Windermere Ferry
Encyclopedia
Cable ferry
A cable ferry is guided and in many cases propelled across a river or other larger body of water by cables connected to both shores. They are also called chain ferries, floating bridges, or punts....
which crosses Windermere
Windermere
Windermere is the largest natural lake of England. It is also a name used in a number of places, including:-Australia:* Lake Windermere , a reservoir, Australian Capital Territory * Lake Windermere...
, a lake in the English county of Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
. The route forms part of the B5285 road and crosses the lake at about its mid-point, from Ferry Nab in Bowness-on-Windermere
Bowness-on-Windermere
Bowness-on-Windermere is a town in South Lakeland, Cumbria, England. Due its position on the banks of Windermere the town has become a tourist honeypot. Although their mutual growth has caused them to become one large settlement, the town is distinct from the town of Windermere as the two still...
to Far Sawrey, a distance of some 1500 feet (457.2 m). The current ferry boat, named Mallard, was built in 1990 and can carry up to 18 cars and over 100 passengers.
There has been a ferry at the site of the current Windermere Ferry for more than 500 years. The earliest craft were rowed across the lake, whilst later ferries were steam powered and, more recently, diesel powered. Today the ferry is owned by Cumbria County Council but operated on their behalf by Amey Infrastructure Services Ltd, a subsidiary of Amey plc
Amey plc
Amey plc, previously known as Amey Ltd and Amey Roadstone Construction, is a United Kingdom based infrastructure support service provider. It was once listed on the London Stock Exchange but since 2003 it has been a subsidiary of Spanish company Grupo Ferrovial, S.A....
.
The ferry operates all year, with services every 20 minutes from early morning to mid-evening. A toll is charged. If the ferry is not operating, the alternative is a road journey of approximately 15 miles (24.1 km) around either the head or foot of the lake.
The Ferry underwent its most recent quinqennial inspection and refit in May 2009.