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Windermere - Main Road

Rio's shopping area

Cumbria, Westmorland, Bowness, Boat Landing

Boats and piers at Rio

The little town is known in guide-books by another name, but the crew of the Swallow had long ago given it the name of Rio Grande — (SA3)

Rio is a town on the shore of The Lake which serves as the principal link with the rest of England, having a railway station (on a hill a short bus ride up from the village) and shops. On Rio Bay there is a steamer pier (one of several piers) and the boatbuilders.

  • the little town a mile higher up the lake than Holly Howe (SA3).

Etymology[]

Rio is named for the destination Rio Grande mentioned in the sea song 'Away to Rio' (SA3). The canonical pronunciation of Rio might be "rye-oh" rather than "ree-oh".

Nancy says ... we'll agree to Rio. It's a good name (SA10). Like Kanchenjunga the native name for Rio is never mentioned.

Native prototypes[]

Rio is obviously based on the small towns of Bowness-on-Windermere and Windermere, which share the same geographical layout with, for example, the railway station in Windermere, a short bus ride uphill from the steamer pier in Bowness. The name Bowness is mentioned in Winter Holiday by the smith: Did you hear Bill Bowness got right down to Low End on the ice and a wetting in the river and all, for trying to go too far (WD13).

Bowness-on-Windermere photograph and location map


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