huge area that is more akin to the Pennines than the Lakes, consisting of high flat moorland.

Mid-west

The mid-western fells form a triangular shape, with the corners at the Irish Sea, Borrowdale and Langdale. They comprise the Wastwater Screes overlooking Wasdale, the Glaramara ridge overlooking Borrowdale, the three tops of Crinkle Crags, Bowfell and Esk Pike overlooking Langdale and Scafell Pike in the centre, at 3,209 feet (978 m) the highest ground in England. Scafell one mile (1.6 km) to the south-west is slightly lower but has a 700-foot (210 m) rock face on its north face, Scafell Crag. The valley of Eskdale penetrates this upland wilderness. These fells are the most rugged and craggy of all, and consequently going is slower amongst the tumbled granite.

South-west

The south-western fells have as their northern boundary the Hardknott and Wrynose Passes. These are particularly narrow and steep, with tight hairpin bends. The Furness Fells (invariably referred to as the Coniston Fells by walkers) stand between Coniston and the Duddon Valley, which runs NE-SW through the centre of the area. On the other side of the Duddon is Harter Fell and the long ridge leading over Whitfell to Black Combe and the sea. The south of this region consists of lower forests and knolls, with Kirkby Moor on the southern boundary. The south-western Lake District ends near the Furness peninsulas, which leads to Cumbria's second largest settlement (Barrow-in-Furness). The Castlehead field centre is in this area.

South-east

The south-eastern area is the territory between Coniston Water and Windermere and east of Windermere. There are no high summits in this group; it is mainly low hills, knolls and bumpy terrain such as Gummer's How, Whitbarrow and Top o' Selside. The wide expanse of Grizedale Forest stands between the two lakes. Kendal and Morecambe Bay mark the edge.

25 highest peaks

The 25 highest peaks (of those given an individual chapter in the Pictorial Guides by Alfred Wainwright) are:

The impressive bulk of the Scafell massif, the highest ground in England, seen over the Wastwater valley

1. Scafell Pike, 978 m (3,210 ft)
2. Scafell, 965 m (3,162 ft)
3. Helvellyn, 951 m (3,118 ft)
4. Skiddaw, 931 m (3,054 ft)
5. Great End, 910 m (2,986 ft)
6. Bowfell, 902 m (2,960 ft)
7. Great Gable, 899 m (2,949 ft)
8. Pillar, 892 m (2,926 ft)
9. Nethermost Pike, 891 m (2,923 ft)
10. Catstycam, 889 m (2,917 ft)
11. Esk Pike, 885 m (2,903 ft)
12. Raise (Lake District), 883 m (2,896 ft)
13. Fairfield, 873 m (2,863 ft)
14. Blencathra, 868 m (2,847 ft)
15. Skiddaw Little Man, 865 m (2,837 ft)
16. White Side, 863 m (2,831 ft)
17. Crinkle Crags, 859 m (2,818 ft)
18. Dollywaggon Pike, 858 m (2,815 ft)
19. Great Dodd, 857 m (2807 ft)
20. Grasmoor, 852 m (2,795 ft)
21. Stybarrow Dodd, 843 m (2,772 ft)
22. St Sunday Crag, 841 m (2,759 ft)
23. Scoat Fell, 841 m (2,759 ft)
24. Crag Hill, 839 m (2,753 ft)
25. High Street, 828 m (2,717 ft)

Lakes

Boats on Ullswater

Only one of the lakes in the Lake District is called by that name, Bassenthwaite Lake. All the others such as Windermere, Coniston Water, Ullswater and Buttermere are meres and waters, with mere being the least common and water being the most common. The major lakes and reservoirs in the National Park are given below.

• Bassenthwaite Lake
• Brotherswater
• Buttermere
• Coniston Water
• Crummock Water
• Derwent Water
• Devoke Water
• Elter Water
• Ennerdale Water
• Esthwaite Water
• Grasmere
• Haweswater Reservoir
• Hayeswater
• Loweswater
• Rydal Water
• Thirlmere
• Ullswater
• Wast Water
• Windermere