13-15 JUNE - Travel disruption and busy areas

Important Travel Information: Lake Windermere Events This Weekend (June 13-15)

Planning to enjoy a cruise or self-drive boat on Lake Windermere this coming Friday 13th, Saturday 14th, or Sunday 15th June? Please read this important travel advice!

We're looking forward to welcoming you for a fantastic time on the water. However, please be aware that the area around Lake Windermere, particularly near Brockhole - The Lake District Visitor Centre, Bowness, and Ambleside, is expected to be exceptionally busy this weekend due to two major events:

• The Great North Swim (Friday 13th - Sunday 15th June)
• The Windermere Marathon (Sunday 15th June)

These events attract thousands of participants and spectators, which will significantly impact local roads and parking.

Change of timetable - Wed 11 June to Monday 16 June

Due to the Great North Swim and Windermere Marathon over the weekend of 13-15 June, we have a change to our advertised timetables.

• Wednesday 11 June - the last Red Cruise to arrive/depart Brockhole will be 16:25, the last Green Cruise to arrive/depart will be 16:45
• Thursday 12th June - no boats will call into Brockhole and the ticket office will be closed.
• Friday 13 - Sunday 15 June - running a regular Red Cruise/Green Cruise timetable with extra shuttle boats for the sporting events.
• Monday 16 June - no boats will call into Brockhole and the ticket office will be closed
  
  The area around Ambleside, Brockhole and Bowness will be busy this weekend (13-15 June). Please leave extra time for your journey and to find parking

What you need to know:

1. Expect delays & leave extra time: Roads leading into and around Windermere, Bowness, and Ambleside are likely to experience considerable congestion. Please factor in significantly more travel time for your journey to reach our piers and hire points. We recommend adding at least 60-90 minutes to your usual travel estimates, especially if you're arriving during peak morning hours.

2. Parking will be challenging: Parking facilities throughout the area will be in extremely high demand.

• Plan your parking in advance. Consider using car parks further afield and utilising public transport, if available, for the last leg of your journey.
• Brockhole will be a central hub for the events, and its car park will fill very quickly.
• Allow ample time to find a space and walk to your departure point.

3. SUNDAY Road Closures & Restrictions: To ensure the safety of participants, there will be temporary road closures and traffic management systems in place. While full details are usually released closer to the event by organisers and local authorities, here's what we know and what to expect:

• Windermere Marathon Route (Sunday 15th June): The marathon route largely encircles Lake Windermere, heading anti-clockwise from Waterhead towards Newby Bridge and then back up the east side through Bowness-on-Windermere to finish at Brockhole.
  • Expect significant disruption on roads around the lake, especially on Sunday.
  • Over half of the marathon route will be on partially traffic-free roads or roads with a dedicated running lane.
  • Key areas impacted will include Waterhead, parts of the A592 (east side of the lake), and roads around Newby Bridge and Bowness.

Road closures on Sunday 15th June

Partial and full road closures are in place for much of the day around the lakeshore.

Customers travelling between Lakeside, Bowness, Brockhole and Ambleside will be affected. See a full map here.