- published: 25 Apr 2012
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Windermere is the largest natural lake in England. It is a ribbon lake formed in a glacial trough after the retreat of ice at the start of the current interglacial. It has been one of the country’s most popular places for holidays and summer homes since the arrival of the Kendal and Windermere Railway's branch line in 1847. It is in the county of Cumbria and entirely within the Lake District National Park. Windermere has also been the venue for the Great North Swim since 2008.
The word "Windermere" is thought to translate as "Vinandr's lake", from the Old Norse name Vinandr and Old English mere, meaning lake. It was known as "Winander Mere" or "Winandermere" until at least the nineteenth century.
Its name suggests it is a mere, a lake that is broad in relation to its depth, but despite the name this is not the case for Windermere, which in particular has a noticeable thermocline, distinguishing it from typical meres. Until the 19th century, the term "lake" was, indeed, not much used by or known to the native inhabitants of the area, who referred to it as Windermere/Winandermere Water, or (in their dialect) Windermer Watter. The name Windermere or Windermer was used of the parish that had clearly taken its name from the water. The extensive parish included most of Undermilnbeck (that is, excepting Winster and the part of Crook chapelry that lay west of the Gilpin, which were part of Kirkby Kendal parish), Applethwaite, Troutbeck and Ambleside-below-Stock, that is, the part of Ambleside that lay south of Stock Beck. The parish church was at Bowness in Undermilnbeck.
I hope these last words
Will echo on your way
I know you'll forget them,
It's pointless to say
You, you have it all
So why should you feel satisfied?
I see it when you're quiet
I see it when you smile
No matter how hard I try
You're still not satisfied
You, you have it all
So why should you feel satisfied?
I give it all, you take some more
And lose it
I build it up, you tear it down