Suggested Itinerary for the Islands Cruise

Our popular Islands Cruise takes passengers on a circular trip around the central part of Lake Windermere and departs from our Bowness pier every 30 minutes.

Being a 45 minute round-trip, it’s an ideal chance to enjoy both a cruise and still have plenty of time to explore the town of Bowness itself. Here’s one of our suggested itineraries to help you plan your day:

10:45am

Catch the first Islands Cruise of the day (and often the quietest, as we tend to get busier in the afternoon). Have your pick of the inner window seating or choose the outer viewing deck for the best views of the many islands, or ‘holmes’ that our situated around the central section of Lake Windermere.

The Islands Cruise has a commentary on-board from your skipper so they’ll make sure to see the many points of interest on the journey. Keep an eye out for Belle Isle and Belle Isle House (the largest private island on Lake Windermere), Storrs Hall and Claife Viewing Station. Download a Spotter’s Sheet before boarding and see how many points of interest you can see or simply sit back and relax, and soak up the ever-changing vista of Lakeland fells, islands bays and wildlife that are on display.

11:30am

Upon arrival back at Bowness and for something a little bit different, why not give ‘Footgolf’ a try? A nine-hole course can be found at Glebe Park, where participants are challenged with kicking a football into the hole with as few kicks as possible. If you prefer the more traditional way of playing golf, there’s also a crazy golf course – even a tennis court to challenge your companions to a match.

1pm:

Bowness-on-Windermere is a bustling village and you’re never short of places to enjoy a spot of lunch. Take a walk around The Glebe for fish and chips or a pub meal or wander into the village centre for a wide variety of pub, cafés and restaurants with cuisine ranging from traditional English fayre to Chinese, Indian, Italian or Pan Asian. A popular choice is to grab a sandwich and watch the world go by on a bench on Bowness Promenade, just make sure a swan or gull doesn’t steal your lunch, they’re infamous for grabbing unsuspecting tourist lunches!

2pm:

Unsurprisingly, there are plenty of opportunities for more walks, with the Glebe and Cockshott Point a stone’s throw from the main pier – offering restful waterside areas for lunch, games, paddling and a spot of sunbathing.

3pm:

If you fancy the idea of taking control of a boat yourself on Windermere, Bowness is also the place to hire self-drive power boats. For less motor and more muscle, rowing boats are also available for those who want to get to a secluded spot under their own steam. Take one out for a couple of hours and become a skipper for the afternoon.

4pm:

No visit to Bowness is complete without a visit to The World of Beatrix Potter – and the attraction is just a five-minute walk away from Bowness Pier, where children came come face to face with their favourite characters from the famous books – including of course, a certain mischievous rabbit by the name of Peter… There’s also 25% off entry to Blackwell – Bowness’ home to arts and crafts for e-ticket holders.

6pm:

Why not finish off your day in Bowness with a movie in vintage surroundings? There are regular showings at Bowness’ Royalty cinema, but if live action is more your thing, then why not catch a play at Windermere’s Old Laundry Theatre?