Esthwaite Water

Esthwaite Water

Length – 2.5km / Max Width – 0.62km

Beatrix Potter’s favourite lake, Esthwaite Water, is thought to have inspired her creation of the character Jeremy Fisher, and was recently featured in the national news thanks to its private owner’s unusual decision to sell the lake on the auction site eBay. Whilst access to the land around the lake is restricted, there is plenty for visitors to do.

The Esthwaite Water Trout Fishery offers a self-driven boat tour of the lake where hunting Osprey are an almost daily sight, and the lake is also renowned for its trout stock, with everything you need to get started available at the Fishery shop.

Esthwaite Water is situated between Windermere and Coniston, just south of the village of Hawkshead. You can reach it by taking the car ferry from Windermere across to Far Sawrey and then follow the B5285 up to the lake’s edge.

Parking

Car parking is available both in the villages of Near Sawrey on the southern end of the lake and at Hawkshead on the northern end of the lake.

In addition, a small pay and display car park is available on the shore of the lake on the south-western end at Ridding Wood (Grid Ref SD 362 954), accessed via a single track road that stretches along the western shore of the lake from Near Sawrey to Hawkshead.

Facilities

A shop and boat hire can be found at the Hawkshead Trout Fishery Boat House at Grid Ref SD 360 955 (or postcode LA22 0QF for satnav users). Public toilets, shops, pubs and cafés can all be found at Hawkshead.

Walking Trails

As Esthwaite Water is privately owned, much of the lakeshore is restricted. It is possible to walk around the lake, but the entirety of the route is on the roads that run between Hawkshead and Near Sawrey. A short walk is available from Hawkshead down to the lake shore, starting at SD 354 975 and finishing at the shore at Nab, SD 358 973, where you may want to enjoy a picnic.

Alternatively, there is a delightful walk from Near Sawrey up to Moss Eccles Tarn, a man made tarn once owned by Beatrix Potter that features water lilies and fish originally placed there by Potter herself. From Near Sawrey, take Stones Lane (starting at SD 370 956) and follow it up to the tarn. The lane is not suitable for cars outside of the village of Near Sawrey.