New Windermere ‘Bike Boat’ to go daily

A newly launched ‘Bike Boat’ - providing a special ferry service for cyclists across England’s longest lake - will go daily for the school summer holidays.

Windermere Lake Cruises has specially adapted a traditional wooden vessel, Sunflower, to carry up to 12 bikes and passengers across the lake and back. Running approximately every 20 minutes, it will act as a ferry service for cyclists travelling between Brockhole, the Lake District Visitor Centre, on the eastern side of the lake and Wray, on Windermere’s tranquil western shore.

This new shuttle service offers people a great way to access family-friendly cycling routes on the western shore bridleway, newly enhanced through the GoLakes Travel programme. It also offers easier access to the ancient woods of Claife Heights, the scenic village of Hawkshead and quiet roads up to Beatrix Potter’s Hill Top.

The Bike Boat links in with the 800 Bike Bus service, run by Stagecoach, which runs the full length of Windermere and has also been converted to carry up to 12 bikes.

Nigel Wilkinson, Managing Director of Windermere Lake Cruises, says, “The Bike Boat is a completely new service for the Lake District and England’s largest lake. With weekend crossings already underway and 10 daily crossings each way through the summer holidays, it’s a convenient way to connect families and their bikes with safer, traffic free routes as part of the ever-developing bike network on Windermere’s western shore.”

After initially launching a weekend service this May, the Bike Boat will now run daily from Saturday 20 July – Saturday 31 August (and then every weekend until the end of September).

The Bike Boat’s first crossing from Brockhole to Wray gets underway at 10.20am, with the final service of the day returning from Wray to Brockhole at 5.15pm. Tickets include one passenger and one bike, with single fares starting at £1.80 for children and £3.00 for adults. Return and family tickets (2 adults and up to 3 children) are also available.

For the Bike Boat’s full timetable, visit: www.windermerebikeboat.co.uk