Visit Windermere Lake Cruises
Windermere Lake Cruises are a local institution. Offering a mixture of cruises, ferries and boat hire options to help you explore England’s biggest lake or simply get around!
The Perfect Location
Windermere Lake Cruises offers the chance to see Windermere from the water from a historic steamboat, or simply get from one port to another on a modern launch. You can go on private circular cruises on small boats with your own skipper or even rent your own boat.
There are night cruises and special events on boats regularly throughout the year. You can use the ferry service to get from Bowness-on-Windermere to Ambleside, Lakeside and a number of lake attractions.
Discover attractions in Bowness-on-Windermere that you can reach by boat.
Opening Hours & Timetable Information
The Windermere Lake Cruises timetable changes depending on the time of the year and the weather.
The earliest boat generally leaves Lakeside after 9 am, with the last sailing at around 17:30. Each stop has its own timetable. Sailings take around 40 minutes.
Pricing
Plan Your Adventure
Prices for the current season vary depending on the journey you are making. Fares are correct at the time of publication and reflect the current timetable and costs post-lockdown in 2021:
Cruise
Single →
Return ↩
Bowness ↔ Lakeside
Adults: £10.30 Children: £6.20
Adults: £13.70 Children: £6.90
Bowness ↔ Ambleside (Waterhead)
Adults: £9.80 Children: £5.90
Adults: £13.00 Children: £6.50
Bowness → Brockhole → Ambleside (Waterhead) → Bowness
Bowness ↔ Ambleside Price Only
Adults: £13.00 Children: £6.50
Haverthwaite ↔ Lakeside ↔ Bowness
Not Available
Adults: £19.00 Children: £9.50
Lakeside ↔ Bowness ↔ Ambleside (Waterhead)
Not Available
Adults: £24.00 Children: £12.00
Travel Information
Each pier and terminal is reached at the following addresses. Each location can be reached by car or by bus service.
Bowness Pier
LA23 3HQ
There is a long stay car park at Braithwaite Fold.
Ambleside Pier
LA22 0EY
There is a small customer car park and a larger public car park nearby.
Lakeside Pier
LA12 8AS
There is a large car park by the pier.
You can get the train to Oxenholme and either walk to Bowness pier or else get a bus to Bowness or one of the other piers. Check the Winder Lake Cruises site for more information.
Contact Information
All contact information can be found on the website.
FAQs
Anymore Questions?
Is There Parking?
Each pier has its own parking.
Bowness – long stay car park at Braithwaite Fold has 400 spaces.
Ambleside – Customer car park has 21 spaces – £5.00 all-day parking available. Public car park with 200 spaces nearby.
Lakeside – Parking with 300 spaces available for up to 10 hours for £4.00.
Are Toilets Available?
All our ships have toilet facilities onboard for those traveling. There are also toilets at the piers.
Can I Take My Dog?
Dogs can travel on all Windermere Lake Cruises and can travel at no extra cost.
Is It Wheelchair Accessible?
Not all of their boats are wheelchair accessible. Windermere Lake Cruises recommend calling ahead to check what boats will be making the crossings, particularly in bad weather. Toilets onboard are not suitable for wheelchairs, but the facilities at the piers are.
Is Pushchair Accessible?
The boats are friendly to pushchairs but there are some stairs on boats. As with wheelchairs, you may wish to call ahead to find out which boat is being used.
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Continue Your Lakeside Adventure with a Stay at Craig Manor Hotel!
After an enchanting journey with Windermere Lake Cruises, immerse yourself in the unparalleled beauty of the Lake District with a relaxing stay at Craig Manor Hotel. Nestled in the heart of Bowness-on-Windermere, our hotel offers the perfect retreat to unwind and rejuvenate after a day of exploration on the water.
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Other Attractions in Bowness-on-Windermere
Discover the delights of Bowness-on-Windermere with the Bowness Treasure Trail for kids and adults or go shopping in Bowness before returning to the hotel.
For more adventurous holidaymakers why not hire a kayak or bike from Windermere Canoe Kayak and Bike Hire or visit Go Ape Grizedale.
Cockshott
Distance: 3 miles – Recommended Time: 1+ hours
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