Eat and drink · Mediterranean
Porto
3 Ash Street, Bowness-on-Windermere
An independent, family-run restaurant on a cobbled Bowness street, cooking modern British food with an AA rosette, plus a Sunday roast and a strong gin and wine list.
Nearby
Hylton's Restaurant
British, Bowness££££
Hyltons Steak House and Grill sits on cobbled Ash Street in the middle of Bowness, serving 40-day aged Aberdeen Angus steaks, tomahawks to share, burgers and proper fish and chips from noon until 9pm daily.
The Hole in t' Wall
Traditional Pub, Bowness££££
The oldest pub in Bowness, right in the heart of the village, pouring Robinsons' cask ales alongside a long list of gins and serving hearty pub food all day. Low beams, a heated beer garden and plenty of old stories keep it busy year round.
Macdonald Old England Hotel
Traditional Hotel, Bowness, dogs welcome££££
This Victorian grande dame commands prime position right on the shores of Windermere, where you can watch steam launches chug past from your bedroom window. The hotel's traditional elegance suits its lakefront setting perfectly. It's the kind of place where afternoon tea feels obligatory and evening drinks on the terrace watching the sunset over England's largest natural lake become a cherished ritual.
Walks nearby
Easy · 5.6 km · 175 m up
Brant Fell from Bowness
About 1 hour 30 minutes
A short loop from Bowness over Post Knott to the rocky top of Brant Fell, with one of the best views over Windermere, returning on the Dales Way.
Easy · 2.5 km · 108 m up
Orrest Head from Windermere station
About 30 minutes
A short climb straight from Windermere station through woodland to Orrest Head, a 360 degree viewpoint over Windermere and the central fells.
Moderate · 8.3 km · 257 m up
Carron Crag trail, Grizedale Forest
About 2 hours
Grizedale's purple waymarked trail from the visitor centre to Carron Crag, the forest's highest point, with views to the Coniston fells.