Where is Bowscale Tarn and how do I get there?

Bowscale Tarn is tucked into a glacial hollow on the northern slopes of Bowscale Fell in the northern Lake District, part of the Back o' Skiddaw range. It sits at about 475 metres elevation in a fairly quiet, less-crowded corner of the area.

What's the legend about immortal fish at Bowscale Tarn?

Local folklore holds that two immortal fish live in the tarn—that's literally the entire legend. William Wordsworth recorded it in 1807, but the story doesn't specify what species they are, what they look like, or anything else beyond the fact they supposedly can't die.

Why is the water at Bowscale Tarn so dark?

The darkness comes from a combination of depth, peaty run-off from the surrounding fells, and the tarn's position in a steep-walled glacial corrie. It's genuinely deep and murky, which certainly adds to the atmospheric quality of the place.

Think the Lakes Are Special? Meet the Tarns

Bowscale Tarn: The One That Might Have Pike in It (But Probably Doesn't)

Local myth insists two immortal pike live in Bowscale Tarn under Bowscale Fell, appearing once a year to remind everyone of medieval storytelling. Nobody's caught one, which either means they're very good at hiding or the 17th century had a flexible relationship with fish biology.

31 August 20266 min read