#Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway

[masonwriter]

Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway

This had been something that my dad had wanted to do while we were staying here, and it was a great experience with a lot of memories brought up from my childhood. The Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway runs between Haverthwaite and Lakeside (Lake Windermere) stations. It allows you to travel in a unique way (by steam train) to Lake Windermere while taking in the beautiful surroundings. The…

[i-traveller]

  Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway engine

Saturday 15 September

Today is considerably better for weather, especially in the afternoon.

On impulse, we drive to Haverthwaite and on impulse catch the steam train followed by the Windermere lake steamer to Bowness.

Owls at Haverthwaite

Whilst we waited for the train we were entertained by two very friendly owls much to the amusement of some of the children.

It is a long time since we have been in this area and have never really seen the southern end of the lake either from the train or from the boat.

The steam engine was a little blue one without a visible number on the front and carriages it pulled slowly to Lakeside from Haverthwaite were just as they would have been in the 1960s with soft “bouncy” seats and windows that open.

Just sitting back and imagining how our ancestors would have got here before the modern transport of today!

At Lakeside, we transfer to the boat which is virtually moored alongside the platform it is that close and head off on the still waters of Lake Windermere at a sedate speed.

Sailing on the Lake

Lots of activity on the lake, canoes, Kayak, rowing boats but mostly sailing boats with a couple of races being held.

The lake now has a speed limit on it so nothing outrageously fast was seen.

All sorts of Lake activities

Having driven along the shores of the lake from Lakeland and Ambleside, you see some entrances to waterfront houses as you pass inland but it is only when you are on the lake do you really appreciate that those houses are something else.

Our ship’s tannoy does mention who owns some of them but there is not much attention being paid by many of the foreigners on the boat and therefore much of the words are also lost on the rest of the passengers.  The crew did try though.

Our return from Bowness was on the oldest boat on the lake, built in 1897, and of course the return train to Haverthwaite.

A couple of my favourite looking houses were these but there were so many.

Lakeside House

Lakeside house

That’s it for another day – off to Ulverston tomorrow.

Windermere by train and boat Saturday 15 September Today is considerably better for weather, especially in the afternoon. On impulse, we drive to Haverthwaite and on impulse catch the steam train followed by the Windermere lake steamer to Bowness.