It was previously the terminus of the Furness Railway's Ulverston-Lakeside Line, which was closed as part of the Beeching Axe in 1965.

The station was opened to passengers on 2 June 1869 by the Furness Railway, along with the branch from Plumpton Junction (just off the Leven Viaduct, on the Ulverston to Carnforth line) to Windermere Lake Side; a formal opening of the branch had taken place the day before.

[2] Trains were timed to coincide with sailings by the Windermere United Yacht Company from the adjacent pier.

[2] After services stopped, the station fell into disrepair and, in 1978, British Rail removed the roof and demolished the clock tower.

[10] British Rail sold off the steamboat service to the Bowness Bay Boating Company, who were still operating day trips on Windermere in 2020.