Windermere and Bowness Tourist Information
Windermere and Bowness on Windermere are technically two towns, with Bowness on the lakeside and Windermere only 1/2 a mile inland providing the railway link. It is almost impossible to separate the two, and so for the purposes of this page we will regard them as one resort.
It may be of interest to note that Wordsworth did his utmost to prevent the 1847 construction of the railway line from Kendal to Windermere. He stated that it would encourage too many tourists and part of a sonnet written by him urged the "protest against the wrong".
Reaching the towns by road is simple enough. For those travelling by the M6, exit at J36, and follow the A590 & A591.The approach to Bowness via Windermere can be slow. The roads are not designed to cope with the high volume of traffic experienced at weekends and Bank Holidays. However, be patient and you will arrive at Bowness Pier with options of long-term parking at Braithwaite Fold by following the promenade to Glebe Road, or continue to the end, turn right and first right again to reach Ferry Nab car park.
Bowness has developed from a haven for wealthy Lancashire businessmen to the now thriving and at times very crowded holiday destination. Ferries ply regularly between here, Waterhead, Lakeside and Brockhole. There are facilities for motor-boat hire, sailing, canoeing and fishing as well as the lakeside amusement arcade, ice-cream stalls, pubs, cafes and restuarants. There is a large grassed area on which to walk or lay and take in the fine down-lake views of heavily wooded slopes and the imposing Langdale Pikes.
Children will enjoy the "World of Beatrix Potter" exhibition, whilst Dad will be happy to browse in the Steamboat Museum. Family fun is to be had on the lovely setting of the well laid-out putting green. There is a cinema on the road to Windermere; an area surrounded by shops, cafes and restaurants and souvenir sales. Continuing further into Windermere, you will find Bed & Breakfast, Guest Houses and Hotels, all of a very high standard but sensibly priced. Next to Windermere Station is the well-stocked Booths Supermarket and "Lakeland", a large store of attractive design selling a wide range of specialist items.
Returning down the hill to Bowness finds the Old Laundry Theatre; the only professional theatre in the area and supported by several well-known TV and theatre personalities.
Bowness's St. Martins Church was built in the 1480's and enlarged to it's present size at it's time of restoration in the mid 1800's. In it is a 15th Century stained glass window showing the coat of arms of one John Washington; an ancestor of the U.S.A 's George Washington.
Windermere Golf Club on the Crook Road has much to attract temporary members. Call the secretary or visit the web-site for details.
A modern car/passenger ferry operates at 20 minute intervals from Ferry Nab to Sawrey. The 10 minute crossing saves drivers several miles on the journey to Hawkshead and Coniston. The wooded hill on the Sawrey side is Claife Heights. According to legend this was home to the "Crier of Claife" whose call to the ferryman for a boat on stormy nights enticed one to his death. Even now a small notice on todays ferry advises that "a return journey is not guaranteed in bad weather". Is the "Crier" still at large?
Tourists will find all they need in these fine towns. The guest accommodation, self catering, caravan and camping sites are all that you would expect in such a well frequented and much loved area.
How to get there:
By rail:
From the West Coast Main Line, change at Carnforth or Oxenholme for Windermere.
By road:
Situated on the A591, Windermere and Bowness are easily accessible from the M6 motorway, exiting at J36.
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Attractions in Windermere |
Lake Windermere Cruises
Few visitors to Windermere and Bowness fail to take a cruise on England’s largest lake. Regular sailings depart from Bowness Pier on 364 days a year calling at Waterhead (Ambleside), Lakeside, and, during the summer months, Brockhole Visitor Centre by request. Passengers may leave the boat at any of the destinations and return on a later sailing. Alternatively, a Blue Island Circular Cruise of around 45 minutes duration without stops, provides the chance to sit back and absorb the beauty of the passing wooded shorelines and vista of the encircling mountains dominated by the imposing peaks of the Langdale Pikes.
www.windermere-lakecruises.co.uk or telephone 015394 42600 to contact the events and reservations team.
