What does 'mere' actually mean?

A 'mere' is Old English for a body of water that's broad and shallow relative to its depth—basically a shallow basin spreading across the landscape. Windermere is actually 64 metres deep and 18 kilometres long, so the name is completely inaccurate.

Can you walk all the way around Windermere?

Yes, but it's not an official trail and you'll need to figure out the route yourself—it's roughly 41 miles total. The western shore has a proper maintained path, but the eastern side gets scrappier with more road walking and some sections where you're basically improvising.

What's the best fell to see views of Windermere?

It depends on how much effort you want to put in. Orrest Head is the easiest option at just 20 minutes from town, while Gummer's How (about an hour's walk) gives you the full length of the lake and feels more like a proper fell walk without being difficult.

when-is-a-lake-district-lake-not-a-lake

Why Windermere Isn't a Lake (And What a Mere Actually Is)

A 'mere' is Old English for a body of water that's broad and shallow. Windermere, at 64 metres deep, is neither of those things, but the name stuck anyway because etymology doesn't care about accuracy.

4 July 20269 min read