Windermere Ferry

The Windermere Ferry is a vehicular cable ferry which crosses Windermere, a lake in the English county of Cumbria. The ferry route forms part of the B5285 road and crosses the lake at about its midpoint, from Ferry Nab in Bowness-on-Windermere to Ferry House at Far Sawrey, a distance of some 490 metres (540 yd). The ferry is owned and operated by Cumbria County Council.[1][2][3]

Windermere Ferry
The ferry Mallard setting out from the ramp at Far Sawry for the east shore at Bowness in October 2016
Transit typeCable ferry
Carriesup to 18 cars (depending on size) / 100 passengers
OperatorCumbria County Council
Travel time10 minutes
FrequencyEvery 20 minutes
No. of vessels1 (Mallard)

The ferry operates all year, with services every 20 minutes from early morning to mid-evening. Each crossing can carry up to 18 cars and over 100 passengers and takes less than 10 minutes. A toll is charged. If the ferry is not operating, the alternative is a road journey of approximately 15 miles (24 km) around either the head or foot of the lake.[2][3]

History
A steam ferry on the route in the late 19th century

There has been a ferry at the site of the current Windermere Ferry for more than 500 years, with the earliest craft being rowed across the lake. During this period there was one recorded disaster, in 1635, when the ferry capsized and forty-seven people perished. The first cable ferry, powered by steam, commenced operation in 1870. New ferry boats were introduced to the route in 1915 and 1954, when a boat named Drake was introduced.[3][4][5]

The current ferry boat, named Mallard, was built in 1990 and can carry up to 18 cars and over 100 passengers. The ferry underwent its most recent five-yearly refit and full inspection in April/May 2014. The refit cost £300,000 and involved rebuilding the engines and servicing all hydraulic, mechanical and electrical systems on the ferry, together with a full repaint.[1][2][3][6]

On 26 May 2018, the Mallard suffered an engine room fire which disabled the ferry during a crossing. One of the local cruise boats provided emergency assistance and took the passengers on board. Whilst the ferry was out of action, Cumbria County Council arranged for Windermere Lake Cruises to continue a reduced pedestrian crossing over the lake. The Mallard returned to service on 27 October after having been repaired and fitted with a new engine.[3][7][8]

References
  1. Hall, Nick (November 2006). "Chained links". Ships Monthly. IPC Country & Leisure Media. pp. 17–21.
  2. "Windermere ferry". Cumbria County Council. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008. Retrieved 12 November 2008.
  3. "Windermere ferry". Cumbria County Council. Archived from the original on 28 October 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  4. Hunt, Irvine (1975). Fenty's Album. Windermere: Pinewood Publications. p. 72. ISBN 090435802X.
  5. "Ferry boats on Windermere date back to 1200s". Cumberland & Westmorland Herald. 1 June 2002. Archived from the original on 28 October 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  6. "Windermere ferry set for refit". Cumbria County Council. 14 April 2014. Archived from the original on 18 August 2014. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
  7. "Windermere ferry". Cumbria County Council. Archived from the original on 7 July 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  8. "Windermere ferry reopens six months after fire". BBC News. 28 October 2018. Archived from the original on 28 October 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2018.


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