The main street -- as you can see, not much to do here.
The town of Windermere was only a scattering of homes until 1847 when a railway came to the area and terminated here. The rail station was named Windermere, and the village obligingly changed its name from Birthwaite (meaning 'clearing in the birches') to match that of the station. The railroad brought hoards of holidaying Victorians to the lake. Hotels and guesthouses, built of the local stone and slate, followed. The Windermere Hotel, built in 1847 specifically for rail travellers, was ideally sited opposite the station. The town became such a popular destination that it was listed in an 1860 guidebook. Today, many of the former wealthy Victorians' homes are hotels and lodging houses. 82060708
2019 RBC Solutions | Toronto, Canada | photographed: 1982 June
