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Bowness on Windermere – The Five Minute Spare Guide

Bowness on Windermere – The Five Minute Spare Guide
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Bowness-on-Windermere is possibly the best located of the Lake District towns, being strategically sited halfway along Lake Windermere. It is the ideal base to explore the lake its self, or as a staycation base as you venture further afield in the Lake District. It also boasts a bit of literary culture, with links to poets William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge, and of course, was home to the beloved children’s author Beatrix Potter.

Whether you want to relive your memories of Peter Rabbit, try your hand at Kayaking or just relax and enjoy the scenery Bowness-on-Windermere has something to offer. So now your interest is piqued, read on and see what else it has to offer.

Where Is Bowness-on-Windermere

Bowness-on-Windermere

Image: Garry Basnett/Shutterstock.com

Bowness on Windermere is situated on the lake’s east bank, almost exactly halfway along its 10.5-mile length. Given its location, it is renowned for its scenic landscape and the great range of outdoor water sports that can be undertaken on the Lake. Population wise the 2011 UK Census listed this as being 2,522, while that of the wider civil parish, which includes the town of Windermere, was 8,359. Naturally, this swells exponentially during the tourist season.

Ok, now that’s out of the way! How about a little history lesson – it will help with our quiz at the end!



A Fleeting History 

Bowness-on-Windermere was initially established as two discrete settlements.  Bowness was a long-established village, clustering around a late-medieval parish church. The name ‘Bowness’ was originally called ‘Bulnes’ and translates from Old English as ‘the headland where the bull grazes’. On the contrary, Windermere, a much newer settlement, grew up around the newly built railway station of 1847. The word ‘Windermere’ is thought to have been derived from either ‘‘Winand’s’’ or ‘‘Vinand’s’’ lake, being old Swedish and Germanic names, respectfully.  The ‘mere’ is from Old English, meaning ‘lake’ or ‘pool’. There are written references to “Wynandermer” dating from as early as 1396.

It’s known there was a rectory in Bowness, dating from around 1415, on the site of St Martin’s parish church, which itself was built in 1483. It’s around this time that public ferry crossings of the lake began. In the 17th century, an informal Sunday market grew up around the church. In 1692, the Reverend Thomas Machell, a locally renowned antiquarian, described Bowness as ‘a small country village, with a schoolhouse and with nine or ten other houses about it, where there is a sort of market or meeting place lately begun’.

The Rise of The Lake District

With the area being popularized by the likes of popular poets, William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge, the end of the 18th century heralded the beginning of tourism in the Lake District, including Bowness. The main sources of income in the ‘Lakes’ at this time, were still derived from cattle and sheep farming, stone quarrying, woodland industries, and fishing. However, the arrival of the railway in the mid-19th century to Bowness was to bring about significant change.

In 1847, a terminus station was built about 1.5 miles from the lake at the village of Birthwaite and the end of the branch line from Oxenholme. Though, the railway company decided that the station should be named Windermere. In 1849, the building of the Windermere Hotel helped to cement the town’s tourist reputation. Additionally, it also quickly became a draw for day-trippers, especially those from the industrial towns of Lancashire.

By 1885, it had two hotels and 45 lodging/boarding houses, which provided much employment for the town. It also became the center of the local boat-building industry, producing sailing yachts, rowing boats, and steam launches, for use on the lake. Bowness grew rapidly both as a town and a resort, such that by the end of the 19th century, it had become the most popular destination in the Lake District. In the fifty years between 1841 and 1891 censuses, Windermere’s population had grown from 436 to 1,926, and that of Bowness and surrounding area (Undermillock), from 1,033 to 2,361.

Industry Arrives

There was also industrial growth during the mid-19th century with bobbin mills being opened at  Troutbeck Bridge and Thickholme. In 1893, a hydroelectric power generation plant came into operation at the Troutbeck Bridge bobbin mill.  Windermere and Bowness were only the second boroughs in England to have electric street lighting. The slate quarrying operations at Applethwaite Common also expanded in the late 19th century.

In 1941, during the Second World War, an aircraft factory building Sunderland flying boat was set up on the shores of Windermere at White Cross Bay. The site was chosen because the aircraft needed a large expanse of water from which to take off and because of its relative isolation. At its production peak in 1942, the factory had a workforce of 1,571. At the end of the war, factory buildings were used as storage units.

The Troutbeck hydroelectric power generation plant ceased operation in 1948. The site of the White Cross aircraft factory closed in 1951.



The Modern Era

The inhabitants of Bowness and Windermere continued to grow across the 20th century and by 2011 their combined population stood at 8,359. Today the local economy of the Bowness on Windermere area is reliant on tourism more than ever. In July 2017, the Lake District National Park was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site, helping to raise the status of the ‘Lakes’ to that of a world-class tourist destination.  Bowness is now more popular than ever with visitors and busy all year round. However, apart from employment in tourism, its supporting services, or the farming sector, there are very few work opportunities in the town.

The resultant low wage economy from such a heavy tourism dependency means that young adults are often forced to leave the area to seek better work opportunities elsewhere. To compound the problem, the area obviously attracts a high number of retirees, which has resulted in the age profile of Bowness residents, and its house prices, being well above the national average.

