The Lake District for the Perfect Holiday
The Lake District National Park
Steamer on Windermere in the Lake District
Your 2012 Vacation - Holiday at Windermere in the Lake District
Bowness- on- Windermere has grown to cater for the needs of tourists and as a focal- point of the Lake District, this attractive location is now a popular venue for weddings, parties and other special celebrations as well as for a relaxing vacation. Bowness has many shops offering a variety of quality goods, numerous restaurants, a cinema and theatre. For visitors arriving by train or coach there are plenty of taxis and self- drive cars can be rented. Frequent buses serve Ambleside, Grasmere, Kendal and Keswick and the railway station at Windermere town (about 1 mile distant) has frequent services to London, Manchester Airport and Glasgow. There is plenty to see and do. Relax and let the magnificent Lake District scenery roll by with commentary from a knowledgeable local driver with Mountain Goat, Lakes Supertours and Park Tours & Travel each offering a wide selection of half and full day mini- coach tours. Steamers on the lake provide a regular service to Ambleside and Lakeside as well as circular tours around Windermere and the islands. Boats can be hired whilst hot- air ballooning provides a leisurely way to view the Lake District for the more adventurous! Horse riding,archery,clay pigeon shooting and fishing are available. Windermere Golf Course is about 2 miles. Tourist Information Centres at Bowness Bay and Windermere Town can advise on a wide range of Lake District activities.
Since Victorian times the Lake District has been a popular destination and Windermere is England's largest lake. At the mid- point of Lake Windermere lies Bowness- on- Windermere, with Ambleside at the northern tip and Newby Bridge at the southern end of Lake Windermere. The arrival of the railway made Bowness- on- Windermere a popular resort when the remote and rugged Lake District was made accessible from the industrial heartland of Britain.
The Windermere steamers continue to ply the lake, maintaining the service inaugurated in 1869 connecting with steam trains at Lakeside (the vessel 'Tern' has seen over 100 years service although now converted to diesel propulsion). The Windermere to Oxenholme railway line has survived threatened closures and is now the only mainline railway service left in the whole of the Lake District. A fast limited- stop service operates between Manchester Airport and Windermere for the convenience of overseas visitors and links at Oxenholme with express services to London, Scotland and other parts of the UK.
The high ground in the Bowness and Windermere areas provides several excellent viewpoints such as Orrest Head and Post Knott from which to take in the breath- taking Lake District scenery which has changed little since Victorian times. There is a wide variety of hotels, self catering cottages and bed and breakfast accommodation available to suit all budgets.
Find adventure and challenges or just plain fun. Whatever you are looking for in a Short Break or Summer holiday, you are sure to find it in the Lake District.
From relaxing tours to mountain walks, a round of golf or just enjoying the breathtaking scenery from the comfort of a coach or lake steamer, the Lake District has it all.
Add to this a vast choice of accommodation, from luxury hotels to budget B&B, plenty of self- catering cottages, excellent restaurants and night clubs and more visitor attractions than you could visit in a month and you have the recipe for a fantastic holiday.
From relaxing tours to mountain walks, a round of golf or just enjoying the breathtaking scenery from the comfort of a coach or lake steamer, the Lake District has it all.
Add to this a vast choice of accommodation, from luxury hotels to budget B&B, plenty of self- catering cottages, excellent restaurants and night clubs and more visitor attractions than you could visit in a month and you have the recipe for a fantastic holiday.
With more British families than ever before taking their holidays in the UK, accommodation in the Lake District will be difficult to find if you don't book soon.
This year, with the extra public holidays to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the influx of thousands of overseas visitors for the London Olympics, pressure upon Lake District accommodation will be greater than ever. To avoid disappointment you need to start looking for your hotel, B&B or self- catering cottage now, otherwise you will be left with little or no choice, since the best accommodation will have been booked! Later in the Spring and Summer, the remaining accommodation from which to choose, will be the least attractive and/or the most expensive.
This year, with the extra public holidays to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the influx of thousands of overseas visitors for the London Olympics, pressure upon Lake District accommodation will be greater than ever. To avoid disappointment you need to start looking for your hotel, B&B or self- catering cottage now, otherwise you will be left with little or no choice, since the best accommodation will have been booked! Later in the Spring and Summer, the remaining accommodation from which to choose, will be the least attractive and/or the most expensive.
London Olympics 2012 Football Tournament : Match Venues include Old Trafford (Manchester United) and Coventry - Both easily accessible from Windermere by Fast Trains or Motorway. Enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of the Lakes while saving on the cost of London Hotels and avoiding the crowded trains and roads in the South!