How do I get to Devoke Water?

The standard route starts from a small parking area on the minor road crossing Birker Fell between Eskdale and the Duddon Valley. From there, it's about a 45-minute walk northwest across open moorland, though the path can be sketchy and boggy in places, so proper boots are essential.

Can you fish at Devoke Water?

Yes, Devoke Water has brown trout and perch. It's managed by the Millom & District Angling Association, and day permits are available to non-members during the season if you have the appropriate rod licence.

Is Devoke Water actually a lake or a tarn?

Technically it's a lake—at 1.5 kilometres long, it's larger than Brotherswater and deeper than Elterwater. It just gets treated like a tarn because it's remote, has no facilities, and doesn't get the tourist traffic of the more famous lakes.

Think the Lakes Are Special? Meet the Tarns

Devoke Water: When a Tarn Is Technically a Lake But Nobody Treats It Like One

At 1.5 kilometres long and sitting at 237 metres on Birker Fell, it's larger than Brotherswater and deeper than Elterwater. But it's on a plateau with no road access and no tourist infrastructure, which apparently disqualifies it from lake status in the public imagination.

18 August 20267 min read