The Windermere area started as two villages - Windermere, by the railway station, and Bowness, by the lake. Bowness-on-Windermere is a sprawling tourist town on the shore of Windermere, about halfway along the 12 mile length of the lake between Waterhead at the North end, and Lakeside at the South end. It developed after the opening of the railway line from Oxenholme and Kendal to Windermere in 1847. Bowness was the nearest accessible point on the lake. The Victorian influence can be seen everywhere - in the late 19th century, wealthy businessmen from Lancashire built large residences overlooking the lake, many of which have now been converted to hotels. Ther population is now approximately 8500.