United Kingdom, windermere

Windermere is the largest English lake. England's largest lake is Windermere, with an area of 6 square miles (16 square km), located in the county of Cumbria. It is in Cumbria and supplies water to Manchester. Here there is a beautiful view of the mountains. Boats from the piers in Bowness sail around the lake, many calling at Ambleside or at Lakeside where there is a restored railway.

The town of Windermere was only a scattering of homes until 1847 when a railway came to the area and terminated here. The rail station was named Windermere, and the village obligingly changed its name from Birthwaite (meaning 'clearing in the birches') to match that of the station.

The town was formerly the village of Birthwaite, but was changed to Windermere.
Windermere town was known as Birthwaite prior to the arrival of the Kendal and Windermere Railway, which stimulated its development.

There are two towns which border the lake, Ambleside and Bowness-on-Windermere. Although the town of Windermere does not directly touch the lake, it has now grown together with the older lakeside town of Bowness-on-Windermere, though the two retain distinguishable town centres.

The lake is largely surrounded by foot-hills of the Lake District which provide pleasant low-level walks; to the north and north-east the higher fells of central Lakeland commence.

The town of Windermere is about a fifteen-minute walk from the lakefront, and has now grown together with Bowness-on-Windermere.

Windermere station offers train and bus connections to the surrounding area, Manchester, Manchester Airport, and the West Coast Main Line.