Why is Thirlmere a reservoir and not a natural lake?

Between 1890 and 1894, Manchester built a dam and raised the water level by fifteen metres, drowning two smaller natural lakes (Leathes Water and Wythburn Water) to create a reservoir. It now supplies water to Manchester ninety-six miles away, holding 41 billion litres.

What happened to the villages when Thirlmere was flooded?

Several farms were submerged, and the village of Wythburn was reduced to just a church and an inn. St James's Church still stands at the southern end, but the King's Head Inn closed in 1984.

What's the best viewpoint overlooking Thirlmere?

High Seat at 608 metres gives you the best panorama of Thirlmere with Helvellyn beyond, and takes about two hours to climb from the western shore. Steel Fell at the southern end is another excellent option if you want something shorter.

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Thirlmere: The Reservoir That Drowned Itself

Thirlmere was a proper lake once, albeit a small one. Then Manchester needed drinking water, and now it's a reservoir pretending to be what it replaced — which is neither a lake nor technically what anyone came to see.

5 July 20268 min read