Visit The Lake District: A day at Bowness

Last month during our stay in Windermere we were lucky enough to be blessed with the Easter heatwave, and we really made the most of it! Although to me, a trip to the Lake District is all about going off the beaten path and exploring the wilderness, we did want to show the children Bowness where, eight long years ago we hired a motor boat, sped off onto the lake, and returned engaged to be married! Bowness is undoubtedly the central hub of the lakes, massively popular with tourists, and the perfect spot to take a boat tour of Lake Windermere.

We decided to book onto the 45 minute cruise which, with three young children, seemed like long enough to hold their attention! The boats have indoor and outdoor seating and, on a sunny day, I would advise queueing early if you want the outdoor seats as they do go very quick!

The great thing about boat cruises is that you get to see the Lake from a different perspective, and there is no better way to appreciate it, in my eyes, than via the water. With a running commentary as we sailed down the lake, it was lovely to just sit back and enjoy the view.

Across the other side of Bowness is a dense wooded area which we planned to walk through the following day to Wray Castle, so it was lovely to be able to show the children where we would be heading and take note of any picturesque spots for our picnic.

Personally I always love the Windermere cruises so I can have a good old nosy at all of the amazing properties which back onto the lake. Some are hotels, others just huge houses which leave me green with envy!

The children adore being on the water as it’s not something we have done very often, and they loved waving at passing boats and people sitting at the waters edge. I think 45 minutes was just long enough though as towards the end they all started to get a little bit restless and that’s when you’re grateful you didn’t boo the 90 minute cruise!

After we arrived back in Bowness we found ourselves we had promised the children an ice cream which we bought from one of the kiosks at the front. I won’t lie, the prices are astronomical but if you head further back into the town there are lots of shops and supermarkets where you can stock up for the day which we did when it came to lunch time.

When it comes to picnic spots at Lake Windermere you are spoilt for choice and we spent a good couple of hours sitting by the edge of the lake just enjoying the sunshine, watching all of the little boats go by, and making the most of every moment together.

By the afternoon the sun was so hot that we were all in need of a cool down and we found the perfect secluded little bay where the children were able to take off their shoes and socks and paddle in the shallow edge. Of course it wasn’t long until one of them fell in!

The thing I love the most about Bowness is that you can go from the bustling pier where it’s difficult to even move at busy periods, to blissful peace and quiet just five minutes further round. It’s a great location to explore the lake with plenty of parking or accessible by public transport.

We had such a lovely day together at Bowness and it was so lovely to share our engagement story with the children. Bowness will always have such a special place in our hearts and it actually made me quite emotional to return with the children and see just how much we have achieved over these last eight years. If you’d have told me back then I’d be returning as a Mum of five I’d never have believed it and yet now, I can’t imagine our lives being anything other than this.

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