Exploration
The 11 most beautiful lakes in the UK
From the big boys to the untapped gems, here are the lakes to check out and adventures nearby.
There are approximately 40,000 lakes in the UK. Granted, most of them – over 37,000 – are in Scotland, but wherever your travels take you on these isles you won’t be too far from a picturesque stretch of water. Because lakes are generally surrounded by mountains, it’s unsurprising that you'll find some of the most impressive in the north, but there's also some hidden gems down south.
Here's the most stunning lakes you'll find in the UK with some awesome adventures you can do nearby...
Word of caution: Due to the coronavirus pandemic, local restrictions may apply in some of the below locations – and some facilities and activities may be closed – so check before you go.
1. Dozmary Pool, Bodmin Moor, Cornwall
Dozmary Pool – possibly home to the mythical sword of Excalibur
© Sagesolar/flickr
Small, but perfectly formed, Dozmary Pool gives a lie to the assertion that all of England’s most beautiful lakes are to be found north of Watford Gap. A hauntingly exquisite slice of water, Dozmary Pool complements the rugged landscape of its home on Bodmin Moor. Apart from its beauty, it’s of interest due to its purported role in Arthurian legend: some claim that the lake is the home of the Lady of the Lake, the enchantress who gave Arthur his mythical sword, Excalibur.
Where to find it: It’s 2km south (50.5421° N, 4.5492° W) of the quaint Cornish hamlet of Bolventor.
Best nearby adventure: Cornwall’s two highest tors – Brown Willy and Rough Tor – are close by. Intrepid walkers, this route is a must.
2. Lake Windermere, Cumbria, Lake District
Lake Windermere is the largest natural lake in England
© Adnan Saulat/flickr
There are 16 lakes in the Lake District, but for many there’s only one – Windermere. The largest natural lake in England – 16.8km long, 1.6km wide and 67m to the bottom – this idyllic destination is quite rightly famed across the world. Home to 19 islands, five boating clubs and a fleet of launches and steamers, it’s the perfect spot from which to take in the broad majesty of the Lake District National Park.
Where to find it: Coming in at nearly 17km long there are numerous spots to start your Lake Windermere (54.3739° N, 2.9376° W) experience. Ambleside, at the northern point of the Lake, is a good option, as there's plenty of decent fell walks near-by.
Best nearby adventure: The Lake District is full to bursting with mountains, forests and, of course, Windermere lake. Hire a kayak or SUP and you can't go wrong.
3. Kielder Water, Northumberland
Over half of the UK's native red squirrels live at Kielder Water
© Akuppa John Wigham/flickr
Purists might balk at the inclusion of Kielder Water – it is, after all, the UK’s largest man-made lake (as is its surrounding forest) – but this stretch of water and the view it affords across verdant moorland are certainly easy on the eye. Built in the mid-70s, primarily to supply water to the North Tyne, Wear and Tees rivers, it’s also home to a range of water sports, cycling and other activities. Nature lovers will also lap up its riches – in 2009, three osprey chicks were hatched, the first in the area for over 200 years. It’s also home to half of England’s native red squirrels.
Where to find it: Leave the A69 just past Hexham and you’ll enter the vast expanse of the Kielder Forest Park (55.1813° N, 2.4848° W).
Best nearby adventure: Thanks to minimal light pollution, some of England’s darkest skies can be found around Kielder Water. If stargazing is your thing, the Kielder Observatory is another reason to visit.
4. Llyn Idwal, Conwy/Gwynedd, Snowdonia
Llyn Idwal is the perfect place to re-enact your favourite GOT scenes
© Sarah-Jane G/flickr
It might not have the grandeur of Llyn Tegid (Wales’ largest natural lake) or Llangorse Lake in the Brecon Beacons, but for sheer beauty Snowdonia’s Llyn Idwal is hard to beat. A small (just 800m x 300m) glacial lake, with the foreboding Pen yr Ole Wen mountain hovering menacingly over proceedings, there’s a real Game of Thrones-style drama to the vistas here. The striking landscape was also recognised as Wales’ first National Nature Reserve.
Where to find it: Leave the A5 at Ogwen Cottage between Capel Curig and Bethesda and head south (53.1158° N, 4.0259° W).
Best nearby adventure: The aforementioned Pen yr Ole Wen is Snowdonia’s seventh highest mountain. Go climb it!
5. Loch Morar, Lochaber, Highland
Loch Morar is the deepest of the UK's lakes
© Christoph Strässler/flickr
The deepest of the UK’s lakes (with a maximum depth of 310m) and the fifth largest loch by surface area in Scotland, Loch Morar certainly lives up to its billing as one of the UK’s most dramatic lakes. The rolling hills that surround Morar lend a mesmeric atmosphere that is made even more picturesque by otters on the water, salmon making their way up stream and sea eagles soaring above. Pleasingly, the loch is reputed to have its own monster, too. Locals have dubbed her Morag.
Where to find it: Head to the small village of Morar between Arisaig and Mallaig on the A830. Loch Morar is nearby (56.9539° N, 5.7172° W).
