Windermere: Boating
Hiring boats
Boats can be hired from Waterhead, Low Wood, Bowness and Fell Foot Park. These vary from rowing boats to sailing boats or self-drive motor boats.
Cruises
Take to the water to truly experience Windermere. The many different options and tickets allow you to hop off, walk back or just sit back and watch the mountains, woodlands and islands unfold before you.
To plan your own voyage of discovery, take a look at Windermere Lake Cruises (opens in new window).
Canoeing
- Windermere Canoe and Kayak (opens in new window) on Ferry Nab Road, Bowness
Sailing
Follow in the footsteps, or rather wake, of Arthur Ransome's "Swallows and Amazons" and take up dinghy sailing! These places offer courses:
- Low Wood Watersports and Activity Centre (opens in new window).
- Windermere Outdoor Adventure and Watersport Centre, Leigh Groves Building, Rayrigg Road, Bowness-on-Windermere 015394 47183
For keeled yachts:
- Ark Sailing (opens in new window)
- Lakeline Sailing 015394 44648
- Maples for Yachting (opens in new window).
Sailing Clubs
- Lake District Boat Club (opens in new window)
- Royal Windermere Yacht Club (opens in new window).
- South Windermere Sailing Club (opens in new window).
Waterskiiing and Powerboating
- Low Wood Watersports and Activity Centre (opens in new window).
Ferry
A car ferry links Ferry Nab on the eastern shore of Windermere with Ferry House, Far Sawrey on the west. For details see Windermere - Getting around.
Boat launching and storage
Ferry Nab is the main public launching area with a public car park, toilet and shower facilities, public jetties, sailing dinghy storage and tender storage. It's the only public slipway available for power boats and large boats.
Small motor boats (5 horsepower or less) may launch from Waterhead. Sailing dinghies, canoes and rowing boats may be launched from several areas on National Trust land, Rayrigg Meadow and Beech Hill.
There are several private and commercial launching points, predominately on the eastern shore. These include sailing and power boat clubs, caravan parks, commercial jetties and marinas and several outdoor pursuit and activity centres.
Useful numbers:
- Lake Warden 015394 42753
- Maiden Marina 015394 88050
- White Cross Bay 015394 43937
- Windermere Aquatic 015394 42121
- Windermere Marina Village (opens in new window) 015394 46551
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