Family Day Out Review: Windermere Lake Cruises*

We love Windermere Lake and have visited it a couple of times but this was the first time we decided to spend a few nights with our children discovering the place and doing a bit more sightseeing. We had the opportunity to visit World of Beatrix Potter as well as Windermere Jetty Museum while we were there.

We wanted to see more of the lake and decided that the best way, was to take the Windermere Lake Cruises.  Since we were staying in Bowness-on-Windermere, we decided to book the 24 hours ‘Freedom of the Lake’ passes which was convenient as we could sail and stop at different locations at our leisure.

What did we think of it?

The boats from Bowness was frequent, and because we had the Freedom of the Lake passes, we could hop on most of the boats. We wanted to head towards Ambleside so we hopped on the Red Cruise.

Our first stop was Brockhole which is a fabulous family-friendly destination and my kid’s favourite place as there was so much to do there. You could easily spend a day there, just remember to pre-book your slots online (you could also book tickets on-site but need to wait depending on how busy it is) as it does get busy during the school holidays.

There are lots of adventure sort of activities to do there (which need to be paid for) such as giant trampolines, walkways, slides and tunnels all made out of netting suspended in ancient woodland.  There is also a play area (which is free) as well as Treetop Trek which is an adventure course ideal for anyone aged 5 and above. There are of course other fun things to do such as Minibeast Hunts, Archery as well as discovering Brockhole House and Gardens. There are lots of food stalls here as well so kids will be well fed.

Our next stop was Ambleside, which is another lovely town in Cumbria. We walked from the jetty area into town and the walk was scenic. We passed by lots of parks and kids had the chance to play in the water by the lake too. It was a lovely day so lots of people were swimming and boating in the lakes. We headed to town to have lunch and then stopped by White Platts Recreation Ground for some Crazy Golf. It was a beautiful day, so we enjoyed an ice-cream as we walked back to catch our return boat to Bowness.

Of course, depending on which way you head on the boat, there is much to see/do such as Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway, Wray Castle, Lakes Aquarium, Holker Hall and Gardens or National Trust properties such as Fell Foot as well as Hill Top which was Beatrix Potter’s 17th-century farmhouse.

The boat ride itself was very comfy and relaxing, there was snack bars available as well as clean toilets and we actually went on the boat again before our ticket expired just to enjoy a scenic ride which took just more than an hour.  It is also a great way to park up by the jetty and enjoy the towns around the lake without worrying about traffic jams and where to park your car. We can’t wait to return to explore more boat rides with Windermere Lake Cruises to discover these places.

Here’s a youtube video of the Red Cruise

How much are the tickets?

You can opt to sail from Bowness, Brockhole, Lakeside or Wray Castle.  We chose to sail from Bowness as we stayed in town and took the Red Cruise which took us from Bowness → Brockhole → Ambleside (Waterhead) → Bowness.  Tickets start at £9 for adults and £4.50 for children (for an ‘Islands’ cruise from Bowness). Family tickets and 24 hour ‘Freedom of the Lake’ passes are also available, while dogs travel free of charge.

We opted for the Freedom of the Lake Family Ticket for 2 adults and 2 kids which cost £52.  Our tickets were valid for 24 hours and we could hop on and hop off at any of the routes which was great, as it gave us time and flexibility to explore each of the places.

When do they Sail?

You can take the boat from Bowness or Brockhole or Ambleside (Waterhead).

By Car

• M6 motorway traffic should use junction 36.
• Follow signs for south Lakes and then brown signs to Windermere Lake Cruises (on the A590 to Lakeside) or (A591 for Bowness and Ambleside).

Car Parking

Bowness Pier
Postcode: LA23 3HQ

Once you have reached the pier follow signs for car parking. There are 6 council-run car parks within 15 mins walk.

Ambleside Pier (Waterhead)
Postcode: LA22 0EY

Their customers’ car park has 21 spaces and costs £5.00 to park all day. In addition, there are 200 spaces in a public pay and display car park close to the pier.

Lakeside Pier
Postcode: LA12 8AS

There are 300 spaces within just a few metres of their pier and offer up to 10 hours of parking for just £4.00.

Fun Facts

• At 10.5 miles long and 200 feet deep, Windermere (‘mere’ meaning ‘lake’) is England’s longest natural
lake. It was created during the Ice Age when glaciers carved out a deep valley which gradually filled with
water.
• Official figures from VisitEngland show Windermere Lake Cruises ranks high in the top ten list of ‘paid
for’ visitor attractions, occupying a top-five position for several years – with 1.63 million passenger
journeys annually.
• Windermere Lake Cruises currently operates 16 vessels, including 3 historic ‘steamers’, 4 traditional
wooden launches and 9 waterbuses. There is also an array of self-drive vessels and rowing boats.
• There are 100+ daily scheduled sailings on the lake at the height of the summer season. They vary
between 30 minutes and 90 minutes in length and can include round trips or one-way sailings from one
part of the lake to another.
• Passengers can sail from several lakeside locations including Waterhead (Ambleside), Bowness and
Lakeside, with new links to a network of easy walking trails and family-friendly cycling routes.
• Windermere’s tranquil western shore is renowned as one of the poet William Wordsworth’s favourite
walking spots. He said, “None of the other lakes unfold so many fresh beauties”.
• Built-in 1891, the iconic MV Tern is the lake’s oldest ‘steamer’ and even hosted the Olympic Torch as
part of its nationwide relay for the 2012 Olympic Games.
• Windermere is home to a variety of rare wildlife including the goldeneye duck, tufted duck, red-breasted merganser and pochard. Red deer roam the ancient woodland on the lake’s western shore and
it is one of the few places in the UK where you might spot a red squirrel.
• Windermere has inspired generations of artists, writers and poets. Take the famous ‘Swallows and
Amazons’ adventure books by Arthur Ransome and the recent film production.
• Sail on one of Windermere’s historic vessels and follow in Royal footsteps. Her Majesty the Queen
has sailed onboard ‘MV Teal’ twice (1956 and 2013), while ‘Queen of the Lake’ also participated in the
Diamond Jubilee Pageant.
• Windermere Lake Cruises also operates an eco-friendly ‘self-drive’ fleet of small electric boats for
private hire. With zero carbon emissions and virtually no noise, the so-called ‘Mystics’ are ideal for
exploring the tranquil western shore of Windermere and its many hidden islands and bays.

About Windermere Lake Cruises

We offer a range of relaxing scenic cruises on Windermere – England’s largest natural lake.  Sailings every day except Christmas Day from Lakeside, Bowness & Ambleside Piers. A range of cruises are available from a 45 minute circular to the great value Freedom of the Lake ticket, which is valid on any of our scheduled sailings for a 24 hour period. Book online for special offers, download a timetable or contact us for more info.

You may also want to read this:

The World of Beatrix Potter in Bowness-on-Windermere

Tudor World History Museum in Stratford-Upon-Avon Review

Family Day Out Review : Madame Tussauds Blackpool

*We were gifted a family ticket in return for the feature.  All opinions are our own.