Freedom Of The Lake ®
Unlimited boat travel for 24 hours on all routes | ⚓ See the full lake on this ticket: Lakeside ↔ Bowness ↔ Ambleside in 🕘 over 3 hours
Springtime Walker's Ticket
A stunning circular route of Windermere by boat & lakeshore walk
 | Springtime Walker's Ticket ended on 23 May 2025. From 24 May 2025 onwards, please see our standard Walkers Ticket that doesn't use the Windermere Car Ferry as a return boat. |
🗺️: Download/view bigger route map in PDF format
Leave the car behind and enjoy a beautiful springtime walk around Windermere. The Springtime Walker's Ticket combines 2 boat cruises with a stunning 4 mile walk along the quiet western shore. To complete the circuit you'll catch the council-run Windermere Car Ferry and then follow the lake-shore trail through National Trust's Cockshott Point.
Get treated to breath-taking views of the lake and enjoy the seasonal delights of daffodils and tree blossom before returning to your starting position.
Please allow over 4 hours to enjoy this day out and bring suitable outdoor clothing and footwear.
So much to see on your walk along the western shore:
- Claife Viewing Station (pictured) - National Trust - FREE
- Wray - National Trust - FREE
- Bark Barn Jetty - stunning lake views from our most remote pier.
Prices
| Adult | Child (5-15) | Family (2 adults and up to 3 kids) |
| £17.30 (+£1.10 on Car Ferry) | £10.00 (+£1.10 on Car Ferry) | £47.50 (+£1.10 per person on Car Ferry) |
- Sorry, this ticket cannot be bought online, just come to any ticket office on the day to purchase your tickets.
- Windermere Car Ferry will cost £1.10 per person - this is not included in the springtime walker's ticket. Find out more on their website.
Your route options
Ambleside → Wray Castle → Walk to Ferry House (4 miles/6.4km) → Car Ferry to Ferry Nab → Walk to Bowness Pier (1 mile/1.6km) → Bowness → Ambleside
- Starting at Ambleside you take a traditional wooden launch to Wray Castle jetty. Before you begin your walk you could visit National Trust Wray Estate (free to visit).
- Take the path left of the boathouse to follow the lake shore south to Ferry House (where the Car Ferry departs from).
- Take a slight 5 minutes detour to visit National Trust Claife Station (free to visit)
- Catch the car ferry (every 20 minutes) to Ferry Nab
- Follow the path to Bowness Pier to catch your final boat back to Ambleside
Bowness → Ambleside → Wray Castle → Walk to Ferry House (4 miles/6.4km) → Car Ferry to Ferry Nab → Walk to Bowness Pier (1 mile/1.6km)
- Alternatively, you can start at Bowness, sail north to Ambleside and catch the traditional wooden launch to Wray Jetty and then follow the lake shore south to Ferry House. Catch the Car ferry back to Bowness for your third boat trip of the day.
Start at Brockhole or Windermere Jetty (Museum)
- You can also start your circuit at Windermere Jetty (Museum) or Brockhole, but please note that there is limited car parking at these venues/piers.
How it works
You can choose to start your circular route from Bowness, Ambleside, Brockhole or Windermere Jetty Museum (click to jump to that section).
🕑 Suggested timings are listed below:
Starting in Bowness
- Join your 1st boat of the day, Red Cruise to Ambleside, then change at Ambleside for Green Cruise to Wray Castle:
| (1) 🛳️ Leave Bowness on Red Cruise | (2) 🛳️ Leave Ambleside on Green Cruise | (3) 🚶 Start your walk from Wray to the Car Ferry at Ferry House. | (4) 🛳️ Return to Bowness on the Car Ferry then walk back to Bowness |
| START AT 09:50 (arrive 10:25) | 11:00 (arrive 11:15) | 11:20 (walk takes 2hrs+) | Car Ferry every 20 minutes and 25 minute walk back to Bowness Pier. Estimated return to Bowness at 14:45. |
| START AT 10:15 (arrive 10:50) | 11:00 | 11:20 (walk takes 2hrs+) | Car Ferry every 20 minutes and 25 minute walk back to Bowness Pier. Estimated return to Bowness at 14:45. |