Please be aware that not all sailings offer easy wheelchair access and that toilets on all of the craft can only be accessed by a stairway.
Bowness Promenade
The appeal of this flourishing edge of the lakes waters can be measured by the numbers gathered there throughout the year especially during the summer months. All are attracted by the shops, pubs, cafes and restaurants of the nearby lower reaches of Bowness village and the amenities close to the shoreline. For many, the large friendly assembly of ducks, swans and seabirds all clamouring to be fed are the real stars of the promenade spectacle. Facing south and with “land of make believe” lake views, is a large grassed area ideal for lounging, sunning, resting and picnics. In the mid-year months, a diverse range of festivities take place on its slopes. See our Events Page for dates and details. Other attractions include a well laid out putting green and seasonal fire engine rides; always a favourite with the children. Cockshott Point, beginning at the southern extremity of the promenade, is a much loved lakeside walk with plenty of space to pause and reflect on the beauty of the setting and has easy wheelchair and pushchair access. It is requested that dogs should be kept on a lead in this area. Bowness Pier is well served by regular bus services from Windermere Railway Station and connections to Ambleside, Grasmere, Keswick, Lancaster, Kendal, Barrow, cruise embarkation, rowing and motor boat hire, taxi rank, park and ride service and toilet facilities.
Water Sports
Qualified instructors are available to teach the skills of canoeing, kayaking, sailing, water skiing, wake boarding and wake surfing. Yes, despite the 10 mph. water speed limit, water skiing is still possible. For details of all the above and more, go to www.elh.co.uk/watersports or contact any of the promenade based boat hire offices.
Beatrix Potter Museum
"Strikes a blow for Style and Intelligence" said the Times Literary Supplement. Winner of Local Food and Drink Award.
A remarkable presentation of Beatrix Potter stories given life by an imaginative indoor re-creation of sights and sounds of the Lake District and interactive virtual walks. Convenient translations in French, Dutch, Japanese and Chinese are available. Tea rooms, gift shop, parent and baby facilities, children’s activity area and the child pleasing Peter Rabbit tea-parties throughout the year.
Summer opening 10am. – 5.30 pm. Winter 10am. – 4.30pm. Closed Christmas Day and 12 – 31 January 2009.
www.hop-skip-jump.com www.misspottermovie.co.uk
Old Laundry Theatre. Bowness
The comfortable 250 seat theatre is located within the Beatrix Potter Museum on Crag Brow. It is Cumbria’s only professional in-the-round-theatre. During the summer months it plays host to a festival of performing arts and presents a year round programme of music, drama, comedy and film. Programme details can be found on www.oldlaundrytheatre.co.uk
Holehird Gardens. Windermere
A feast of trees, shrubs, rock and heather gardens, stream gardens, walled garden including national collections of Astilbe, Hydrangea and Polystichum Ferns set in 10 acres of hillside land. Located on the A 592 to Troutbeck and Kirkstone Pass road.
www.holehirdgardens.org.uk
Brockhole Visitor Centre
A beautiful lakeside position of rare trees, plants, shrubs, gardens and games lawn. The Centre provides a mixture of individual and family activities throughout the season plus exhibitions, films, presentations, a bird hide, boat and canoe hire each weekend and during school holidays Easter-October. For those arriving by boat, bus, bike, or on foot, entrance is free. For cars, there is a pay and display parking area. Good wheelchair and pushchair access. Dogs on leads welcome. Two miles from Windermere Railway Station from where buses 555 and 599 depart and call at Brockhole. www.lake-district.gov.uk
Orrest Head. Windermere
It doesn’t take too long to walk the occasionally steep track to gain a view of Alfred Wainwrights "promised land". The route begins close to the Windermere Hotel. The first section is by narrow tarmac track for use by pedestrians and vehicle use by property owners only. This soon gives way to a path through woodland and the final rise to Orrest Head itself. Here is the magnificent 360 degree panorama of which Wainwright wrote and it is indeed as he described. For convenience, an engraved mounted stone plaque identifies the mountains in sight. Don’t miss it.
