Lake District

Lake District
Top to bottom: view over Keswick, view across Derwent Water, Cat Bells northern ridge, A591 between Ambleside and Grasmere
Highest point
PeakScafell Pike
Elevation978 m (3,209 ft)
Coordinates54°27′15″N 3°12′42″W / 54.45424°N 3.21160°W / 54.45424; -3.21160
Geography
LocationCumbria
CountryEngland
Largest lakes by areaWindermere, Ullswater, Derwentwater
Largest settlementsKendal, Ambleside, Windermere, Keswick
Geology
Orogenies
Rock agePrimarily Ordovician
Rock type(s)Primarily volcanic and sedimentary
Lake District National Park
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
The Lake District national park
Area2,362 km2 (912 sq mi)
Established9 May 1951
Visitors
  • Visitors a year: 15.8 million
  • Visitor days a year: 23.1 million
Governing bodyLake District National Park Authority
Official nameThe English Lake District
CriteriaCultural: ii, v, vi
Reference422
Inscription2017 (41st Session)
Area229,205.19 ha

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 mountains, and for its literary associations with Beatrix Potter, John Ruskin, and the Lake Poets.

The Lakeland fells, or mountains, 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.