Crummock Water

Crummock Water lies in the Lake District, a long narrow lake five kilometres from end to end. It fills a deep trough between steep fells, with Mellbreak rising on the western shore. The waterfall Scale Force drops fifty-two metres into its northern end, the highest in the district. The lake drains south through the River Cocker, which joins the Derwent before reaching the Irish Sea. Its name comes from an old word meaning ‘crooked’, perhaps describing the winding river or the lake’s own bends. The lake is owned by the National Trust and forms part of Buttermere parish. It once supplied drinking water to towns across west Cumbria, drawn from a treatment works near Loweswater until 2022. In 1988 the lake became the site of a widely reported tragedy when a woman’s body was found in its waters. Alfred Wainwright praised the pairing of Mellbreak and Crummock Water as the closest hill-and-lake partnership in Lakeland. Visitors walk the lakeside path or climb Mellbreak for wide views across the water. Scale Force can be reached by a short woodland track, where the water plunges in a single leap. The road on the eastern shore twists along the crooked shoreline, offering glimpses of the fells beyond. On calm days the lake reflects the surrounding slopes, while breezes bring the scent of heather from the hills. The water remains clear and cold, fed by springs high in the fells.