Windermere is the largest natural lake in England. More than 11 miles in length, and almost 1 mile at its widest, it is a ribbon lake formed in a glacial trough after the retreat of ice at the start of the current interglacial period. It has been one of the country's most popular places for holidays and summer homes since the arrival of the Kendal and Windermere Railway's branch line in 1847. Forming part of the border between the historic counties of Lancashire and Westmorland, Windermere is today within the administrative county of Cumbria and the Lake District National Park.
Windermere is a town and civil parish in the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England. In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 8,245, increasing at the 2011 census to 8,359. It lies about half a mile (1 km) east of the lake, Windermere. Although the town Windermere does not touch the lake, it has now grown together with the older lakeside town of Bowness-on-Windermere, though the two retain distinguishable town centres. Tourism is popular in the town owing to its proximity to the lake and local scenery. Boats from the piers in Bowness sail around the lake, many calling at Ambleside or at Lakeside where there is a restored railway. Windermere Hotel opened at the same time as the railway.
South Lakeland is a local government district in Cumbria, England. The population of the non-metropolitan district was 102,301 according to the 2001 census, increasing to 103,658 at the 2011 Census. Its council is based in Kendal. It includes much of the Lake District as well as northwestern parts of the Yorkshire Dales.
Hill Top is a 17th-century house in Near Sawrey near Hawkshead, in the English county of Cumbria. It is an example of Lakeland vernacular architecture with random stone walls and slate roof. The house was once the home of children's author and illustrator Beatrix Potter who left it to the National Trust. It is a Grade II* listed building. It is open to the public as a writer's house museum, shown as Beatrix Potter herself would have known it.
Bowness-on-Windermere is a town in South Lakeland, Cumbria, England. Due to 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. Historically part of Westmorland, in 2012, Bowness was one of the official stop off points for the Olympic torch before it made its way to the Olympic Games opening ceremony.
Haverthwaite is a small village and civil parish in the Furness region of Cumbria, England. It is also within the boundaries of the Lake District National Park. It is located several miles east of Ulverston and is near the southern end of Windermere. In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 728, increasing at the 2011 census to 797.
Hawkshead is a village and civil parish in Cumbria, England, which attracts tourists to the South Lakeland area. The parish includes the hamlets of Hawkshead Hill, 1.2 miles (1.9 km) to the north west, and Outgate, a similar distance north. Hawkshead contains one primary school but no secondary school and four public houses.
Broughton in Furness is a small market town in the civil parish of Broughton West in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, England. It had a population of 529 at the 2011 Census. It is located on the south western boundary of England's Lake District National Park in the Furness region of Cumbria, which was originally part of Lancashire before 1974.
Tarn Hows is an area of the Lake District National Park in North West England, It contains a picturesque tarn, approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) northeast of Coniston and about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) northwest of Hawkshead. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area with over half a million visitors per year in the 1970s and is managed by the National Trust.
Hawkshead and Claife is a National Trust property made up of much of the town of Hawkshead and surrounding Claife Woodlands in Cumbria, England. Overlooking Windermere itself is Claife Station, the ruins of a residence notable for the fact that each room was glazed in differing coloured glass to give the effect of viewing the landscape in the changing seasons.
Near Sawrey and Far Sawrey are two neighbouring villages in the Furness area of Cumbria, England. They are located in the Lake District between the village of Hawkshead and the lake of [Windermere]. The two lie on the B5285, which runs from Hawkshead to the west bank of the Windermere Ferry, a car ferry across Windermere 1 mile to the east of the villages.
Wray Castle is a Victorian neo-gothic building at Claife in the English county of Cumbria. The house and grounds have belonged to the National Trust since 1929, but the house has only recently opened to the public on a regular basis. The grounds, which include part of the shoreline of Windermere, are open all year round and are renowned for their selection of specimen trees – Wellingtonia, redwood, Ginkgo biloba, weeping lime and varieties of beech.
Claife Heights is an upland area in the Lake District, near to Windermere in Cumbria, England. It has a topographic prominence of 177 metres (581 ft) so is classified as a Marilyn.
Crook is a village and civil parish in the South Lakeland district of the English county of Cumbria, located on the B5284 road between Kendal and Windermere. In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 340, increasing at the 2011 census to 364.
Moss Eccles Tarn is a tarn on Claife Heights, near Near Sawrey in the Lake District, Cumbria. It is currently owned by the National Trust and known as an attractive tarn for fishing and walking. It is known for its association with Beatrix Potter – she owned the tarn and donated it to the National Trust after her death, and it served as inspiration for some of her stories.
Hugill is a civil parish in the South Lakeland district of the English county of Cumbria. Hugill includes the village of Ings and the hamlets of Grassgarth, and Reston plus a large part of the village of Staveley and the west bank of the River Kent north of Barley Bridge. It was formerly a part of the Barony of Kendal. In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 416, increasing at the 2011 census to 446. Approximately 60% of the population live in Staveley or the Kent valley.
Staveley-in-Cartmel is a small village and civil parish in South Lakeland district, Cumbria, England. It lies east of Newby Bridge, near the south end of Windermere, 9 miles (14 km) northeast of Ulverston. It is sometimes known as Staveley-in-Furness. Both names distinguish it from another Staveley in Cumbria. In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 428, decreasing at the 2011 census to 405.
St Michael and All Angels Church is in the village of Hawkshead, Cumbria, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Windermere, the archdeaconry of Westmorland and Furness, and the diocese of Carlisle. Its benefice is united with those of four local parishes to form the Benefice of Hawkshead with Low Wray and Sawrey and Rusland and Satterthwaite. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building. Hyde and Pevsner, in the Buildings of England series, describe it as being "one of the best Lake District churches".
Skelwith is a civil parish in South Lakeland, Cumbria, England, which includes the village of Skelwith Bridge. In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 185, decreasing at the 2011 census to 155. It has a parish council. The parish lies west of the northern end of Windermere. Historically, Skelwith is the northernmost settlement in Lancashire.
Claife is a civil parish in the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England. It contains 45 listed buildings that are recorded in the National Heritage List for England. Of these, four are listed at Grade II*, the middle of the three grades, and the others are at Grade II, the lowest grade. The parish is in the Lake District National Park to the west of Windermere. It contains the villages and settlements of Far Sawrey, Near Sawrey, Colthouse, Loanthwaite, High Wray and Low Wray, and the surrounding countryside. Most of the listed buildings are farmhouses, farm buildings, and houses with associated structures. The other listed buildings include churches, a public house, and a bridge.
