 The ferry Mallard setting out from the ramp at Far Sawry for the east shore at Bowness in October 2016 | |
| Transit type | Cable ferry |
|---|---|
| Carries | up to 18 cars (depending on size) / 100 passengers |
| Operator | Westmorland and Furness Council |
| Frequency | Every 20 minutes |
The Windermere Ferry is a vehicular cable ferry which crosses Windermere, the largest lake in England and located within English county of Cumbria.[1] 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 Westmorland and Furness Council.
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.
The historic county boundary between Lancashire and Westmorland runs down the western shore of the lake and also along about three miles (5 km) of the southern section of the eastern shore. Anyone crossing the lake from east to west on the Windermere Ferry thus travels from the historic county of Westmorland to that of Lancashire.
- ^ "The Largest Lake in England". Discovery. Discovery. Retrieved 9 May 2024.