The British Isles' Extreme Bodies of Water
The British Isles consist of six thousand, two hundred and eighty nine islands, one hundred and forty of which are inhabited, which have a combined coastline of twelve thousand, eight hundred and ten miles.
The islands consist of two sovereign states, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, and two self governing crown dependencies, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, which between them are home to around four thousand miles of rivers and canals.
Listed below are the extreme bodies of water found within the British Isles. The lists include the longest rivers, the largest freshwater lakes, the largest (man made) reservoirs, the largest (sea) bays, the longest (man made) canals and the highest (tallest drop) waterfalls.
BRITISH ISLES
Longest River - River Shannon, Republic of Ireland - 240 miles.
Largest Lake - Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland - Surface area of 147.87 square miles.
Largest Reservoir - Silent Valley Reservoir, Northern Ireland - (pictured above)
Surface area of 13.9 square miles.
Largest Bay - Moray Firth, Scotland - Surface area of 12,000 square miles.
Largest Natural Harbour - Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, Scotland - 120 square miles.
Longest Canal - Leeds / Liverpool Canal, England - 142.6 miles.
Highest Waterfall - Eas a Chual Alluinn, Scotland - 200 meter drop.
ENGLAND
Longest River - River Thames - 215 miles.
Largest Lake - Lake Windermere - Surface area of 5.69 square miles
Largest Reservoir - Kielder Water - Surface area of 10.86 square miles.
Largest Bay - The Wash - Surface area of 100 square miles.
Largest Natural Harbour - Poole Harbour, Dorset - 14 square miles.
Longest Canal - Leeds / Liverpool Canal - 142.6 miles.
Highest Waterfall - Cautley Spout - 175 meter drop.
GREAT BRITAIN
Longest River - River Severn, England / Wales – 220 miles.
Largest Lake - Loch Lomond, Scotland - Surface area of 27.45 square miles.
Largest Reservoir - Kielder Water, England - Surface area of 10.86 square miles.
Largest Bay - Moray Firth, Scotland - Surface area of 12,000 square miles.
Largest Natural Harbour - Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands - 120 square miles.
Longest Canal - Leeds / Liverpool Canal, England - 142.6 miles.
Highest Waterfall - Eas a Chuall Alluinn, Scotland - 200 meter drop.
ISLE OF MAN
Longest River - River Sulby - 11 miles.
Largest Lake - Mooragh Park Lake - Surface area of 40 square acres.
Largest Reservoir - Sulby Reservoir - Surface area of 128 square acres.
Largest Bay - Ramsey Bay - Surface area of 216 square miles.
Largest Natural Harbour - Douglas Harbour - 3 square miles.
Highest Waterfall - Ineen Vooar - 40 meter drop.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Longest River - River Bann - 42 miles.
Largest Lake - Lough Neagh - Surface area of 147.87 square miles.
Largest Reservoir - Silent Valley Reservoir - Surface area of 13.9 square miles.
Largest Bay - Lough Foyle - Surface area of 2,204 hectares.
Longest Canal - Ulster Canal - 46 miles.
Highest Waterfall - Ness Wood Falls - 9 meter drop.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
Longest River - River Shannon - 240 miles.
Largest Lake - Lake Corrib - Surface area of 110 square miles
Largest Reservoir - Poulaphouca Reservoir - Surface area of 7 square miles.
Largest Bay - Donegal Bay - Surface area of 616 square miles.
Largest Natural Harbour - Cork Harbour - 27 square miles.
Longest Canal - Grand Canal - 82 miles.
Highest Waterfall - Power's Court Waterfall - 121 meter drop.
SCOTLAND
Longest River - River Tay - 120 miles.
Largest Lake - Loch Lomond - Surface area of 27.45 square miles.
Largest Reservoir - Carron Valley Reservoir - Surface area of 1.51 square miles.
Largest Bay - Moray Firth - Surface area of 12,000 square miles.
Largest Natural Harbour - Scapa Flow - 120 square miles.
Longest Canal - Caledonian Canal - 62 miles.
Highest Waterfall - Eas a Chuall Alluinn - 200 meter drop.
WALES
Longest River - River Towy - 75 miles.
Largest Lake - Bala Lake - Surface area of 1.69 square miles.
Largest Reservoir - Lake Vyrnwy Reservoir - Surface area of 3.18 square miles.
Largest Bay - Cardigan Bay - Surface area of 1,600 square miles.
Largest Natural Harbour - Port of Milford Haven - 8 square miles.
Longest Canal - Llangollen Canal - 46.3 miles.
Highest Waterfall - Devil's Appendix - 93 meter drop.
SOME BRITISH WATERWAYS WEBSITES
Canals & Rivers Trust, U.K - canalrivertrust.org.uk
Waterways Trust, U.K - www.thewaterwaystrust.org.uk
Waterways Ireland - www.waterwaysireland.org
U.K River Sports - www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk
Angling U.K - www.anglingtrust.net
Angling Scotland - www.sana.org.uk
Angling, Republic of Ireland - www.ncffi.ie
Environment Agency - www.environment-agency.gov.uk
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