Ok, the History lesson is over for today so now on to…

Getting To Bowness-on-Windermere

By Road

The M6 motorway runs north to south just to the east of the Lake District, so here are several ways to get to Windermere from the M6.  If you’re travelling by car from either the north or the south, the slightly shorter route is turn off at Junction 37 (Killington Lake), proceed along the A684 to Kendal, and then take the A590 to Windermere. The more scenic route from the north is to turn off at Junction 39 (Shap) and proceed along the A6 to Kendal, then take the A590. Similarly, from the south for a more picturesque journey, turn off at Junction 36 onto the A590, and then follow the A591 to Windermere, bypassing Kendal. You should note that car parking in Windermere can be difficult to find, especially during the summer months.

By Train

For train travellers, there is a branch line that runs between Windermere and Oxenholme, with local trains stopping at the towns of Staveley and Kendal. The West Coast mainline runs to the east of the Lake District, connecting Oxenholme to Carlisle, Glasgow, and Edinburgh to the North, and Preston, Manchester, and London to the South. There is also a direct train which runs from Manchester to Windermere.  Note that you can take a bike on any rail services to the Lake District, but conditions apply.

By Bus

Windermere is well connected to other Lakeland towns and villages by local bus services. These services are operated by national carrier Stagecoach, which provided additional buses during the summer months. If you arrive by train at Windermere Station, buses stop at the station forecourt for Bowness, Ambleside, Grasmere, and beyond. Similarly, if you arrive at Bowness Pier, the local council provides frequent buses around town.

By Air

The nearest airports are Manchester to the south and Glasgow to the north. In early 2019, Carlisle (Lake District) Airport is due to open, offering flights from Dublin, Belfast and London (Southend).



Bowness-on-Windermere Tourist Attractions

The upside of tourism is that there are plenty of quality independent shops, pubs, cafes, and restaurants to choose from in Bowness on Windermere. The use of Lake Windermere itself is one of the draws for many visitors to the area. There are many different users of the lake, from windsurfers, boaters, and canoeists to less strenuous activities for those who may prefer to take a cruise or just walk along the shoreline. There is also a strong tradition of swimming in Lake Windermere, with longstanding events such as the annual long-distance swim and the cross-lake swim, becoming increasingly popular. However, there are also a great number of other attractions in the immediate area, from historic buildings and museums to adventure parks and other venues that offer a multitude of sporting activities.

There are plenty of places to see in and around Bowness, some of them in the immediate area are:

Hill Top

Hill Top was the home of Beatrix Potter. When she died in 1943, she left Hill Top to the National Trust with the proviso that it be kept exactly as she left it, complete with her furniture and china.

Orrest Head

A short walk from Windermere takes you to Orrest Head, an outstanding viewpoint. In 1930, it was the first ‘summit’ in Lakeland visited by Alfred Wainwright, author of the famous guidebooks.

Wray Castle

Wray Castle is a Victorian neo-gothic building at Claife, close to the west shoreline of the Lake about 10 miles from Bowness. The house and grounds have belonged to the National Trust since 1929, but the house has only recently opened to the public. The grounds are open all year round and are renowned for the large selection of exotic trees.

Windermere Lake Cruises

No visit to the Lake District is complete without a cruise and there is a wide range of cruise trips available at the Lake, varying from 45 minutes up to 48 hours. Most cruises make stops at Wray Castle and other local places of interest. Obviously, there are great panoramic scenery and plenty of ‘Famous Five’ style islands to view in the lake. The springtime walker’s ticket combines 2 boat cruises with a 4-mile walk along the relatively quiet western shore of the lake.

The World of Beatrix Potter

World of Beatrix Potter Lake District Attraction

Image: EQRoy/Shutterstock.com


The World of Beatrix Potter is one of the Lake District’s most loved family attractions. It brings to life all 23 of her stories, recreating the local countryside. The exhibition also features some of Potter’s most beloved characters, including Peter Rabbit and Mrs. Tiggy-winkle.

Watersports

If you fancy a go at watersports you couldn’t choose a better location than Lake Windermere. So if you are up for it go hire a canoe or kayak and start paddling. These vessels are simple to get the hang of and don’t require previous experience.  For the more audacious, you could try stand-up paddleboarding. Most people find it a little more difficult than canoeing or kayaking, but well worth the effort if you can master it. You’ll also be able to find qualified instructors based nearby, ready to pass on their specialist watersport knowledge.

Treetop Trekking

At Windermere’s Treetop Trek you get the opportunity to climb 40ft into the canopy of ancient oak woodland.  The trek is open to both adults and children, as there are walkways, tunnels, slides, and giant trampolines. There are great views of the Lake, and to finish up, there’s a 250m zip wire descent.

Where to stay?

There is a good range of places to stay in and around Bowness-on-Windermere from luxury self-catering cottages to quality hotels and bed and breakfasts. A rough estimate of accommodation costs in and around the town would be:

Guesthouse/B & B: £60 – £ 80

Hotel: £80 – £130

Holiday home: £70 – £90 pp per night for max occupancy



                    Why Not Take The Bowness-on-Windermere Quiz?


                         Photo credit: Darrell Evans/Shutterstock.com
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