Rydal Water

Rydal Water is in The Lake District National Park in England.

Rydal Water is located near the hamlet of Rydal, between Grasmere and Ambleside in the Rothay Valley. The lake is both supplied and drained by the river Rothay, which flows from Grasmere upstream and towards Windermere downstream. The waters of the southern half of the lake are leased by the Lowther Estate to the National Trust, whilst those of the northern half belong to the estate of Rydal Hall. Navigation is prohibited, except for residents of Rydal Hall.

The rock near the west end of Rydal Water was smoothed by glacial action during an ice age.

A large rock outcrop overlooking Rydal Water has been bored in several places. Apparently this was to test for magnetic fluctuations in the rock, caused by shifts in Earths magnetic field polarity as the rock strata was formed over many thousands of years. This phenomena is often found on the sea bed where rock is formed from ‘gaps’ between the massive continental rock plates and stripes of magnetic polarity are found in the bedrock. This is a major point of evidence supporting the theory of Plate Techtonics.

The higher paths around Rydal Water are a great place from which to view The Lion and The Lamb. A large rock outcrop on top of The Helm which does look very much like a lion and a lamb sitting side-by-side. The same rock outcrop is said to look like a large artillary gun known as The Howitzer from the opposite side.

Little Isle is a small island in Rydal Water, it looks deserted from the shore but there seems to be the remains of a stone platform or landing place for small boats on the Eastern side.

The larger of the two islands at Rydal Water is Heron Island.

Today many Cormorants can be seen around the island and not so many Herons.

Created: 27  November  2016  Edited: 29  November  2023