From the serene waters of Loch Lomond to the stunning expanse of Lake Windermere, discover the top destinations for scenic views, outdoor activities, and wildlife encounters.
The Top 10 biggest lakes in the UK
Lough Neagh
The UK’s largest lake by area, the immense Lough Neagh dominates the map of Northern Ireland, submerging nearly 150 square miles of it beneath its relatively shallow waters (averaging just 9m).
The vast numbers of eels that swim here from the Atlantic are joined by dollaghan, Lough Neagh’s unique variety of brown trout.
Lower Lough Erne
Tucked away in the very far west of Northern Ireland, the UK’s second largest lake (or lough in the Irish form) covers over 42 square miles.
Probably named after Érann – a goddess associated with travelling – there are no fewer than three mythological explanations of how the lough came into being.
It’s festooned with over 100 islands, the largest of which, Boa Island, is home to an ancient carved stone statue feted by Nobel Prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney in the poem January God.
The shallow upper lough is about a third of the lower lough’s size but is still the UK’s sixth largest lake, turning the county of Fermanagh into a magical water-world.
Loch Lomond
A favourite with day-trippers from Glasgow, Loch Lomond not only boasts the ‘bonnie bonnie banks’ of its famous song, but around 30 islands as well.
Inchmurrin is Britain’s largest freshwater isle; while Inchconnachan is home to an unlikely population of wallabies imported by the Countess of Arran in the 1940s.
Loch Ness
Although not quite the deepest lake in Scotland (see Loch Morar), Loch Ness is by far the UK’s largest lake by volume, containing almost twice the amount of water than in all the lakes in England and Wales combined.
But its fame lies, of course, in the mysterious creature that swims its murky depths. Allegedly.
Loch Awe
Scotland’s third largest freshwater loch is also the longest lake in the UK. It stretches for over 25 miles, bordering the mighty Inverinan Forest to the west.
Loch Awe’s islands are home to various ruined castles, the most photogenic of which is Kilchurn, once the centre of power for the Campbells of Glenorchy.
- Fancy trying some water sports on Loch Awe? Check out our guide to the best places for stand up paddleboarding
Loch Maree
Though one of Scotland’s lesser known lochs, Maree is certainly one of its most scenic.
Located between Poolewe and Kinlochewe, in the far north-west, the loch’s remoteness has been a boon for wildlife.
The Loch Maree Islands now form a National Nature Reserve rich with rare insects, birds and flora.
- Check out suggestions for a day out at Loch Maree from keen walker and Countryfile contributor, Fergal MacErlean.
Loch Morar
The UK’s deepest lake (310m; 1017ft), it’s hardly surprising that Morar lays claim to its own ‘Nessie’. Sightings of Morag, as the creature is known, go back to 1887.
Pleasingly, the loch is almost exactly the same depth as the height of the UK’s tallest building, London’s The Shard.
- Visiting north-west Scotland? Why not walk the length of the rugged Lake Morar.
Loch Tay
Scotland’s longest river, the Tay (120 miles), runs through its namesake loch on its way through the central highlands.
Evidence of human activity along the beguiling loch’s shores goes back 10,000 years. It’s also had at least 20 ancient crannogs (artificial islands), built upon it and today hosts the Scottish Crannog Centre.
- Fancy trekking along The Tay? Be inspired by Dixe Wills who has walked the length of the river.
Windermere
Though dwarfed by the UK’s lochs and loughs, Windermere is England’s largest freshwater body.
Eulogised by Romantic poets - and most recently by Taylor Swift in her song The Lakes - the sinuous 11-mile-long ‘ribbon lake’ is extremely popular with holidaymakers who take to it on a variety of hired craft.
Of its 18 islands, only Belle Isle, with its distinctive circular house, has ever been inhabited.
- Discover the magic of Windermere in our expert guide.
Llyn Tegid
Known to English speakers as Bala Lake, Wales’ largest llyn (lake) covers less than two square miles but makes up for this by being home to the gwyniad, a fish found nowhere else in the world.
The entire 3.7-mile length of Tegid’s south-eastern shore is flanked by the winsome narrow-gauge Bala Lake Railway.
- Planning a visit? Check out a beautiful walk around lake Tegid.
Find out more
Check out our guide to the UKs most beautiful lakes.
