Friday 15 June 2012

Haweswater

Haweswater is in the Lake District. It was once a much smaller lake than it is now, but in the 1920s it was decided that more water was needed for the city of Manchester, and Haweswater was chosen to supply it. In 1936 dam was completed at the northern end of the lake, which raised the level by 95 feet. The whole valley was flooded and the village of Mardale disappeared beneath the waters, after all buildings had been demolished and the bodies from the churchyard disinterred and removed to Shap.

This is Haweswater when full, looking west to Measand Point.

But often in prolonged dry weather, when there are water shortages, vast quantities are taken from the lake, and traces of the old settlements being to appear again as the water-level drops:-

The water's going .....

Going .....

Gone!
Now the outlines of Mardale village are clear. Note the bridge over the river and the roads leading to it. On one occasion like this, old friends of my parents who had known the valley before it was flooded were able to walk around and say, "This is where the Dun Cow pub used to be!" and so forth.

You don't often get pictures like this in England; least of all in the notoriously wet Lake District!

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