Designed Landscapes around Windermere from 1880-1920

The landscape around Windermere and Bowness in the§heart of the English Lake District continues to charm§and attract holidaymakers from around the world. Easy§lake access, forest walks, open fields with stunning§views to distant fells, and town amenities within§easy reach, all combine to make the area attractive§to tourists and residents alike. How did such an§aesthetically pleasing landscape evolve? Was it§designed or mere chance? If it was designed what were§the ideas behind it? How were the public able to gain§access to private land with such a pleasing variety§of landscapes? These questions were the starting§points for an investigation into the exceptional§landscape around Windermere that we§enjoy today. Three case studies were chosen from§different types of designed landscapes: Blackwell,§the Arts and Crafts house and garden south of Bowness§for villa landscapes; Queen Adelaide's§Hill for amenity landscapes, preserved from§development by the newly-fledged National Trust; and§Claife Woods, a commercial woodland and also one of§the first examples of multiple-use forestry in the§country.