Bowness-on-Windermere
Encyclopedia
Bowness-on-Windermere is a town in South Lakeland
, Cumbria
, England. Due its position on the banks of Windermere
the town has become a tourist honeypot
. Although their mutual growth has caused them to become one large settlement, the town is distinct from the town of Windermere
as the two still have distinguishable town centres. In 2012, Bowness will be one of the official stop off points for the Olympic torch before it makes its way to the Olympic Games
opening ceremony.
was built in 1483 but of an older foundation. The former rectory is said to have been built in 1415.
Bowness-on-Windermere became a civil parish in 1894 and an urban district
council was formed for the town at the same time. In 1905, the council merged with that of Windermere, and the two civil parishes merged in 1974 under the name of Windermere. The civil parish is governed by a town council
.
offers train
and bus
connections to the surrounding areas, Manchester
, Manchester Airport, and the West Coast Main Line
, and is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the lakefront. Both Stagecoach
and the local council provide frequent connecting buses from Bowness Pier; Stagecoach's open-top double-decker bus
es travel through the centre of town and continue to Ambleside
and Grasmere
, while the council's wheelchair
-accessible minibus
es run around the edge of town. The Windermere Ferry
, a car carrying cable ferry
, connects Bowness at Ferry Nab on the eastern side of the lake with Ferry House Far Sawrey on the western side of the lake, a trip of approx. 10 mins.
's Swallows and Amazons series of books will recognise Bowness as the lakeside town of 'Rio'. The collection at the Windermere Steamboat Museum
(see restoration project homepage at www.steamboat.co.uk) on Rayrigg Road includes TSSY Esperance, 1869; one of the iron steamboats on which Ransome modelled Captain Flint's houseboat. Bowness On Windermere is also home to the Beatrix Potter
attraction.
South Lakeland
South Lakeland is a local government district in Cumbria, England. Its council is based in Kendal. It includes much of the Lake District.The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972...
, Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, England. Due its position on the banks of Windermere
Windermere (lake)
Windermere is the largest natural lake in England. It is a ribbon lake formed in a glacial trough after the retreat of ice at the start of the current interglacial. It has been one of the country’s most popular places for holidays and summer homes since the arrival of the Kendal and Windermere...
the town has become a tourist honeypot
Honeypot (geography)
In geography, a honeypot is a particularly popular visitor attraction which attracts tourists in large numbers. The term 'honeypot' originates from bees buzzing around a hive.-Tourism planning:...
. Although their mutual growth has caused them to become one large settlement, the town is distinct from the town of Windermere
Windermere (town)
Windermere is a town and civil parish in the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England. It has a population of 8,245. It lies about half a mile away from the lake, Windermere...
as the two still have distinguishable town centres. In 2012, Bowness will be one of the official stop off points for the Olympic torch before it makes its way to the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
opening ceremony.
History
The town's ancient parish church of St MartinSt Martin's Church, Bowness-on-Windermere
St Martin's Church, Bowness-on-Windermere stands in the centre of the town of Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Windermere, the archdeaconry of Westmoreland and Furness, and the diocese of Carlisle...
was built in 1483 but of an older foundation. The former rectory is said to have been built in 1415.
Bowness-on-Windermere became a civil parish in 1894 and an urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
council was formed for the town at the same time. In 1905, the council merged with that of Windermere, and the two civil parishes merged in 1974 under the name of Windermere. The civil parish is governed by a town council
Town council
A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
.
