Windermere by boat

DISCOVER THE CENTREPIECE OF THE LAKE DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK AT THE HELM OF A NEWLY RESTORED MOTOR YACHT FROM THE 1920S

- LORNA PARKES

The scene

Formed by glacial erosion and meltwater during the last ice age, Windermere is England’s largest lake. It’s been popular with travellers since the Napoleonic Wars, when the upper classes couldn’t travel abroad and it became part of an English equivalent of the Grand Tour. Family-owned stone boatsheds still dot its shores, as do the grand mansions of English lords, ladies and millionaires, some dating to the 18th century.

William Wordsworth, Beatrix Potter and Arthur Ransome are just some of the famous wordsmiths who have been touched by the romance of Windermere over the centuries. Today, the east-shore towns of Windermere and Ambleside — with their cafe terraces and upmarket shops — still attract nature-lovers, with high fell walking trails accessible on foot from many back doors. Meanwhile, small marinas and public jetties provide launchpads for exploration by water.

The experience on the water