Self Catering Holiday Cottages and Bed and Breakfast, Ulpha, between the Duddon Valley and the Eskdale Valley
Things to do
- Devoke Water
- Local Towns
- Boot Mill
- Eskdale Valley
- Duddon Valley
- Wild Swimming
- Fishing
- Golf
- Horse Riding
- Ratty Steam Railway
- Local Pubs
- Mountain Biking
- Muncaster Castle
- Sheepdog Experience
- Stanley Ghyll Waterfall
- Scafell Pike
- Walking
Where are we?
View Woodend's location on a larger map
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Devoke Water
Just a 10 minute walk from Woodend lies Devoke Water. It is a paradise for fishermen and close enough for a short walk or forms the start of a circular walk which runs back along the fell road towards the Woodend Gate returning back down the road to the cottages.
Devoke Water is the largest, and one of the highest, tarns in the Lake District, and lies on the Fell, half a mile to the west of the road between Ulpha and Eskdale. It is at an altitude of 770 feet (223m), has a depth of 46 feet, and is almost a mile in length.
Within twenty minutes walking you can be at the top of Devoke Seat where, on a clear day, you have a 360 degree panoramic view that includes Devoke Water, the Langdales, the coast and the Isle of Man.
On the higher ground of Water and Rough Crag to the north there are lovely views up Eskdale and the Scafell range.
Devoke Water itself houses brown trout and perch for the fisherman with fishing rights held by Millom Anglers and licences are available.
As well as offering excellent walking Devoke Water has a number of ancient bronze age settlements.
However for the walker it is the peaceful surroundings and great views which attract – something unusual on such a large expanse of water.
History
Over the years there have been many disputes regarding the right to fish in Devoke Water. In 1605 the Stanleys went to the extreme lengths of making the tenants at Woodend sign an agreement that prevented them from fishing the streams that ran into the tarn; regardless of the fact that these were actually on Ulpha Land.
During the mid eighteenth century the Stanley family employed a fisherman from Dalegarth, who would in turn charge locals 2 shillings for the right to fish in here. They were so concerned about fish stocks that the tarn was closely watched during the spawning season. It looks as though their biggest issue was with the residents from Ulpha. The bailiff, Henry Hartley was known to break the rods of any Ulpha residents he caught fishing the tarn; once again this was done regardless of the fact that they were fishing on Ulpha land at the south side of the tarn.