Transport
Windermere railway stationWindermere railway station
Windermere railway station is the railway station that serves Windermere in Cumbria, England. It is just south of the A591, about 15 min walk or a short bus ride from the lake. The station is located behind a branch of the Booths supermarket chain, which occupies the site of the original station...
offers train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
and bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
connections to the surrounding areas, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, Manchester Airport, and the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
, and is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the lakefront. Both Stagecoach
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
and the local council provide frequent connecting buses from Bowness Pier; Stagecoach's open-top double-decker bus
Double-decker bus
A double-decker bus is a bus that has two storeys or 'decks'. Global usage of this type of bus is more common in outer touring than in its intra-urban transportion role. Double-decker buses are also commonly found in certain parts of Europe, Asia, and former British colonies and protectorates...
es travel through the centre of town and continue to Ambleside
Ambleside
Ambleside is a town in Cumbria, in North West England.Historically within the county of Westmorland, it is situated at the head of Windermere, England's largest lake...
and Grasmere
Grasmere
Grasmere is a village, and popular tourist destination, in the centre of the English Lake District. It takes its name from the adjacent lake, and is associated with the Lake Poets...
, while the council's wheelchair
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
-accessible minibus
Minibus
A minibus or minicoach is a passenger carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, the word "minibus" is used to describe any full-sized passenger carrying van. Minibuses have a...
es run around the edge of town. The Windermere Ferry
Windermere Ferry
The Windermere Ferry is a vehicular cable ferry which crosses Windermere, a lake in the English county of Cumbria. The route forms part of the B5285 road and crosses the lake at about its mid-point, from Ferry Nab in Bowness-on-Windermere to Far Sawrey, a distance of some...
, a car carrying cable ferry
Cable ferry
A cable ferry is guided and in many cases propelled across a river or other larger body of water by cables connected to both shores. They are also called chain ferries, floating bridges, or punts....
, connects Bowness at Ferry Nab on the eastern side of the lake with Ferry House Far Sawrey on the western side of the lake, a trip of approx. 10 mins.
Media
Readers of Arthur RansomeArthur Ransome
Arthur Michell Ransome was an English author and journalist, best known for writing the Swallows and Amazons series of children's books. These tell of school-holiday adventures of children, mostly in the Lake District and the Norfolk Broads. Many of the books involve sailing; other common subjects...
's Swallows and Amazons series of books will recognise Bowness as the lakeside town of 'Rio'. The collection at the Windermere Steamboat Museum
Windermere Steamboat Museum
The Windermere Steamboat Museum was formed by the boat collector G. H. Pattinson, and was located on the former Sand and Gravel Wharf between Bowness-on-Windermere and the town of Windermere, on the eastern shore of Windermere in Cumbria, England. In 2007, the museum was taken over by the Lakeland...
(see restoration project homepage at www.steamboat.co.uk) on Rayrigg Road includes TSSY Esperance, 1869; one of the iron steamboats on which Ransome modelled Captain Flint's houseboat. Bowness On Windermere is also home to the Beatrix Potter
Beatrix Potter
Helen Beatrix Potter was an English author, illustrator, natural scientist and conservationist best known for her imaginative children’s books featuring animals such as those in The Tale of Peter Rabbit which celebrated the British landscape and country life.Born into a privileged Unitarian...
attraction.
See also
- Windermere (lake)Windermere (lake)Windermere is the largest natural lake in England. It is a ribbon lake formed in a glacial trough after the retreat of ice at the start of the current interglacial. It has been one of the country’s most popular places for holidays and summer homes since the arrival of the Kendal and Windermere...
- Windermere (town)Windermere (town)Windermere is a town and civil parish in the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England. It has a population of 8,245. It lies about half a mile away from the lake, Windermere...
- BlackwellBlackwell (historic house)Blackwell is a large house designed in the Arts and Crafts style by Baillie Scott. It was built 1898–1900, and is listed grade I as an outstanding example of British domestic architecture. The house was built as a holiday home for Sir Edward Holt, a wealthy Manchester brewer...
- Windermere Steamboat MuseumWindermere Steamboat MuseumThe Windermere Steamboat Museum was formed by the boat collector G. H. Pattinson, and was located on the former Sand and Gravel Wharf between Bowness-on-Windermere and the town of Windermere, on the eastern shore of Windermere in Cumbria, England. In 2007, the museum was taken over by the Lakeland...
External links
- Windermere Online Windermere Online Community Website.
- Bowness-on-Windermere guide
- The Windermere Way - a walking route that circumambulates the lake.