This is a natural seven acre tarn just a few miles south of Keswick. Your route to the fishery takes you over Ashness Bridge - the view from here adorns a million fridge magnets and suggests that during the peak holiday season solitude is unlikely. Nevertheless anglers can nearly always find a quiet corner of the water. Outside these times Watendlath offers excellent fishing in nothing less than perfect surroundings.
This is the only stocked trout water of any size in the northern half of the national park and holds rainbows together with, generally smallish, wild browns. The rainbows are grown locally at Seathwaite and new ones make the short journey each week. Most of the bank is accessible if boggy in a few places. Boats are also available and well worth the extra fee.
The fishing follows the usual pattern for upland waters with a slow early season start followed by great sport in late April through to June as the seasonal hatches and falls of terrestrial take their turn. Surface sport to Black Gnat, Hawthorns and beetles can be particularly good on the right day. Fishing slows a little in July and August with the best of any sport early and late but by September fish are back on the move. Autumn can give some of the best fishing of the year.
Watendlath is open all year.