Once a quaint village in the stunning Lake District of England, Bassenthwaite is home to a rich folklore, the most intriguing of which is the tale of the Cumbrian Mermaid. Bassenthwaite Lake, the only body of water in the Lake District to be called a ‘lake’ and not a ‘mere’ or ‘water’, is said to house the enchanting mermaid-like creature known as ‘Murgatroyd’. The tale dates back to the mid-1600s and continues to be part of the local lore. An eerie fog often sweeps over the silent lake, and it is during these times that the mesmerizing mermaid is said to make her appearance. Murgatroyd was said to be the daughter of a local fisherman, cursed to live in the lake after rejecting a witch’s boy. The witch, heartbroken and enraged, transformed the lovely maiden into a mermaid, doomed to live in the lake for eternity. Residents and visitors have reported seeing a female figure with mesmerizing beauty drifting elegantly across the still lake waters under the shroud of the mysterious fog. In the silence of the foggy nights, the villagers spoke of hearing faint melodies, believed to be Murgatroyd’s chants, carried over the lake. At times, some spoke of witnessing small fish and other lake creatures dancing to her chants. The enduring tale of Murgatroyd the Cumbrian Mermaid remains an intriguing part of Bassenthwaite’s local folklore and continues to feed the imaginative minds with curiosity and awe, binding them with a sense of shared history and culture.