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Lake
Windermere
England's largest lake by length, area and volume, with Bowness on its eastern shore.
A mini guide to
Windermere & Bowness: things to do
Places worth your time in Windermere & Bowness
Top places
Things to do in Windermere & Bowness
Landmarks, museums, parks and viewpoints in and around the area.
Boat trips
Windermere Lake Cruises
Passenger boats from Bowness piers, with landings at Brockhole, Wray Castle, Ambleside and Lakeside.
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Museum
Windermere Jetty Museum
Museum of boats, steam and stories on the Windermere shore, run by Lakeland Arts.
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Visitor attraction
World of Beatrix Potter Attraction
Indoor attraction in Bowness based on the tales of Beatrix Potter, with a themed café opposite.
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Historic house
Blackwell, the Arts and Crafts House
Arts and Crafts holiday house designed by Baillie Scott and built in 1898–1900 for Sir Edward Holt.
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Viewpoint
Orrest Head
Hill above Windermere village with views over the lake; the first fell Alfred Wainwright climbed in Lakeland.
Lakeside estate
Brockhole on Windermere
Lakeshore house and grounds between Bowness and Ambleside, with a lake cruise landing and family attractions.
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Church
St Martin's Church
Grade I listed parish church in the centre of Bowness-on-Windermere.
Railway station
Windermere railway station
Terminus of the Windermere branch line from Oxenholme, operated by Northern.
Cable ferry
Windermere Ferry
Cable ferry of about 490 metres between Ferry Nab and Far Sawrey, run by Westmorland and Furness Council.
Island
Belle Isle
Largest of the 18 islands on Windermere, one kilometre long and the only one ever inhabited.
Lakeshore walk
Cockshott Point
Headland south of Bowness Bay, reached by a 2 km stile-free route on the National Park Authority list.
Viewpoint
Claife Viewing Station
Viewing station on the western shore of Windermere, cared for by the National Trust.
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Garden
Holehird Gardens
Ten-acre garden near Windermere, home of the Lakeland Horticultural Society, with rock and heather gardens.
The Lake District
More areas to explore
15 sights · 16 places to eat
Ambleside & Grasmere
A walking town at the head of Windermere and Wordsworth's village, linked along the Rothay valley
Open the mini guide →
16 sights · 16 places to eat
Keswick & Derwentwater
A market town on the shore of Derwentwater, with a stone circle, a theatre and fells on every side
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15 sights · 12 places to eat
Ullswater & Pooley Bridge
A long lake with steamers, a waterfall and Helvellyn behind Glenridding
Open the mini guide →Photo credits
- Windermere & Bowness (area photo): Anthony Foster, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Windermere: Peter S, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Windermere Lake Cruises: Ian Mcallister = Imcall, Public domain, source
- Windermere Jetty Museum: Anthony Parkes, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- World of Beatrix Potter Attraction: Richard Cooke, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Blackwell, the Arts and Crafts House: Michael Garlick, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Orrest Head: Tim Heaton, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Brockhole on Windermere: J Scott, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- St Martin's Church: Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Windermere railway station: DS Pugh, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Windermere Ferry: RuthAS, CC BY 4.0, source
- Belle Isle: Ian Taylor, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Cockshott Point: Wayland Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Claife Viewing Station: Oscar Taylor, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Holehird Gardens: Michael Garlick, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Ambleside & Grasmere: Bill Boaden, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Keswick & Derwentwater: Antiquary, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ullswater & Pooley Bridge: Steve Daniels, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Coniston & Hawkshead: Martin Jeffries, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Wasdale & Eskdale: John260660, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
Keep exploring the Lake District