Bassenthwaite Lake

Bassenthwaite Lake
View from Blackstock Point
Bassenthwaite Lake Location in the Lake District National Park Show map of the Lake District Bassenthwaite Lake Location in Allerdale, Cumbria Show map of the former Allerdale Borough
Map (1925)
Location	Lake District
Coordinates	54°39′N 3°13′W / 54.650°N 3.217°W / 54.650; -3.217
Primary inflows	River Derwent Newlands Beck
Primary outflows	River Derwent
Catchment area	96.5 sq mi (250 km2)[1]
Basin countries	United Kingdom
Max. length	4 mi (6.4 km)
Max. width	0.8 mi (1.3 km)
Surface area	1.98 sq mi (5.1 km2)
Max. depth	70 ft (21 m)
Shore length1	11.3 mi (18.2 km)
Surface elevation	223 ft (68 m)
Islands	0
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Bassenthwaite Lake is a body of water in the Lake District in North West England, near the town of Keswick. It has an area of 5.3 km² (2.0 sq mi), making the fourth largest of the lakes in the region. The lake has a length of approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) long and maximum width of 0.75 miles (1 km), a maximum depth of 19 m (62 ft), and a surface elevation of 68 m (223 ft) above sea level. Its primary inflow and outflow is the River Derwent, which drains into the Irish Sea at Workington. The lake is in the unitary authority of Cumberland, and the ceremonial county of Cumbria.

Bassenthwaite Lake is the only body of water in the Lake District to use the word 'lake' in its name, all the others using the local terms 'water' (e.g. Derwentwater), 'mere' (e.g. Windermere) or 'tarn' (e.g. Dock Tarn). Some maps dating from the 18th century do in fact mark this lake with the name Bassenwater,^{[citation needed]} and the use of the name Broadwater for this lake is also attested.^{[citation needed]}

The A66 dual carriageway runs roughly north–south along the western side of the lake. The lay-bys are popular spots for photographers and bird watchers looking for osprey. The section running south towards Keswick was built along the course of the former Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith railway line.