Haweswater used to be a smaller, prettier lake than it is today. Shortly before World War II, the Manchester Water Company raised the level of the water, submerging an attractive church and several farms. Today the lake is effectively a man-made reservoir. There is a road along one side of the lake and a footpath around the other side.
The lake is set amongst undulating hills and common ground. There are no amenities here for the tourist, but plenty of people visit the lake and its surrounds to try to spot the golden eagles who nest in this area.