Best time to go
Swimming is allowed, while canoes, kayaks, paddleboards and rowing boats require a permit; sailing and powered craft are not allowed under the small-lakes rules. Check the current permit arrangements before bringing equipment, and treat the water as cold, open water. Otters leave signs around favoured shores but are rarely seen; the woods hold red squirrels and deer, and the clear, low-nutrient water supports Arctic char and brown trout. Bring binoculars and a waterproof layer. For photographs, the woodland opening and boathouse give strong low-level compositions; higher paths around Rannerdale Knotts or Red Pike show the lake as a long ribbon between the fells.
