Choose your skip size in Windermere
Not sure which size you need? Compare dimensions, capacity and typical uses — every size below is available in Windermere.
Local area guide
Skip hire in Windermere
Windermere is a small town in the Lake District, in Cumbria, set just above the eastern shore of England's largest natural lake, which shares its name. The town merges with neighbouring Bowness-on-Windermere down by the water, and together they have a population of roughly 8,000. That number grows sharply in the tourist season. Before the Victorian era there was only a small hamlet here called Birthwaite. The town took the name Windermere after the railway arrived in 1847.
The coming of the railway transformed the area. William Wordsworth famously protested against the line, fearing it would spoil the landscape. It went ahead anyway, and wealthy industrialists from Lancashire and Yorkshire began building grand villas along the lake. Many of these handsome houses, built from local slate and stone, still line the roads between Windermere and Bowness. Some are now hotels and guesthouses, and they give the town much of its Victorian character.
The lake is about 10.5 miles long and has been a centre of boating life for more than a century. Windermere Lake Cruises runs steamers and launches between Ambleside, Bowness and Lakeside, where they connect with the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway. The Windermere Jetty Museum holds an important collection of historic boats. The World of Beatrix Potter attraction in Bowness celebrates the author, who lived nearby and did much to protect the Lake District landscape.
Just above the town is Orrest Head, a short climb with sweeping views across the lake to the central fells. Alfred Wainwright described it as the place where his love of the fells began after his first visit in 1930. Windermere lies inside the Lake District National Park, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017. It is a popular base for walkers, climbers, cyclists and water-sports fans, with a strong mix of independent shops, cafés, pubs and outdoor retailers.
Windermere station is the end of the branch line from Oxenholme, where it connects with the West Coast Main Line for London, Manchester and Glasgow. The A591 runs through the town, linking it to Kendal and the M6 at Junction 36 to the south, and Ambleside, Grasmere and Keswick to the north. Homes range from large Victorian villas and slate-built terraces to traditional Lakeland cottages. The town also has a high number of guesthouses, holiday lets and second homes, alongside more modern family housing on the edges of town.






