17 Lake Windermere Facts: Learn How Its Beauty Inspired Wordsworth
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Lake Windermere, situated in the Lake District National Park, is a fascinating place filled with breathtaking views.
Among the popular picturesque holiday destinations in England, Lake Windermere stands out, inviting thousands to visit this beautiful spot.
Inspired by the breathtaking visuals and sheer majesty of this place, famous writers like Beatrix Potter, creator of 'Peter Rabbit', and famous poets such as William Wordsworth integrated this natural beauty into their works, creating awe and wonder in the minds of many.
Lake Windemere is England's largest lake, situated in the northwest of the Lake District, and covers 5.7 sq mi (14.8 sq km). The Lake District National Park Authority solely takes care of this tourist destination, encouraging thousands to visit.
Located in the heart of the Lake District, this lake is 220 ft (67 m) deep with a width of approximately one mile and a length of 10.5 mi (16.8 km), making it the longest lake in England, as well as the largest.
In addition to the hill views across the Lake District, it is surrounded by mountain ranges and numerous villages. Only one village is situated directly on the lake shore, however, and that is Bowness-on-Windermere.
Formed during the last Ice Age, Windermere has the capacity to hold around 79 billion gal (300 billion l) of water and drains into the River Leven at the southern end.
Has the beauty of Windermere Lake piqued your interest in learning more about the lush valleys and sun-kissed passes spanning the Lake District? If so, read on to find out more fascinating facts about all the lakes of the national park.
Islands Of Lake Windermere
Lake Windermere has 18 islands with long histories, and we will discover more about them below.
Belle Isle is the largest, with 0.62 mi (1 km) length, and is the only island in the Lake District that has ever been inhabited. It was the center of Windermere 800 years ago and was commonly known as Lang Holme then.
The other islands, locally known as 'holmes', originated from the old Norse language for 'small islands'. The other islands include:
Thompson Holme: The second-largest holme after Belle Isle.
Crow Holme: Served as the natural habitat for Windermere Harriers' local hounds.
Hen Holme: Also known as Chair and Table Island, due to the old stone slabs or flags found there during earlier times.
Bee Holme: Based on the water level, the insular status of this island varies.
Ling Holme: A rocky island surrounded by ling fish, which has a few trees.
Ramp Holme: Also known as Berkshire Island and Roger Holme.
Maiden Holme: The smallest holme among the lakes.
Fir Holme: Locally known as Birch or Birk Holme.
Crag Holme: Locally called the Otter Holme.
The rest of the islands are Snake Holme, Rough Holme, Blake Holme, Silver Holme, Grass Holme, Hawes Holme, Lady Holme, and Lilies of the Valley East and West.
Historical places to visit in Windermere are Levens Hall and Sizergh Castle near Kendal, Wordsworth's Grave and Allan Bank in Grasmere, and Holker Hall in Cartmel, in the surrounding Lake District area.
The Natural History Of Lake Windermere
Irrespective of which part of Windermere you visit, you will be amazed by the spectacular views and magnificent beauty the wooded islands and bays have to offer, which have remained mostly unchanged through time. Read on for fascinating facts about the natural history and beautiful scenery of Lake Windermere.
Lake Windermere is a ribbon lake formed in a glacial trough after the retreat of ice at the start of the current interglacial period.
With a large part of Lake Windermere's drainage area under cultivation, it facilitates a rich habitat for fish to thrive in. The main fish in the lake are trout, char, pike and perch.
The north to south alignment of the lake, combined with its position between Morecambe Bay and the central fells, means that it forms a migration highway for geese.
The Freshwater Biological Association was established on the shore of Windermere in 1929, and much of the early work on ecology and biology was conducted here.
The History Of The Lake District National Park
Read more about how famous writers were inspired by the magnificent views of the lakes.
As one of the most popular national parks in northwest England, the Lake District National Park spans more than 911.9 sq mi (2362 sq km). The Lake District's outstanding, unique natural beauty inspired famous people like William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter to traverse this region, describing the breathtaking views in their works.
During the 1930s, conservation groups pressured the Government to implement laws to protect this paradise. This resulted in the establishment of the Lake District National Park in 1951 to preserve and conserve the natural beauty of this area.
Ever wondered how many lakes are there in the Lake District? Officially, there are 16, but find out more about how only one body of water in the national park has lake in its name.
Boating on Lake Windermere
Who can beat the excitement of simply being in the water and absorbing the unbeatable picturesque views? Taking a steamer or ferry and going on a boat ride would be the best thing to do while visiting these lakes.
To create a memorable experience on Lake Windermere, hiring a boat and going around the islands would be a great choice. The place offers a wide range of boat-hire services, which includes:
Low Wood Bay boat hire.
Windermere boat hire, Brockhole.
Windermere Quays.
Bowness Bay Marina boat hire.
Grasmere Boat Hire.
Windermere Jetty Museum of Boats.
Another popular attraction in Lake District is to go on boat trips using themed cruises for special events. Each cruise route is filled with incredible attractions that offer a peaceful environment. Windermere Lake Cruises takes you around Lake Windermere, while The Steam Yacht Gondola and Coniston Launch run boat trips to Coniston Water.
Sailboat Clubs At Lake Windermere
Similar to other national parks, Windermere in the Lake District is accessible to everyone. Visitors can reach one of the stunning lakes using cruises and sailboats offered by the various boating clubs in Windermere. Read on for some more interesting facts about sailboat clubs at Windermere.
The sailboating clubs here are mostly members-only and openly welcome all those interested, both juniors and adults, with any level of expertise. All you really ought to do is join the club with a high level of excitement and enthusiasm to become champions of sailing. You will come across many boating clubs in Windermere, some of which are:
The Lake District Boat Club: A family-oriented sailing club located in Bowness to have fun and relax. It mainly conducts both racing and social events.
The Windermere Cruising Association: Known for organizing the popular winter series event and summer races.
The South Windermere Sailing Club: Started initially as a family sailing club and has ventured on to compete in many successful competitions.
The Royal Windermere Yacht Club: Founded in 1860 to promote sailing in the Lake District, it welcomes those of all ages and ability levels, from world champions to starters.
Did You Know..?
Here are some fun facts that we have found out about the Lake Windermere region of the Lake District:
Bassenthwaite Lake is one of the largest lakes in the northern region, measuring 2 sq mi (5.3 sq km), but is also one of the most shallow. The word 'thwaite' is an old Norse word for 'clearing'. It is the only lake in the national park to have the word 'lake' as part of its name.
Pencils were initially created in the Lake District at the Pencil Museum using natural resources from the Seathwaite graphite mine.
Some of the highest peaks in the Lake District are Scafell Pike, Sca Fell, Helvellyn, Ill Crag, Great Gable, Nethermost Pike, and Broad Crag, of which, Scafell Pike is owned by The National Trust.
Derwent Water, in the Lake District, contains four islands: St Herbert's Island, Derwent Island, Rampsholme, and Lord's Island.
Most of the islands in the Lake District are privately owned, and the rest are taken care of by different organizations like The National Trust.
People in the Lake District are renowned for being down-to-earth and honest, so to prove this particular fact, they hold an annual tall tales contest in November at The Bridge Inn, in Santon Bridge, Wasdale Valley, to find the biggest liar in the world.
The Lake District, also known as the wettest place in England, consists of numerous smaller water bodies named tarns, a small mountain lake in the area.
The deepest lake in the Lake District is the Wastwater, covering 1.11 sq mi (2.9 sq km).
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