Windermere Lake Cruises marks VE Day 80 with a moving lakeside beacon tribute

Windermere Lake Cruises illuminated Windermere with a special VE Day 80 cruise, honouring eight decades of peace since the end of the Second World War in Europe.

Organised at the request of the Palace for the Cumberland & Westmorland Freemasons, the commemorative sailing welcomed Deputy Lord Lieutenant Chris Sanderson alongside more than 150 Freemasons, local community members, and their families aboard the historic MV Teal.

Guests enjoyed a relaxed evening on the water before joining a national moment of reflection at 9:30 pm. As the vessel’s powerful searchlight beamed skyward, everyone on deck raised handheld tealight candles, creating hundreds of flickering reflections across the lake in memory of those who served and sacrificed for today’s freedoms.

Bill Bewley, Chairman of Windermere Lake Cruises, said: “Eighty years ago the country celebrated victory and the chance to build a better future. Last night’s sailing was a heartfelt opportunity for us all to pause, remember and give thanks. Lighting Windermere’s night sky was our small tribute to the heroes of 1945.”

The cruise was one of more than 1,000 beacon‑lighting events nationwide, part of the official VE Day 80 programme which united communities across the UK and overseas. At 9:30 pm, towns, villages and ships alike paused to sing the hymn “I Vow to Thee My Country,” their lights and voices symbolising the peace secured eight decades ago.

The event builds on Windermere Lake Cruises’ longstanding partnership with the Cumberland & Westmorland Freemasons, following a successful VE Day tribute cruise in 2024.

Video from the evening