Bowness-on-Windermere is a town located by the Bowness Bay of Lake Windermere, The Lake District – which takes about 10 minutes by bus from Windermere Station and less than 30 minutes on foot. Around the center of the town where a few lively shops spread, parents and children walking along the bay with dogs can walk leisurely, and a couple can relax at the cafe overlooking the lake. A town that seems to be relaxing. There are footpaths on all sides of the town, and many people enjoy trail running and hiking.
Bonnes on Windermere is a busier city than Windermere. A large number of tourists gather in the center of the city around the bay where the ferry terminal is located.
Here, I will introduce two courses, a short course along the lake and a course along the mountain. The course along the lake is a flat and well-maintained road that is ideal for a walk before breakfast. There are many footpaths in the mountains, so I chose a course that would take about two hours. Both are courses that cannot be found on Google Maps.
A leisurely walk along the Bay of Bowness Bay, perfect for a morning walk
Overview of walking course
Easy course that you can walk in about 30 minutes.
Circular route along the Bay of Bowness-on-Windermere.
Total walking distance 2.2km
Elevation difference 15m
A short route of about 30 minutes walking along the bay from the entrance of the bay where cafes line up and swans gather. Even though it is such a short route, it is the best course for a pleasant pre-breakfast walk, walking through the forest and between sheep pastures. Although it is a route to go through the graveyard on the way, there are many graves that have been cleaned and decorated with flowers, and it’s easy to see that family members and friends often visit. Many cemeteries in the Lake District are cleaned and flowered like a beautiful park like this, and the feelings of those who remember the deceased.
Tap the mark on the upper right of the map above with your smartphone to open the Google Maps app. You can see the walking course and where you are on the map of Google Map, so you can walk along the course without hesitation when you actually go to the site.(Please note that the map may not be visible on some commercial PCs and smartphones depending on the settings.)
(1) Depart from the dock along the Bay of Bowness where swans gather. The swan here is used to people, so we will come close to it.(2) On the left side of the road is a park with beautifully maintained grass. Walk on the paved road.
(3) A photo taken from a dock that juts out into the lake. Many yachts are moored on a calm lake. Touch the photo to enlarge it and enjoy the serene scenery of Lake Windermere.
(4) Another direction from the same place.(5) You will pass through a line of souvenir shops and cafes.(6) From here, walk off the paved road and walk through the park. You can see the National Trust sign. (7) A little walk through the forest is a pleasant walk along the lake where many yachts are anchored on the lake.(8) Many people walk with dogs. Since most British dogs are properly trained, there is almost no annoyance to people even without a lead.(9) Now go back down the path between the pastures where the sheep are grazing. The sheep are grazing leisurely even though they are just around the city.(10) If you go straight on this road, you will return to the starting point, but turn right a little and detour in the graveyard. (11) Natural flowers are planted in the graveyard, and various flowers bloom according to the four seasons. If you don’t maintain it properly, you won’t get such a landscape.
Please enjoy the scenery of the walking course seen from the sky.
I didn’t even notice this course when I first visited the Lake District. It’s a very nice promenade right next to the city.
A little mountain climbing hiking course aiming for the summit of the mountain behind the city
From the city of Bowness-on-Windermere, one step up the mountain, you’ll find an array of exclusive residential areas. Immediately behind it, footpaths run endlessly through natural forests and grasslands, so you can enjoy hiking or trail running to the top of the mountain. While there are plenty of courses where you can enjoy the scenery that changes from the town to the residential area and from the forest to the grassland, if you make a mistake one step you may be heading to a completely different area from the planned area. Here, we will introduce a handy hiking course aiming at the summit of the little mountain.
Overview of walking course
Middle distance hiking course around 2 hours.
Circular route from the city center of Bowness-on-Windermere to the summit.
Total walking distance 7.6km
Elevation difference 170m
Tap the mark on the upper right of the map above with your smartphone to open the Google Maps app. You can see the walking course and where you are on the map of Google Map, so you can walk along the course without hesitation when you actually go to the site.(Please note that the map may not be visible on some commercial PCs and smartphones depending on the settings.)
(1) Start from the center of the town where restaurants and hotels gather(2) Go up the hill between the residential areas with luxurious houses.(3) The entrance with a footpath mark is just behind the residential area. The mountain walk starts from here.(4) The road extends through the forest.(5) Climb the stone steps and cross the wall. It’s slippery when wet, but it’s okay because I was wearing Inov-8 shoes:)(6) In this way, the road is divided into many directions. You don’t know where to go by Google Maps because there is no footpaths shown on Google Maps anymore around this area. At this place, I went over the wall on the left.(7) Narcissus is the news that winter is over and spring is coming. From around the end of February, you’ll see stunning daffodil colonies here and there.(8) Walk through the grassland. On my way to here, I made two mistaken turns back. If you always looking at the screen of the smartphone all the time while you are walking, but it won’t be fun. I is also fun to go back and forth on footpaths sometimes. (9) You will walk on the road where cars pass, but footpath is properly separated from the road.
(10) Photo from the summit of a small mountain behind the town. Click the photo to enlarge it, so please enjoy the panoramic photo from the top of the mountain.
(10) Since you can walk anywhere in this mountaintop area, climbers climb various paths in the grassland.(11) There are a lot of variation from the summit to the city – grassy slopes, stairs and so on.(12) A residential area starts around the middle of the mountain.(13) Footpath between the residential areas. The daffodils are beautiful here as well.(14) Is it a villa? A house with a wonderful garden. I’m sure it will be full of flowers in spring.(15) When you get down around here, it’s completely a residential area. The calm houses are lined up.(16) The goal point in the center of town. The city extends from here to the left and right.
Please enjoy the scenery of the walking course seen from the sky.
This course can be completed by walking for about an hour if you do not climb to the top of the mountain, or you can stretch your legs a little more and enjoy walking for 3-4 hours. If you learn how to use OS Maps where you can see footpaths, it is a place where you can choose a course that suits you.
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