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Windermere is the largest natural lake in England, part of what is often called the Lake District. Located in Cumbria, it has been one of the country's most popular places for holidays and summer homes since 1847, when the Kendal and Windermere Railway Company built a branch line to it.
Windermere is 10 1/2 miles long and roughly one mile wide, reaching a depth of about 220 feet. It is bordered on the south by ranges of hills that provide panoramic views and have long been popular with hikers. The lake is drained from its southernmost point by the River Leven.
There are two towns on the lake; Ambleside and Bowness-on-Windermere. Windermere town is actually a short distance away.
Racer Norman Buckley set several world waterspeed records on Lake Windermere in the 1950s.
For many years, power boating and waterskiing have been popular activities on the lake.
However, in March 2000, the Government controversially decided to put in place a compulsory 10 mph speed limit, starting from 29 March 2005.
Many organisations, including the Lake District National Park Authority, support the move, primarily on the grounds of restoring the tranquil nature of the lake and making it safer and more accessible for all users.
Opponents, particularly those interested in the affected sports, are concerned by the lack of other suitable inland waters to which to move these activities.
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