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Freedom Of The Lake ®

Enjoy a full day out on Windermere

Explore the whole of Windermere and enjoy a full day out with a Freedom of the Lake ® ticket.
Our best value cruise ticket is valid on all scheduled sailings and is valid for 24 hours from time of purchase or when you exchange your online e-voucher for your ticket at our piers.

The ticket is valid on all of the following cruises:

  • Full length of Windermere | Lakeside ↔ Ambleside (Waterhead) - combining Red & Yellow Cruise
  • Red Cruise | Half of the lake: Bowness → Brockhole → Ambleside (Waterhead) → Bowness
  • Yellow Cruise | Half of the lake: Bowness ↔ Lakeside
  • Islands (Blue) Cruise | Bowness ↺
  • Green Cruise | Ambleside (Waterhead) → Wray Castle → Brockhole → Ambleside (Waterhead)

The Freedom of the Lake ® ticket allows you to sit back, relax and see the whole of the lake. Travel the full length of Lake Windermere in just under 3 hours.

Standard Ticket Prices (valid from Saturday 2nd April 2022 until Sunday 30th October 2022)

  • Prices below are return fares
  • Book your tickets by selecting a date in the 'Book Your Cruise' box below.
Adults Children Families
£26.50£13.25£72.00

Additional Information

Explore Windermere to the full with 'The Freedom of the Lake'.

Explore Windermere to the full with 'The Freedom of the Lake'.

Enjoy a full day on Windermere and have time to explore the full length of the lake.

Book Your Cruise

Select a date to view prices and sailing times.

  • Child prices are valid for children aged 5-15 years. Children under 5 travel free.
  • Family tickets are valid for 2 adults and 3 children.

Timetable

Our ‘Freedom of the Lake' ticket is valid on all our scheduled sailings (includes blue, red, yellow and green cruises) for a period of 24 hours.

We are unable to show all the timetable options for this great value ticket on one page, please refer back to our ‘cruises’ page for details or download a printed version of our brochures.

Additional Information

Download Timetable (PDF) Service Status Route Map Access & Facilities

Download Timetable (PDF)

Summer 2022 Timetable (2 Apr-27 May 2022)

File Size: 1.406 MB

Summer 2022 Timetable (28 May -5 June 2022)

File Size: 1.411 MB

Summer 2022 Timetable (6 June-22 July 2022)

File Size: 1.405 MB

Summer 2022 Timetable (23 July - 4 September 2022)

File Size: 1.428 MB

Summer 2022 Timetable (5 September - 23 October 2022)

File Size: 1.41 MB

Summer 2022 Timetable (24 October - 30 October 2022)

File Size: 1.391 MB

Green Cruise Timetable (2 April - 30 October 2022)

File Size: 865.928 kB

Lake Spotter's Guide - information on the main things to look out for around the lake

File Size: 1.112 MB

Service Status

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Service Status

🔴 RED CRUISE Bowness → Brockhole → Ambleside Waterhead✔️ Services OK
🟡 YELLOW CRUISE
Bowness ↔ Lakeside

✔️ Services OK

🔵 ISLANDS CRUISE

Bowness ↻

✔️ Services OK
🚤 MOTOR BOAT HIRE from Bowness
Bowness Beach / Bowness Dock ↻
✔️ Services OK
🚤 MOTOR BOAT HIRE from WaterheadWaterhead (near Ambleside) ↻

✔️ Services OK

🟤 YELLOW CRUISE & STEAM TRAINHaverthwaite ↔ Lakeside ↔ Bowness✔️ Services OK
🟢 GREEN CRUISEAmbleside → Wray Castle → Brockhole → Ambleside
✔️ Services OK
🚶 WALKERS TICKETBowness → Brockhole → Wray Castle → Walk ↻
✔️ Services OK
🚣 ROW BOAT HIRE from BownessBowness Beach / Bowness Dock ↻✔️ Services OK
🚣 ROW BOAT HIRE from WaterheadWaterhead (near Ambleside) ↻✔️ Services OK

⚪ CROSS LAKES SHUTTLE

Bowness ↔ Ferry House❌ Sorry, not running
⚫ FELL FOOT FERRYLakeside ↔ Fell Foot
❌ Sorry, not running

🕑: We are now running to our Summer timetable

Route Map

Load Map

Access & Facilities

♿ Disabled Access

Four different types of vessels operate our services with varying accessibility.

  • ♿ MV Swift - (marked with a green wheelchair icon on our timetables): our most accessible vessel - step-free access from pier to indoor/outdoor seating & accessible toilet
  • ♿ 'Steamers' MV Swan/Teal - (marked with black wheelchair icon on our timetables) - step-free access from pier to indoor/outdoor seating. Toilets down steep steps.
  • ❌ 'Steamer' Tern & modern launches like Miss Cumbria/Miss Lakeland - are not recommended for customers with limited mobility
  • ❌ Traditional wooden launches like Queen of the Lake - are not recommended for customers with limited mobility

Please visit our Accessibility section for more information.

Wheelchair users are strongly advised to call us to confirm which vessel is operating on which service, particularly in poor weather conditions. As on rare occasions, the vessels operating each route can change.

🧑‍🦽 Carer goes free policy

If a disabled adult in your group needs a carer, then the carer travels free. For more information about this scheme and to see all the terms and conditions, please read our company policy for disabled passengers.

☕ On-Board Facilities

  • MV Swift - ☕ 🍺🍷🥪Full bar with hot/cold drinks, draught beer/lager & sandwiches/snacks | 🚾Toilets including accessible toilet | 💺Indoor & outdoor seats
  • 'Steamers' Swan/Teal/Tern - ☕ 🍺🍷🥪 Full bar with hot/cold drinks, draught beer/lager & sandwiches/snacks | 🚾 Multiple toilets | 💺 Indoor & outdoor seats
  • Launches like Miss Cumbria/Miss Lakeland - ☕🍾 Bottle bar with hot/cold drinks/snacks | 🚾 Single toilets | 💺 Indoor & outdoor seats
  • Traditional wooden launches - 💺 Indoor & outdoor seats

🎫 Conditions of Carriage

Our services are provided in accordance with our Conditions of Carriage.

🚭 No Smoking Policy

For the safety and comfort of all passengers and crew, Windermere Lake Cruises Ltd operates a no smoking policy on-board its vessels, piers and shore premises. This includes electronic cigarettes.

🐶 Dogs

All well behaved dogs are welcome on board and travel for free.

🚲 Bikes

Bikes are welcome on board our larger vessels if space is available. Each bike will cost £1 per journey pier to pier payable on the day of travel.

Upgrade This Cruise

Did you know that you can make more of your cruise by upgrading it? Why not combine your Freedom of the Lake cruise with a local attraction?