England

Belle Isle (Windermere)

The largest of Windermere's islands and the only one ever permanently inhabited; site of England's first round house, built in 1774.

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Belle Isle (Windermere)

Part of the England islands map.

Names

English: Belle Isle

Geography

A wooded, oval island roughly 1 km long in the centre of England's largest natural lake.

Geology

Bedrock: Silurian Rocks (Undifferentiated) (Mudstone, Siltstone And Sandstone), Silurian–Silurian. Contains British Geological Survey materials © UKRI 2026, licensed under the BGS Open Data Licence (OGL v3.0). Source: BGS DigMapGB-625 Bedrock & Superficial WMS.

History

Privately owned by the Curwen family for over 200 years. The round house is Grade II* listed.

How to reach it

Privately owned — viewable only from passing Windermere Lake Cruises ferries.

Accommodation

Not open to the public; no accommodation available.

Nearby and related islands

Sources

Last reviewed: 2026-08-13.