Bowness-on-Windermere

Bowness-on-Windermere has one of the highest concentrations of hotels anywhere in the Lake District, reflecting its long history as the region's principal lakeside resort. Grand Victorian and Edwardian hotels line the shore and the hills just above it, many converted from the country houses built here when Windermere first became fashionable after the railway arrived in the 1840s; several retain private jetties, landscaped grounds and lake-facing restaurants, and a number have spa facilities aimed at walkers looking to unwind after a day on the fells.

Away from the grander properties, there's a wide choice of smaller hotels, inns and guesthouses tucked into the lanes above the bay, many run as family businesses and offering a more personal, often better-value alternative within a short walk of the pier and the shops. Self-catering apartments and holiday cottages are also plentiful, particularly useful for families or longer stays, with many clustered around Glebe Road and the streets leading up from the waterfront.

Booking ahead is strongly advised for anything from Easter through to the end of the summer holidays, when Bowness is at its busiest and the best-located rooms — especially those with a direct lake view — are snapped up early. Rates drop noticeably outside the main season, and many hotels offer walking or dining packages through the autumn and winter months that make a stay considerably more affordable.

Bowness makes an excellent base for exploring the southern Lake District, with plenty to do without ever needing a car.

• Windermere Lake Cruises — steamers and launches depart from Bowness Pier throughout the day, running north to Ambleside and south to Lakeside, with a "Freedom of the Lake" rover ticket allowing hop-on, hop-off travel around England's largest lake.
• The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction — a family visitor centre on Crag Brow recreating scenes from all 23 of Beatrix Potter's tales, complete with Peter Rabbit's garden and a tearoom serving Mrs Tiggy-Winkle's puddings.
• Blackwell, The Arts & Crafts House — a beautifully preserved Arts and Crafts holiday house a couple of miles south of the town centre, designed by M.H. Baillie Scott in 1900, with oak panelling, stained glass and views over the lake.
• Self-drive boat and rowing boat hire — several operators along the bay let visitors take to the water independently for an hour or a full afternoon.
• Windermere Jetty Museum — a short walk or boat trip away, home to one of the finest collections of historic steam and motor boats in the country.
• Fell walking above the town — paths climb from Bowness up to Brant Fell and Post Knott, both offering some of the classic postcard views back down over the lake.
• Bowness Bay promenade and gardens — simply strolling the waterfront, watching the boats and feeding the ducks remains one of the town's enduring pleasures.

The town has a good density of places to eat for its size. The Hole in t' Wall, tucked just off the main street, is reckoned to be the oldest pub in Bowness and remains a solid choice for a pint and pub food. The Angel Inn, overlooking the lake, has a large beer garden popular with walkers and dogs alike, while the Ship Inn serves classic pub fare with lake views. For something more formal, Porto is a family-run restaurant near the pier offering modern British dining, and Jackson's Bistro has a loyal following for its duck and lamb dishes. Cafés and tearooms line Crag Brow and the lakeside promenade, ideal for a coffee or a Cumbrian cream tea between activities.

Camping around Bowness-on-Windermere means using one of the area's established sites rather than pitching wild — wild camping without the landowner's permission is illegal in England, and while parts of the wider Lake District have historically had a more relaxed, self-policed tradition on the high fells, the busy lakeshore around Windermere is not the place to test that. Fortunately there's no shortage of proper alternatives: campsites and caravan parks dot the shores of the lake and the surrounding valleys, many with direct water access, mooring for small boats, and views straight across to the fells on the far side.

The terrain here is classic Lake District: steep, rocky and quick to change character, so tents need decent pegs and a site with reasonable shelter from wind coming off the water. Ground can stay damp well into late spring after winter rain, and conditions on the surrounding fells can turn quickly even when it's calm down by the lake, so it pays to check the specific site's drainage and exposure before booking. Facilities vary considerably, from basic camping fields to fully serviced pitches with electric hook-up, so it's worth checking what's included before you travel, particularly if you're bringing a larger tent or campervan in peak season when sites fill early.

The best camping season around Bowness runs from late May through September, when the weather is most settled and the long evenings make the most of the lake views; July and August are busiest and it's worth booking well ahead. Spring and autumn can also reward campers with quieter sites and beautiful light on the fells, provided you're prepared for cooler nights and the possibility of rain. For those who'd rather skip the tent-pitching altogether, glamping options in the area range from wooden pods and safari tents to shepherd's huts, many with wood-burning stoves and lake or fell views, offering a comfortable way to enjoy the same scenery without the exposure of traditional camping.