| START AT 10:40 (arrive 11:20) | 12:15 (arrive 12:30) | 12:35 (walk takes 2hrs+) | Car Ferry every 20 minutes and 25 minute walk back to Bowness Pier. Estimated return to Bowness at 16:00. |
| START AT 11:10 (arrive 11:40) | 12:15 (arrive 12:30) | 12:35 (walk takes 2hrs+) | Car Ferry every 20 minutes and 25 minute walk back to Bowness Pier. Estimated return to Bowness at 16:00. |
- (3) Start your gentle 4 mile walk along the scenic lake-shore forest path. 📄 Download map (PDF)
Starting in Brockhole
- Join your 1st boat of the day to Ambleside, then change at Ambleside for Green Cruise to Wray Castle, walk and then 2 boats back to Brockhole:
| (1) 🛳️ Leave Brockhole for Ambleside | (2) 🛳️ Leave Ambleside for Wray on Green Cruise | (3) 🚶 Start your walk from Wray to the Car Ferry at Ferry House. | (4) 🛳️ Leave the Car Ferry and walk to Bowness | (5) 🛳️ Leave Bowness on Red Cruise to Brockhole |
| START AT 10:10 - Red Cruise (arrive 10:25) | 11:00 (arrive 11:15) | 11:20 (walk takes 2hrs+) | 13:30 (arrive 14:00) | 14:50 (arrive Brockhole 15:15) |
| START AT 10:20 - Green Cruise (arrive 10:40) | 11:00 | 11:20 (walk takes 2hrs+) | 13:30 (arrive 14:00) | 14:50 (arrive Brockhole 15:15) |
| START AT 11:05 - Red Cruise (arrive 11:20) | 12:15 (arrive 12:30) | 12:35 (walk takes 2hrs+) | 15:00 (arrive 15:30) | 16:00 (arrive Brockhole 16:15) |
| START AT 11:30 - Green Cruise (arrive 11:50) | 12:15 (arrive 12:30) | 12:35 (walk takes 2hrs+) | 15:00 (arrive 15:30) | 16:00 (arrive Brockhole 16:15) |
| START AT 11:55 - Red Cruise (arrive 12:10) | 12:15 (arrive 12:30) | 12:35 (walk takes 2hrs+) | 15:00 (arrive 15:30) | 16:00 (arrive Brockhole 16:15) |
- (3) Start your gentle 4.5 mile walk to the Car Ferry along the scenic lake-shore forest path 📄 Download map (PDF)
Starting in Ambleside (Waterhead)
- Join your 1st boat of the day to Wray Castle, enjoy your walk to Ferry House and then head back to Bowness for your boat back to Ambleside:
| (1) 🛳️ Leave Ambleside for Wray on Green Cruise | (2) 🚶 Start your walk from Wray to the Car Ferry at Ferry House | (3) 🛳️ Leave the Car Ferry and walk to Bowness | (4) 🛳️ Return to Ambleside on the Red Cruise from Bowness |
| START AT 9:50 (arrive 10:05) | 10:10 (walk takes 2hrs+) | 12:40 | 13:30 (arrive 14:00) |
| START AT 11:00 (arrive 11:15) | 11:20 | 14:15 (arrive 14:45) | 14:50 (arrive 15:30) |
| START AT 12:15 (arrive 12:30) | 12:35 (walk takes 2hrs+) | 15:05 (arrive 15:35) | 15:35 (arrive 16:05) |
| START AT 13:45 (arrive 14:00) | 14:05 (walk takes 2hrs+) | 16:40 (arrive 17:10) | 17:10 (arrive 17:45) |
- (2) Start your gentle 4.5 mile walk to the Car ferry along the scenic lake-shore forest path 📄 Download map (PDF)
Starting at Windermere Jetty Museum
- Join your 1st boat of the day to Ambleside, then change at Ambleside for Green Cruise to Wray Castle, walk to Ferry House and catch the boat back to Bowness and change for boat to Windermere Jetty Museum:
| (1) 🛳️ Depart Windermere Jetty for Ambleside on Red Cruise | (2) 🛳️ Depart Ambleside for Wray on Green Cruise | (3) 🚶 Start your walk from Wray to Car Ferry at Ferry House | (4) 🛳️ Leave the Car Ferry and walk to Bowness | (5) 🛳️ Depart Bowness for Windermere Jetty on Red Cruise |
| START AT 10:50 (arrive 11:20) | 12:15 (arrive 12:30) | 12:35 (walk takes 2hrs+) | 15:15 (arrive 15:35) | 16:00 (arrive Windermere Jetty 16:10) |
- (3) Start your gentle 4 mile walk to the Car Ferry along the scenic lake-shore forest path 📄 Download map (PDF)
Additional Information
- Sorry, this ticket cannot be bought online, just come to any ticket office on the day to purchase your tickets.
- Windermere Car Ferry will cost £1.10 per person - this is not included in the springtime walker's ticket. Find out more on their website.
- The walks are all clearly signposted, but for more guidance download and print out our walk guide..