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You are here: Home > Explore Cumbria > Bassenthwaite
The national nature reserve of Bassenthwaite Lake is a tranquil finger of water sitting in the lofty shadow of Skiddaw. This wildlife-rich body of water is fringed with a mosaic of reed beds, fen marshland, woodlands and wildflower meadows, and is perhaps best known for the spectacular sight of ospreys diving into the waters for fish. A new lottery-funded scheme, Bassenthwaite Reflections, is helping to protect the lake’s vulnerable plant and animal life through community involvement.
The peaceful village of Bassenthwaite, centred on its old inn, sits in a quiet valley at the north end of the lake. To the south is Mirehouse, an 18th century house and garden with literary links to Tennyson, Coleridge and Wordsworth.
The earliest known settlement is at Castle How,...Read More
The national nature reserve of Bassenthwaite Lake is a tranquil finger of water sitting in the lofty shadow of Skiddaw. This wildlife-rich body of water is fringed with a mosaic of reed beds, fen marshland, woodlands and wildflower meadows, and is perhaps best known for the spectacular sight of ospreys diving into the waters for fish. A new lottery-funded scheme, Bassenthwaite Reflections, is helping to protect the lake’s vulnerable plant and animal life through community involvement.
The peaceful village of Bassenthwaite, centred on its old inn, sits in a quiet valley at the north end of the lake. To the south is Mirehouse, an 18th century house and garden with literary links to Tennyson, Coleridge and Wordsworth.
The earliest known settlement is at Castle How, an Iron Age hill fort on the western shore of Bassenthwaite Lake, but it wasn’t until the arrival of Christianity in the middle of the 6th century that mankind’s deeper footprint became visible. Saint Saint Kentigern is believed to have preached at Crosthwaite (east of Keswick) in AD 556 while a few years later Saint Bega is thought to have founded a church bearing her name on the shores of Bassenthwaite Lake – even if the current church only dates to around AD950.
Bassenthwaite village probably got its name from the Vikings who settled here after chopping down a few trees. After 1066, the whole area came under the rule of the Earls of Egremont, with the Manor of Bassenthwaite now part of the Barony of Allerdale. The locals made their living from farming and fishing, but also did some mining and some weaving from the wool of Herdwick sheep: the area became known for a rough-spun, undyed cloth known as ‘Skiddaw Grey.’ Over time the weaving process became mechanised and several mills were built, including one at Millbeck on the flanks of Skiddaw that produced large large quantities of caps, blankets and flannels for export to slave plantations in the Americas.
Nearby Mirehouse has been owned by the Spedding family since 1802. During the early 19th century, the house became a literary hotbed for the Lake poets – William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Robert Southey and Thomas Carlyle. Alfred Tennyson stayed here in 1835 and composed the lines on Excalibur for Morte d’Arthur whilst sitting on the lakeshore.
The construction of the railway line between Penrith and Cockermouth in 1864 brought Victorian tourists in their droves, all eager to enjoy the wild scenery around Keswick and Bassenthwaite so lyrically described by Wordsworth and the other Lake poets. Most of the area’s older hotels and guesthouses date from this time.
Whinlatter - Whinlatter is England's only true mountain forest. Rising 1000ft above sea level, the forest and visitor centre provides a whole range of outdoor activities for everyone. Start at the visitor centre where the staff will give information and help plan your day.
Keswick - It's central location makes Keswick the perfect place to stay when planning to explore the Lake District. The town is surrounded famous Lakeland hills such has Grizedale Pike, Skiddaw and Catbells.
Skiddaw - Skiddaw dominates Bassenthwaite Lake and at 931 metres it is one of the largest peaks in the Lake District.
This mountain is one of the oldest formations in the Lake District (and indeed in Europe). This fell is also an extinct Volcano.