Blackwell Arts and Crafts House. Bowness
Blackwell has been described as one of the countrys most important examples of Arts and Crafts architecture. Visitors to the house are free to move around without restrictions of roped off areas. Window seats provide excellent vantage points from which to admire the stunning scenes of lake and mountains. There’s chance to browse the contemporary craft shop and book shop, stroll the terraces and landscaped gardens and enjoy refreshments of home made food and drinks in the tea shop. Free parking. Disabled facilities. Great photography opportunities. One and a half miles south of Bowness. www.blackwell.org.uk
Steamboat Museum
A lakeside setting of a fine indoor and outdoor display of vintage steam boats including the S.L. Dolly, a relic of the 1850’s, and the only known mechanically powered boat in existence. Tea and sandwiches are provided on a cruise aboard one of the steam boats operating five days a week, (on fine days only) during the summer months. See also the beautifully restored T.S.S.Y. Esperance which was the model for the houseboat captained by the doughty Captain Flint in Arthur Ransomes “Swallows and Amazons”. Parking, model boat pond, picnic area, tea room and shop. Disabled access. www.steamboat.co.uk
Windermere Railway Station
Served from Oxenholme by a single track branch line, this important little rail gateway to the area was recently awarded a top Visitor Friendly Award. Adjacent to it are a cycle hire facility, taxi rank, bus departures to many towns of the region including a frequent service to Bowness Pier, a supermarket and restaurant, a large store featuring creative kitchenware, a cash point and a Tourist Information Centre.
Food and Drink in Windermere |
Sail 'N' Dine
An experience to enjoy the beauty of the English Lake District combined with fine wines and first class food.
Enjoy a meal on a 32 foot yacht on Lake Windermere, England’s largest lake. For details call or e-mail
Phone: 07976 214569
Email: info@sailndine.co.uk
www.sailndine.co.uk
Jintana Thai Restaurant
Lake Road, Bowness.
Phone: 015394 45002
Lucy4 at the Porthole
Unique in style and atmosphere, Lucy4 offers "fiendishly good fun and informal dining". Choose from the interactive menu a selection of wines and beers, delicious food for all tastes including meat, fish and vegetarian.
For a devil of a good time:
Address: Lucy4 at the Porthole, Ash Street, Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria LA23 3EB
Phone: 015394 42793
Email: info@lucy4attheporthole.co.uk
www.lucysofambleside.co.uk/lucy4
Prince of India
Crescent Road, Windermere.
Phone: 015394 45244
Oriental Kitchen
13, Crescent Road, Windermere.
Phone: 015394 45110
Royal Tea Garden
Royal Square, Bowness.
Phone: 015394 45510
Mrs B’s Restaurant
Ellerthwaite Square, Windermere.
Phone: 015394 42363
Messina Restaurant
Beresford Road, Windermere.
Phone: 015394 88488
Robertos
European with Spanish influences.
Queen Street, Bowness.
Phone: 015394 43535
Rastellis Pizzeria
Lake Road, Bowness.
Phone: 01539444227
Rumours Pizzeria
Lake Road, Bowness.
Phone: 015394 44382
Villa Positano
Ash Street, Bowness.
Phone: 015394 45663
Trattoria Ticino
Swiss/Italian cuisine.
Quarry Rigg, Bowness.
Phone: 015394 45786
Francines Coffee House & Restaurant
27a Main Road, Windermere
Phone: 015394 44088
Jerichos Restaurant
Birch Street, Windermere.
Phone: 015394 42522
Transportation in Windermere |
Windermere Taxi Services and Wedding Car Hire
Courteous, friendly reliable service. Local and long distance.
Phone: 015394 42355
Lakes Taxis/Windermere Village Taxis
Prompt and reliable.
Phone: 015394 44055 or 46777