Cumbria is dominated by the Cumbrian Mountains – known as the Lake District and very popular with tourists from all over the world for the picturesque villages, walking and lakes.

Thirlmere as we see it today is not a natural lake; it is a 3½ mile long, 158 feet deep and one mile wide reservoir. It and its dam were created in 1894 from two smaller existing lakes to serve as a water supply for the city of Manchester. Thirlmere means ‘the lake with a gap’ and probably refers to the time when the two lakes existed with a narrow land gap between. At the time a wooden bridge spanned the lakes at the spot.