Bowness is the largest and most popular of all the resorts in the Lake District. Many visitors get this far and go no further. It is ideally suited for those visitors who want a range of places to sleep, eat, drink and shop in the midst of beautiful scenery: but be warned. Quiet it is not. Bowness is built almost entirely around the needs of its visitors. Here you will find gift shops, amusement arcades, gift shops, fish chips, gift shops, fast food joints, gift shops, hotels, need I go on?
Bowness is right on the coast of Windermere. From here you can hire rowing boats, take a trip on one of the many passenger steamers up and down the lake or try your hand at more adventurous water pursuits. Windermere is the largest lake in England: ten miles in length. The lake is used for a whole host of water pursuits, such as sailing, canoeing, water skiing, swimming and fishing and has many good access points. It is surrounded by magnificent fells. Your first glimpse of Windermere as you approach the lake District is always one to be treasured; it makes the whole journey worthwhile.
If it's a bustling, busy environment you're after, with a whole range of retail opportunities, you will love Bowness. If you'd prefer peace and serenity, keep driving, or better still, put your boots on and do a bit of walking. You'll then find the real Lake District.
The Lake District National Park is one of 14 National parks in the United Kingdom. The Lakes lie entirely within Cumbria, and is one of England's few mountainous regions. All the land in England higher than three thousand feet above sea level lies within the Park. The Lakes, as the region is also called, were made famous during the early 19th century by the poetry and writings of William Wordsworth and the Lake Poets.
Beatrix Potter and the Lake District
Beatrix Potter first visited the Lake District along with her family on their annual holidays. They rented a number of different houses during the summer months around Windermere and Derwentwater.
The success of her books enabled Beatrix Potter to buy land in the Lake District. One of the first was Hill Top, which has since become a famous literary shrine.
This small Lakeland Farm House and the hamlet of Near Sawrey form the the setting for a number of her stories.
The Tale of Tom Kitten and The Tale of Samuel Whiskers are based in and around Hill Top.
Hill Top is open from 3 April to 31 October, daily except Thursday and Friday, from 10.30 with last admission at 4.00pm.
Beatrix Potter married a local solicitor, William Heelis, from Hawkshead, just a few miles down the road from Hill Top. William's former offices are now home to the National Trust's Beatrix Potter Gallery.
The Gallery contains may of Beatrix Potter's original sketches, watercolours and manuscripts. The Beatrix Potter Gallery is open from 3 April to 31 October, daily except Thursday and Friday, from 10.30 with last admission at 4.00pm.
Hawkshead is one of the Lake District's more attractive villages. Howkshead is the setting for another of Beatrix Potter's books, The Tale of Johnny Town Mouse.
It was in Hawkshead that another Lakeland literary figure, William Wordsworth, spent his school days.
A couple of miles from Hawkshead is Tarn Hows, part of the 4,000+ acres of property that Beatrix Potter bequeathed to the National Trust. Tarm Hows is definitely one of the Lake District's most famous beauty spots.
A walk around the tarn takes about an hour, the path is also suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
A shuttle service connects Hawkshead, Hill Top and Bowness-on-Windermere.
At Bowness on Windermere you will find The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction, where the Lakeland tales are brought to life in an indoor recreation of the countryside.
You will see Peter Rabbit tucking into a carrot from Mister MacGregor's Garden and Jemima Puddleduck in a woodland glade. The Attraction is open all year except Christmas Day and from 12-31 January.
Produced using an Agnos MRotator Panoramic VR head, Canon Digital SLT Camera fitted with the Sigma 8mm Fish-Eye Lens, Kaidan QPXL-1 levelling unit & stitched with RealVIZ Stitcher Unlimited.
VR Photography produced with hardware and software supplied by Red Door VR Limited.
Panoramic view photography completed: 30/10/06 18:27:40 File Size: 495.2 KB
Last Minute Hotels in The Lake District, Windermere with Late Room discounts
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