Wast Water is an inland freshwater lake, 61 metres above Sea Level and with a maximum depth of 79m. It is the deepest lake in England. The lake can be accessed via the coastal road or via Birker Fell (270m). The lake is very deep and cold, always around 7 degrees C at depth. Whilst there is often good visibility it does get dark quickly. Access involves carrying kit across slippy uneven ground. Was Water itself is c60m above sea level however care should be taken to include a decent surface interval if returning home over Birker Fell (270m). There ae no facilities locally however there are a couple of decent pubs nearby in Wasdale Head, Nether Wasdale and Stanton Bridge.
Wast Water is three miles long and half a mile wide. There are plenty of places for entry. It is a good place for training with lots of different depths and generally good visibility. Diving is suitable for all if depth and location chosen careful
Parking : There’s a small 4 car carpark circled from which you can see a three sided wind shelter up on a little hill looking north well before the road junction heading north
Entry Point: is down a steep embankment which take you down to two beaches, one either side of where the number 1 is on the image above. Entering from the right hand beach looking out across the lake, you will see that a path has been cleared of rocks. Enter here and head to your right to pick up a blue line secured at 3 metres. There are dozens of diver
deposited items around the rocks from 6 metres down to 15 metres. Follow the guide line to the rock at 8 metres where you’ll find a FLOOD sign. From there three routes exist indicated by 3 lines.
Look for and select the thin line. Heading right the thin line steadily goes down to 20 metres, the swim takes around 8 mins and the line gradually gets thicker and is secured with a number of large rocks. The line is then pegged down and takes a 90 degree turn at 24 metres and goes down to 33 metres where you’ll find Split Rock. From there you have the option to continue over the split rock and down to a swim through between two granite boulders the size of semi-detached houses. This continues down to 50 metres. Return the same way, retracing your fin strokes and shallow up and you’ll find another large rock at 22 metres with a wagon wheel on top of it and champagne bottles on a rock shelf. From there shallow up to the drop off between 16 metres and 6 metres which is a rocky slope and at 8 metres you’ll be back at the FLOOD sign rock. Exit carefully.
Parking: Plenty of parking (10+) available in the big car park circled map about 50 metres after the junction on the left.
Entry point : is from Egremont beach marked number 2 on the, Fin in to 7.4m following the line of rocks in to the yellow & black cylinder, then turn left and swim to the trampoline at 8m. From there at a compass heading of 180°, it is a 12-14 minute swim gradually getting deeper from 10m down to 30m, if you reach a white line in the silt (BT Line) it will take you at 27m to the top of the cliffs. At 27-29m is the end of the guide ropes and the top of a stone area. There is a small valley that extends down to the right hand side of the rock face down to 48-55m. There is/was a gnome garden at 30m. At 46m there is a lighthouse, when you reach this point look up at the rock for fantastic views, once at 30m you can follow the BT line to Tiffin’s Pinnacle at 21m, or follow the Motorway guideline back in to shallow up. The line is 150m long and has markers at 6m, 10m, 20m and 30m. There is also a shot line used for CBL at 20m weighted with a 25k concrete block. If you follow the line back in turn left at the 10m marker, then swim for 6-8 minutes to reach the trampoline again at 8 metres. Again exit carefully due to uneven surfaces.
Parking: about another 200 metres beyond the first car park, going slightly uphill, around a bend to the right, then downhill. When the road levels out, the second car parking area is on the right hand side. It’s no more than a very small area of gravel and a flat grassy area, with a bit of a drop down off the road. There’s room for about 3 or 4 cars only
Entry point: from pinnacle rock marked with the number 3 and there is parking for about 6 vehicles here but they need decent ground clearance! Entry is via a path has been cleared of big rocks in the shallows. Kit up here and once underwater
head slightly left and over the drop off to 6 metres where you’ll find the start of the line to the pinnacles. Alternatively you can enter via Egremont beach marked with the number 2 near the big car park. Once in the water head straight out to 6 metres where you’ll find a steep little drop off. Follow this contour left (roughly north) until you find the start of the line to the pinnacles. (Possible blue line direct?)
Once you’ve located the start of the line, currently marked by a public footpath sign and some air filled tubs on a shot which stops well short of the surface, follow the line for approximately 10 mins, depending on your finning speed, where you’ll find the Pinnacles which start at 12m and goes to down to 48m where you’ll find a washing machine! There’s a gnome garden at 48m and on the way down to this you’ll pass a traffic cone at 20 metres which makes a nice way point if you decide to go left along the rock 
face. It is possible to get to 60m by following the base of the wall to the left but you can pick your depth and just follow the wall along and then retrace your fin strokes to the cone and then up on to the top of the Pinnacles where you’ll find a number of memorial plaques. You can then pick up the line back to the starting point. Exit carefully due to the uneven ground conditions.
Parking: Parking for four cars off road a big curb to watch out for
Entry point: Shingle beach after a short walk over often marshy grassland and a steep step or two down to the beach itself.
Diving: from beach down gradual but steepening shingle slope to desired depth up to 40m+. Head north to find extensive wall and gulley.
Parking: Parking for 10 plus cars just over Overbeck Bridge
Entry point: Short walk across road and down to a shingle beach opposite.
Diving: from beach down gradual but steepening shingle slope to desired depth up to 40m+.
Parking: Parking roadside for 3 or 4 cars – easy to miss
Entry point: Short walk down grassy slope to shingle beach
Diving: Easy entry from shingle beach down a steep slope down to 40m+
Dive Site 7: Wasdale Hall / Youth Hostel
Parking: At the Youth Hostel with permission
Entry point: short walk across grass to shingle beach
Dive: detail rqd ?