The glacial waters of Bassenthwaite and Derwentwater were once joined together as one long lake until river-borne deposits from the rivers Derwent, Greta and Pow Beck silted up the central section to form two separate bodies of water. Both lakes are the shallowest in the Lake District, with an average depth of only 5.5 m (18 ft).
In 1783 the newly appointed Bishop of Derry was on his way to Whitehaven to take a boat to Ireland. He stopped for the night at an inn beside Bassenthwaite Lake and, after consuming several drinks, wagered that he could ride his pony to the top of Barf, a nearby hill. Halfway up the pony stumbled at a large rock and fell, killing both horse and rider. The large rock (known as Bishop Rock) is painted white in remembrance of this futile act, while at the foot of the slope is another white-painted rock known as The Clerk where the bishop and his pony were buried.
In the early 1800s, one of the finest Celtic swords ever found in Britain was discovered in a field near Wythop Mill. The sword and its highly decorated sheath are now on display in the British Museum.
Alfred Tennyson stayed at Mirehouse, Bassenthwaite in 1835 and composed the lines on Excalibur for Morte d’Arthur whilst sitting on the lakeshore. It is said that the lake was a model for the lake into which Excalibur was thrown. A memorial stone depicting the sword and a hand rising from the water, erected by the Tennyson Society, stands by the lake shore.
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A 3-hour session with a foraging expert, including ID work, tasting wild ingredients and a wild…
A superb way to the summit of Skiddaw, which takes in the fine shapely ridge, Longside edge, that…
With jaw-dropping views down the valley over Bassenthwaite Lake and just a stones throw from…
Host your next event at the magnificent Pencil Factory in the heart of the Lake District. Once the…
A few minutes’ walk from the market town of Keswick and Derwentwater Lake, the Keswick Country…
Hire a rowing or motor boat and explore Derwentwater and its islands under your own steam. No…
Host your next event at the magnificent Pencil Factory in the heart of the Lake District. Once the…
A few minutes’ walk from the market town of Keswick and Derwentwater Lake, the Keswick Country…
Hire a rowing or motor boat and explore Derwentwater and its islands under your own steam. No…
Can you conquer WHINLATTER in 2025? Challenging Whinlatter Forest is the venue for this Trail Half…
Keswick Launch offers 50-minute cruises around Derwentwater. Rowing boats and motor boats are also…
Get up close and personal with our Alpacas, for participants aged 16 years and over. Alpacas are…
Unspoiled traditional inn with every modern comfort in understated luxury.
Discover the secret places of the Lake District only accessible by kayak, just waiting for you to…
Flag stone floors, oak beams and roaring log fires create a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere at the…
Pop in for a coffee at Keswick’s latest tourist attraction and Cumbria’s first Jewellery Works.…
The full Buck Moon in Capricorn celebrates the vibrant energy of the summer, when the young male…
A rusty 'tin shed' beside a dramatic waterfall in a remote valley just outside Keswick – this…
The flanks of Clough Head and Matterdale Common at the northern end of the Helvellyn range are…
Does your partner ever ask you for a massage, and after a few minutes your hands start to ache?…
To some, including the famous writer, poet and great thinker John Ruskin, Friar's Crag represents…
The Full Wolf Moon holds a special spiritual significance for many, symbolising strength,…
Braithwaite House is a newly renovated 18th century house, hosting four private en suite…
The Royal Oak is an 18th-century coaching inn within the hustle and bustle of Keswick town centre.…
Low Briery Holiday Park is situated just outside Keswick, in a beautiful wooded valley in the…
Tucked away on the western side of Borrowdale is an old packhorse track. It descends towards Grange…
The newly renovated family and dog-friendly Rooms36, VB 4-star silver award-winning bed and…
A 3-hour session with a foraging expert, including ID work, tasting wild ingredients and a wild…
A superb way to the summit of Skiddaw, which takes in the fine shapely ridge, Longside edge, that…
With jaw-dropping views down the valley over Bassenthwaite Lake and just a stones throw from…
The Lake District Where modern tourism was born
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