Many of the great lakes of the world are so extensive as to be more like inland seas. The oil-rich Caspian is actually called a sea, which is scarcely surprising as it's almost five times the size of the world's second largest, Lake Superior in North America. The North American "Great Lakes" are vast. Lake Superior is approximately two thirds the size of the whole of England which, whatever might have been its historical influence in the world, is geographically a country on a small scale and has its lakes in proportion.

Even England's largest lakes can be walked, cycled or driven around in Iess than thirty miles. Of the three largest by surface area two (Rutland Water and Kielder Water) are reservoirs created in the second half of the twentieth century. It should not be assumed, however, that these are the artificial blots on the landscape that were predicted fifty years ago by opponents of their construction. Due to careful design and development both of them now are not only major locations for water sports but have nature reserves of international significance.

Most of England's natural lakes are to be found in one relatively small area, the county of Cumbria in the northwest of the country. Over the past two centuries the "Lake District" has become famous worldwide not for its scale but for its beauty. This fame was boosted considerably by the presence and literary output of the Lake Poets of the early nineteenth century, William Wordsworth being the chief among them. Visitors from all over the world now flock to view the houses in which he lived (three of which are open to the public), the scenery which inspired him and the churchyard in which he is buried.

The Lake District, although small, contains great variety. Some of its lakes are fringed by meadow land and greenery; others have long lengths of stony mountainside falling steeply into the water with scarcely any shore on which to walk. Some are rounded in shape; others are deep and narrow ribbon valleys gouged out by glaciers in past millennia. They've been havens of leisurely quiet, and they've seen the breaking of world water speed records as well as disastrous failure.

Among the mountains, rivers, lakes and small villages the upland farms with their Herdwick sheep are still run by the descendants of the Norsemen who settled here more than a thousand years ago. The mining of the mountains for lead and copper has gone now, although some slate quarrying remains, but the sheep still roam the hillsides. It's a tough country populated by tough people.

Most of the Lake District is now protected by its National Park status, and many individual buildings and stretches of land and water are owned by the National Trust (a non-governmental body devoted to conservation of the nation's heritage, both built and natural). Through the efforts of these and other bodies and individuals this beautiful area is not only available to be enjoyed today but should continue to be so for future generations.

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David Murray was born just a few miles outside the boundary of the Lake District National Park. His professional life has taken him to every continent apart from Antarctica but he has found nothing to compare with this most beautiful corner of England. Among his other online interests David is web master of "England's Lakes".