Regency Destinations: Windermere Lake

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Windermere Windermere is the largest lake in England being twelve miles long about the head it is considerably more than a mile in breadth and between the head and the islands which are about half way down the water it is seldom less than a mile but it narrows gradually from the islands to Newby Bridge which lies at the foot of the lake Windermere may be conveniently navigated from all the inns around it there being boats upon the lake belonging to the inns at Ambleside Low Wood Bowness the Ferry house and Newby Bridge Ambleside is about three quarters of a mile from the houses called Waterhead which are at the head of the lake and Y 2
about the same distance from the junction of the rivers Rothay and Brathay where the Ambleside boats are usually moored The Brathay after several winding sweeps and exquisite openings to the country enriched by the buildings at Clappersgate and Brathay empties itself into the lake here rocks splendidly crowned with trees rise beautifully out of the water and make excellent combinations with the craggy steeps of Loughrigg fell and the mountains of Amble side and Rydal Probably the island of Great Britain can scarcely present a sweeter little aquatic line than that from the landing at Clappersgate to the head of the lake of Windermere But the finest water view from the head of the lake of Windermere is about half a mile south of the river's junction with the lake where the mountains of Coniston Little and Great Langdale Loughrigg Rydal Ambleside and Troutbeck the high grounds of Applethwaite Orrest Bowness and Cartmel fell and the lands above Wray as from one station on the water are seen to the greatest advantage
Windermere is a lake rich in its prospects from many points upon the public roads but frequently of a higher description of beauty from the varied grounds adjoining them it may be said to have five distinctly featured distances First the Langdale pikes as seen between Water head and Bowness and from many delightful stands on each side of the road between those places Secondly the views of the islands down the lake beginning on the elevated wood lands something north of Skelgill and ending on that admired summit in the Rev Mr Fleming's lands between Rayrigg and Millar Ground Thirdly the head of the lake having the great and lesser islands in the middle and the Rydal mountains in the extreme distance from many sites on the side of the hill between Bowness and Bellman Ground and of features a little varied all the way from Fellfoot to Bellman Ground Fourthly the view from the station house looking over the great island having Rayrigg and old and new Calgarth on the banks of the lake with the Applethwaite and Kentmere mountains in the extreme distance Fifth and last the Rydal and Amble side mountains in an entire new combination to that from Bellman Ground as observed from
many stands between Belle Grange and Wray The views from the land and from the afford each their peculiar delight Open carriages are greatly to be preferred for if weather be fine the party by changing may see the surrounding objects in all directions Some make a morning's aquatic from Ambleside to the Ferry house the Station the Great or Curwen Island and perhaps Bowness And to see all these places to will require the greatest part of a day The Tourist’s New Guide
Containing a Description of the Lakes, Mountains, and Scenery, in Cumberland, Westmorland, and Lancashire, with Some Account of Their Bordering Towns and Villages. Being the Result of Observations Made During a Residence of Eighteen Years in Ambleside and Keswick (1819)

WINDERMERE OR WINANDERMERE This prince of the lakes is embosomed in a winding valley about twelve miles long every enclosed with grounds which rise in a very bold singular manner in some places bursting into mountains abrupt wild and uncultivated in others breaking rocks craggy pointed and irregular here rising hills covered with the noblest woods there waving glorious slopes of cultivated enclosures enlivened groves villages seats and farms scattered in confusion But what finishes the scene with an elegance too deli cious to be described is that this noble expanse of water which may vie perhaps with any thing in Britain except Lough Lomond dotted with no less than ten islands distinctly comprehended by the eye from some points of view all of the most bewitching beauty Curwen's island the largest is of an oblong shape swelling in the middle and pointed at each end It contains twenty seven acres and besides the neat mansion of its proprietor John Christian Curwen Esq MP for Carlisle it is laid out in the most enchanting style Some of the other islets called Holms are also superbly robed The lake is farther enlivened by a little fleet of vessels belonging to Mr Cur wen and by Bowness Lowood Calgarth and other places that adorn its banks The fish of Windermere are char trout perch pike and

eel The greatest depth of the lake is 222 feet opposite to Ecclesrigg cragg The fall from Newbybridge where the current of the water becomes visible to the high water mark of the tide at Lowood distant two miles is one hundred and five feet The principal feeders of this sublime and beautiful lake are the rivers Rothay and Brathay which unite their waters at the western angle of its head and after a short course boldly enter this grand reservoir

A popular lake described in many Regency era travel guides, Windermere would become a bustling tourist town with the arrival of the railways in the mid 1800s (Windermere and Bowness | Cumbria County History Trust).  Guidebooks from the early 19th century, however, describe it for its unparalleled beauty and vistas, boating and fishing adventures, and many excursions to explore and recreate.

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