Loughrigg Tarn

Coordinates: 54°25′50″N 3°0′42″W / 54.43056°N 3.01167°W / 54.43056; -3.01167
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Loughrigg Tarn
View from Loughrigg Fell
Loughrigg Tarn is located in the Lake District
Loughrigg Tarn
Loughrigg Tarn
Loughrigg Tarn is located in the former South Lakeland district
Loughrigg Tarn
Loughrigg Tarn
Location in South Lakeland, Cumbria
LocationLake District
Coordinates54°25′50″N 3°0′42″W / 54.43056°N 3.01167°W / 54.43056; -3.01167
Basin countriesUnited Kingdom
Max. length0.3 km (0.19 mi)
Max. width0.4 km (0.25 mi)
Average depth6.9 m (23 ft)
Max. depth10.3 m (34 ft)

Loughrigg Tarn (/ˌlʌfrɪɡ ˈtɑːrn/) is a small, natural lake in the Lake District, Cumbria, England. It is situated north of Windermere, just north of the village of Skelwith Bridge, and at the foot of Loughrigg Fell. "Loughrigg Tarn" is a bit of a tautology, since "loughrigg" means "ridge of the lough (lake)" and "tarn" is also the name of a body of water.

Loughrigg Tarn was a favoured place of William Wordsworth, who, in his Epistle to Sir George Howland Beaumont Bart, likened it to “Diana’s Looking-glass... round, clear and bright as heaven," in reference to Lake Nemi, the mirror of Diana in Rome.[1]

Alfred Wainwright notes that Loughrigg Tarn is "one of the most secluded of tarns", rarely being visible from the fells.[2] He also identifies that Loughrigg Fell is the only Lake District fell to share its name with a tarn, although he might have overlooked Scoat Fell (Scoat Tarn) and Bowscale Fell (Bowscale Tarn).[3]

A spring reflection in Loughrigg Tarn sitting at the foot of Loughrigg Fell
The Langdale Pikes seen in the distance across Loughrigg Tarn

References[edit]

  1. ^ John Nuttall; Anne Nuttall (1996). The Tarns of Lakeland. Vol. 2. Cicerone. p. 117. ISBN 9781852842109.
  2. ^ Alfred Wainwright. A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells. Vol. Book Three: The Central Fells. Loughrigg Fell, p10.
  3. ^ Alfred Wainwright. A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells. Vol. Book Three: The Central Fells. Loughrigg Fell, p2.