The biggest natural lakes in England and also the name given to the town that lies along its eastern shore, Windermere is a coveted vacation spot and is arguably among the most stunning locations to visit in the UK. Tourists started arriving in the late 19th century as it was the time that the Kendal and Windermere Railway opened.
A person forever fascinated by Windermere was children’s writer Beatrix Potter. She was a resident of the mansion on the shoreline on the west in 1906 and incorporated the mansion into her illustrations.
Take a pair of walking shoes to appreciate the beauty of to Lakeland fells that surround the lake shore.
Windermere the town is in a loose conurbation with Bowness-on-Windermere where you can catch a ferry to the lake’s west shore and embark on a steamboat trip.
Let’s look at the best activities to enjoy during your time in Windermere:
1. Windermere Lake
the largest lake of natural origin within England, Windermere was born around 13,000 years ago, when meltwater from glaciers was held by the moraine rocks that glaciers had laid down in the Ice Age.
The lake measures more than 10 miles long and one mile wide when it is widest with its surface covered by 18 island.
In Victorian time, entrepreneurs built extravagant homes in gardens along the east coast.
A lot of them are now luxurious hotels, and some gardens are accessible to the public. The size of Windermere draws large crowds of paddleboarders and yachters during the summer. The stunning nature of the falls (hills) on the shoreline, and the swirling clouds will keep you captivated during walks.
2. Lake Cruise
A lot of the activities listed that are listed will require a pair of walking shoes or getting soaked in the water, but you can spend a wonderful few hours at Windermere and not have to work any muscle.
This business Windermere Lake Cruises has a an active schedule of excursions on steamers of the past or modern cruise ships for sightseeing. If you’re just looking for an overview of the Lake The 45-minute cruises depart from the dock at Bowness every half-hour during the summer.
But if you’re not getting enough views of the mountains and islands with wooded forests There are also longer trips between Bowness to Lakeside in the southern shoreline (90 to 90 minutes).
3. Orrest Head
One of the best benefits about the location of Windermere can be that the smallest circular walks can lead you to breathtaking views without much effort.
This is the case in Orrest Head, which requires only a brief burst of energy during a 20-minute hike up to the top of the hill, that offers amazing views. The table of orientation is up on this page, which lists all the ranges and summits that you can view, including The Old Man of Coniston, Fairfield, Great Gable, Scafell Pike and the Langdale Pikes.
After leaving the summit, the hike continues through the idyllic St Catherine’s Wood and High Hay Wood returning to Windermere.
4. World of Beatrix Potter
The beloved children’s illustrator and author also had close connection to the Lake District, holidaying at Holehird close to Windermere and purchasing an apartment in Hill Top on the lake’s west shore.
The theme park within Bowness is infused with the inspiration of her novels and features all her most beloved characters including Jemima Puddle-Duck as well as Peter Rabbit. The film begins with an introduction to Potter’s work and her life as well as the seven sections that follow, you’ll find 3D depictions of her characters using ambient sounds lights, scents, and sound.
You could also take an interactive tour of areas of the Lake District that inspired her by comparing real-life locations to the places she depicted in her artwork.
5. Blackwell
The Manchester brewing magnate Sir Edward Holt ordered this house as a holiday retreat at a lookout on the edge of Bowness-on-Windermere at the turn of the 20th century. The designer is Baillie Scott, a famous figure from the Arts and Crafts movement, and the house has travelled over the past 120 years with the furnishings and fittings still in place.
The attention to detail in Scott’s work never ceases to amaze and shines through the unique window catch doors, leaf-shaped handles for doors stained glass, and an abundance of decorations made by the most renowned Art and Crafts studios of the time. The fireplaces are very imaginative such as those in the foyer of the room, which is surrounded by benches.
The garden was created with the help of Arts and Crafts landscaper Thomas Mawson and is situated on a stunning series of terraces that face Coniston Fells. Coniston Fells.
6. Holehird Gardens
A mile to the north to Windermere the town of Holehird Gardens is a demonstration garden as well as the home of Lakeland’s Horticultural Society.
The garden contains plants that thrive with the lake district’s stony soils as well as the humid climate. It includes Alpine houses with heather and rock gardens, and a beautiful walled garden that is noted for its flowering borders.
Thomas Mawson was also involved with this project towards the end during the latter part of 19th century. He was also involved in expanding his involvement in the Walled Garden, which had first been constructed in 1870. There are national collections of plystichum and plystichum-like fern the hydrangeas and astilbes, and a variety of azaleas, rhododendrons and The views that you can enjoy from Holehird Gardens is touted as one of the best in Lakeland. In the 1890s, Beatrix Potter was one of the frequent visitor in the 1890s at Holehird House, now used by a charity for healthcare.
7. St Martin’s Church
In a sightseeing tour around Bowness you can visit this historical church. St Martin’s dates for the most of the period up to the close in the fifteenth century. It was rebuilt in the 1870s.
The walls are made of slate rubble with sandstone door and window dressings. the interior is distinguished by the usage of plaster. In the course of restoration, painted inscriptions which had been hidden for centuries were discovered.
On the spandrels in the arches of the nave, are the texts of the catechetical work published at the close of the 16th century. In the back of the lectern, there is a lectern where you can also listen to a poem that was written to express gratitude for the defeat to stop the Gunpowder Plot, written in 1629.
8. Brant Fell Above the Bustle
Cresting behind Bowness-on-Windermere, Brant Fell is 192 metres high and has a wonderful prospect of the lake.
The name suggests that, the 3.5-mile circular walk will take to a halt from bustling lakefront during summer. The climb is difficult in some places, traversing open fields and woodlands to an unfinished summit. The climb ends at a viewpoint in Post Knott along the way.
The upper part of Brant Fell is adorned with rock outcrops that can be as high as three metres It’s a must to stop for pictures of the stunning scenery before heading back to Bowness.
9. Boating and Watersports
When it’s warm outside, you can’t find a better spot to enjoy water sports than Windermere.
With breathtaking Lakeland Fells for scenery, you can rent a range of vessels (a 10 mile an hour speed limit is in place) and learn how to sail. Hire equipment for kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and canoeing. Also, you can you can try wakeboarding and waterskiing. It is located at the Low Wood Bay Resort and Spa, located 10 minutes away to Windermere village, is home to its own watersports center that offers the following adventures.
There’s also an extensive list of businesses that operate throughout the Lake District, ready to take you to your lodging.
10. Hill Top
At Bowness-on-Windermere you can catch a ferry across the lake to Far Sawrey on the west shore.
From there, you can walk, bike ride , or travel to get to this National Trust Property and former residence for Beatrix Potter. Hill Top dates to the 1600s, and was purchased to be a writing spot in the year 1906. The house has been maintained in the same way as Potter would have imagined it to be and even reproduced the wallpaper she created at the time she moved in.
If you are familiar with Potter’s drawings well, you’ll be able to recognize furniture in the entry hall, such as the 18th century longcase clock, the 17th century oak press cabinet as well as an 18th-century dresser, and Chippendale-style chairs. All of these items are appeared in her drawings.
More than 1,400 items were donated for the National Trust by Potter at Hill Top, and you could follow this up with a visit to the Beatrix Potter gallery just a just a few millimeters away, in Hawkshead.
