rowing boat on Windermere

Boat hire and boat trips on Windermere

Windermere lake guide

Windermere Lake Guide

Our Windermere lake guide shows you where to park, where to catch ferries and hire boats, footpaths and cycle routes to explore and lake shore towns with facilities like toilets and cafes.

Windermere Lake Guide
Boat on Lake Windermere - Brockhole

Brockhole Boat Hire

Brockhole lakeshore is the place to hire self-drive boats, rowing boats, sit on top kayaks, open canoes and paddle boards on Lake Windermere. Join our Lakeshore team for a true Lake District water sports experience.

Brockhole Boat Hire

Cruise boat on Windermere lake

Windermere Lake Cruises

Take to the water to truly experience Windermere. There are different  routes and tickets so you can  hop off, walk back or just sit back and relax, and watch the mountains, woodlands and islands unfold before you.

Windermere Lake Cruises.

Lakeland Adventures

Lakeland Adventures

Luxury skippered yachting experiences with Lakeland Adventures. These yachts are ideally suited for sailing on Windermere.

Lakeland Adventures

Hire a boat on Windermere

Motor boat hire on Windermere

Rowing boat hire on Windermere

Canoeing, Kayaking and Paddleboarding

Sailing dingies and yachts

Ferry

A car ferry links Ferry Nab on the eastern shore of Windermere with Ferry House, Far Sawrey on the west. For details see Travel around Windermere.

Fishing

Windermere has arctic charr, brown trout, pike, perch, roach and eels, salmon and sea trout. You will need a rod licence to fish in any freshwater in the Lake District.

Staying safe on the water

Before heading out onto the water, take a look at our short water safety videos and guides.

Lake District Kind logo

#LakeDistrictKind

Things to know before you go, tips to plan a great trip and help us look after the landscape you love.

Be Lake District Kind

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 (five 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.

Pop in to Bowness Bay Information Centre for help and advice

Waterfront at Bowness Bay

We can help you with booking tickets and attractions, ideas for walks places to visit, and we've got a range of guidbooks, maps and gifts. See us on the south side of Bowness Bay, home to Bowness Information Centre.