Best nearby adventure: If fishing in the loch doesn’t tickle your fancy, the area offers numerous walks – the longest marked being from Bracorina to Tarbet, to the north of the loch.
6. Lough Erne, County Fermanagh
Upper Lough Erne
© Flood Risk Management NI/flickr
The second largest lake system in Northern Ireland, Lough Erne is actually the name given to two connected lakes – Upper Lough and Lower Lough (or Broad Lough). Just to keep people on their toes, the Upper Lough is actually the smaller lake, but is higher up the River Erne, from where the lakes derive. The Lough is home to approximately 154 islands, spread across nearly 800km2 of water.
Where to find it: Enniskillen is situated between the two lakes (54.3979° N, 7.6934° W).
Best nearby adventure:A boating trip along the Lough will not only relax the most energetic of souls, it will also offer some of the UK’s best bird spotting opportunities.
7. Black Park Lake, Buckinghamshire
Given its proximity to Pinewood Studios, the Lake has a cinematic CV
© Timo Newton-Syms/flickr
You might not know it – you might not have even heard of it – but you have certainly seen Black Park Lake at some point. That’s because, located right next to Pinewood Film Studios, it’s featured in six Carry On films, countless episodes of Doctor Who, a couple of James Bond films, the Harry Potter series, plus Batman, Sleepy Hollow, Captain America: The First Avenger and many, many more. The lake itself is situated in the 530-acre Black Park, full of heathland and woodland and was commissioned by the 3rd Duke of Marlborough after he bought the park in 1738.
Where to find it: Black Park (51.32599° N, 0.322999° E) is found in Wexham, to the north of the A412 road between Slough and Iver Heath.
Best nearby adventure:Mountain biking is a popular pursuit in the park thanks to a winning combination of woodland, open plains and quick trails.
8. Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland
Window on the Lough
© Bobby McKay/flickr
Coming in at a lengthy 18 miles long and an equally impressive seven miles wide, Lough Neagh is the UK’s largest freshwater lake by some distance. In parts it resembles a sea. The lush countryside and nature reserves that surround it add to the allure, while its mystique is heightened by stories of Celtic gods and its own underwater Atlantis. Functionally, fact fans, it provides 40 percent of Northern Ireland’s water supply.
Where to find it: Such is its vast expanse, there are plenty of opportunities to choose your starting point (54.5933° N, 6.4162° W).
Best nearby adventure: The four-mile trail around the Oxford Island National Nature Reserve provides a vast range of habitats. Start at Lough Neagh Discovery Centre.
9. Bewl Water, Kent/East Sussex
Bewl Water is a great spot for watersports in the South East
© worldoflard/flickr
The South East isn’t exactly blessed with a multitude of lakes, but Bewl Water, on the border of East Sussex and Kent, certainly makes up for it. The water is perfectly azure and the accompanying Weald countryside adds to the charm. Cyclists and walkers can certainly take advantage of its nearby trails.
Where to find it: Bewl Water (51.0795° N, 0.3938° E) lies 1.6km south of Lamberhurst and 0.4km south of Lamberhurst bypass. Look for the brown tourist signs on the A21.
Best nearby adventure: Sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, canoeing and lots more besides. You can hire certain equipment if you don't have your own.
10. Coniston Water, Cumbria
Follow in the footsteps of past explorers at Coniston Water
© Tony Armstrong-Sly/flickr
Located just below the imposing Old Man of Coniston, sits the tranquil Coniston Water. Its charms have long held rich promises for adventurers (it was here that the Campbells set numerous world water records and where Donald tragically met his end in his BlueBird craft in 1967) and chroniclers alike (Arthur Ransome based much of his classic book Swallows & Amazons on Coniston and nearby Windermere). Today, you can traverse the third-largest lake in the area by a Steam Yacht Gondola.
Where to find it: From the hamlet of Torver, head one mile eastwards (54.3432° N, 3.0716° W).
Best nearby adventure: The Old Man of Coniston is one of the best spots for fell walking in the Lake District. The highest mountain in England – Scafell Pike – is also close by, if you want to throw in some skyrunning.
11. Loch Lomond
Come on. You just can't have a list of lakes without Loch Lomond
© Ronnie Macdonald/flickr
Scotland’s biggest lake is also its most emblematic: split between the lowlands of Central Scotland and the Highlands, it's practically shorthand for rural Scottish beauty. Visitors from James Boswell and Samuel Johnson in the 18th Century to Oasis, who gigged there in the mid-1990s, have been inspired by its mix of rugged visuals and seamless scenery. And if it's good enough for the Gallaghers, it's good enough for you, too.
Where to find it: The lake (56.1114° N, 4.6289° W) is so huge there are a number of spots from which to visit. The historic Drovers Inn at the Loch's northern tip seems as good a place as any to start.
Best nearby adventure: On the eastern shore, footpaths and cycle trails criss-cross craggy Ben Lomond mountain and the smaller Conic Hill. If you’re lucky and know a member you could also play a round of golf on its famous course.
