Haweswater

Immortalised on celluloid; Haweswater, being the more beautiful neighbour, was used as a replacement for Wet Sleddale Reservoir, in the film WithNail and I.
With High Rise to the west and High Street to the southwest and forests on the eastern shore; you can see why the filmmakers favoured Haweswater.

Originally a natural lake, the damming of which created a reservoir four miles long and submerged the village of Mardale.

They moved the bodies from the village church yard before they flooded the valley but this doesn’t make it any less spooky, half submerged farm out buildings and the giant roots from ancient woodlands litter the shore line, the ghostly reminder of a drowned village.

Don’t let the ghost stories put you off, this is a beautiful amphitheater in which to spend a day fishing.

The fishing is good with lots of hard fighting fish that average 6 to 8oz. They like anything traditional and black in a wave. If the sun is shining and there’s a light breeze try dries.

Anglers favour the northwest shore which is accessed via a path from the small hamlet of Burnbanks. There’s a small car park in Burnbanks. Park and follow the road upto the path down the Northwest shore.

Alternatively, you can park at Mardale Head and fish the bay under the car park and the one on the other side of The Rig. I’ve found the bay under the carpark where Mardale Beck enters the reservoir to be very productive. Both these bays are shallow, shelving and full of minnows.