Freedom Of The Lake ®
Unlimited boat travel for 24 hours on all routes | ⚓ See the full lake on this ticket: Lakeside ↔ Bowness ↔ Ambleside in 🕘 over 3 hours
Walker's Ticket (using Windermere Car Ferry)
A stunning circular route of Windermere by boat & lakeshore walk
 | The Walkers Ticket has now ended for 2022. This service operates during our peak season only (Easter - October). It will return in Easter 2023. The information below is for reference only. Other routes operate all year round. See them here. |
Leave the car behind and enjoy a beautiful walk around Windermere. The walker's ticket combines 2 boat cruises and the car ferry with a stunning 4 mile walk along the quiet western shore and is a great day out for the whole family.
Get treated to breath-taking views of the lake and lush woodland before returning to your starting position with the help of the Windermere Car Ferry.
Please allow over 4 hours to enjoy this day out and bring suitable outdoor clothing and footwear.
Price & booking
| Adult | Child (5-15) | Family (2 adults & up to 3 children) |
| £14.30 + £1 for car ferry | £8.60 + £1 for car ferry | £41.00 + £1 for car ferry |
- You can't buy this ticket online - just buy at the pier when you arrive
How it works
You can choose to start your circular route from Bowness, Ambleside, Brockhole or Windermere Jetty Museum (click to jump to that section).
Suggested timings are listed below:
Starting in Bowness
- Join your 1st boat of the day, Red Cruise to Ambleside, then change at Ambleside for Green Cruise to Wray Castle:
| (1) 🛳️ Leave Bowness on Red Cruise | (2) 🛳️ Leave Ambleside on Green Cruise | (3) 🚶 Start your walk from Wray | (4) ⛴️ 🚶Car ferry & then walk to Bowness |
| 09:50 (arrive 10:25) | 11:00 (arrive 11:15) | 11:20 (walk takes 2hrs+) | Car Ferry every 20 minutes (15 mins walk back to our pier) |
| 10:20 (arrive 10:50) | 11:00 (arrive 11:15) | 11:20 (walk takes 2hrs+) | Car Ferry every 20 minutes (15 mins walk back to our pier) |
| 10:40 (arrive 11:20) | 12:15 (arrive 12:30) | 12:35 (walk takes 2hrs+) | Car Ferry every 20 minutes (15 mins walk back to our pier) |
| 11:10 (arrive 11:40) | 12:15 (arrive 12:30) | 12:35 (walk takes 2hrs+) | Car Ferry every 20 minutes (15 mins walk back to our pier) |
- (3) Start your gentle 4 mile walk to Ferry House along the scenic lake-shore forest path. 📄 Download map (PDF)
- (4) Catch the Windermere Car Ferry to Ferry Nab (Every 20 minutes / £1 per person)
- (4) Walk back to Bowness (via Cockshott Point) to catch a regular boat back to your starting position 📄 Download map (PDF)
Starting in Brockhole
- Join your 1st boat of the day to Ambleside, then change at Ambleside for Green Cruise to Wray Castle, walk and then boat back to Brockhole:
| (1) 🛳️ Leave Brockhole for Ambleside | (2) 🛳️ Leave Ambleside for Wray | (3) 🚶 Start your walk from Wray | (4) ⛴️+ 🚶 Car ferry & then walk to Bowness | (5) 🛳️ Leave Bowness on Red Cruise to Brockhole |
| 10:10 (arrive 10:25) | 11:00 (arrive 11:15) | 11:20 (walk takes 2hrs+) | Car Ferry every 20 minutes (15 mins walk back to our pier) | 14:00 (arrive Brockhole 14:25) |
| 10:20 (arrive 10:40) | 11:00 | 11:20 (walk takes 2hrs+) | Car Ferry every 20 minutes (15 mins walk back to our pier) | 14:00 (arrive Brockhole 14:25) |
| 11:05 (arrive 11:20) | 12:15 (arrive 12:30) | 12:35 (walk takes 2hrs+) | Car Ferry every 20 minutes (15 mins walk back to our pier) | 14:50 (arrive Brockhole 15:15) |
| 11:30 (arrive 11:50) | 12:15 (arrive 12:30) | 12:35 (walk takes 2hrs+) | Car Ferry every 20 minutes (15 mins walk back to our pier) | 14:50 (arrive Brockhole 15:10) |
| 11:55 (arrive 12:10) | 12:15 (arrive 12:30) | 12:35 (walk takes 2hrs+) | Car Ferry every 20 minutes (15 mins walk back to our pier) | 14:50 (arrive Brockhole 15:10) |
- (3) Start your gentle 4 mile walk to Ferry House along the scenic lake-shore forest path 📄 Download map (PDF)
- (4) Catch the Windermere Car Ferry to Ferry Nab (Every 20 minutes / £1 per person)
- (5) Walk back to Bowness (via Cockshott Point) to catch a regular boat back to your starting position 📄 Download map (PDF)
Starting in Ambleside (Waterhead)
- Join your 1st boat of the day to Wray Castle, enjoy your walk to the car ferry and then head back to Bowness for your boat back to Ambleside:
| (1) 🛳️ Leave Ambleside for Wray on Green Cruise | (2) 🚶 Start your walk from Wray | (3) ⛴️+ 🚶 🛳️Car ferry & then walk to Bowness | (4) 🛳️ Leave Bowness for Ambleside |
| 9:50 (arrive 10:05) | 10:10 (walk takes 2hrs+) | Car Ferry every 20 minutes | 12:20 (arrive 12:50) |
| 11:00 (arrive 11:15) | 11:20 | Car Ferry every 20 minutes (15 mins walk back to our pier) | 14:00 (arrive 14:40) |
| 12:15 (arrive 12:30) | 12:35 (walk takes 2hrs+) | Car Ferry every 20 minutes (15 mins walk back to our pier) | 14:50 (arrive 15:30) |
| 13:45 (arrive 14:00) | 14:05 (walk takes 2hrs+) | Car Ferry every 20 minutes (15 mins walk back to our pier) | 16:40 (arrive 17:10) |
- (2) Start your gentle 4 mile walk to Ferry House along the scenic lake-shore forest path 📄 Download map (PDF)
- (3) Catch the Windermere Car Ferry to Ferry Nab (Every 20 minutes / £1 per person)
- (3) Walk back to Bowness (via Cockshott Point) to catch a regular boat back to your starting position 📄 Download map (PDF)
Starting at Windermere Jetty Museum
- Join your 1st boat of the day to Ambleside, then change at Ambleside for Green Cruise to Wray Castle, walk and then boat back to Brockhole:
| (1) 🛳️ Leave Windermere Jetty for Ambleside | (2) 🛳️ Leave Ambleside for Wray | (3) 🚶 Start your walk from Wray | (4) ⛴️+ 🚶 Car ferry & then walk to Bowness | (5) 🛳️ Leave Bowness on Red Cruise to Brockhole |
| 10:50 (arrive 11:20) | 12:15 (arrive 12:30) | 12:35 (walk takes 2hrs+) | Car Ferry every 20 minutes (15 mins walk back to our pier) | 16:00 (arrive Windermere Jetty 16:10) |
- (3) Start your gentle 4 mile walk to Ferry House along the scenic lake-shore forest path 📄 Download map (PDF)
- (4) Catch the Windermere Car Ferry to Ferry Nab (Every 20 minutes / £1 per person)
- (5) Walk back to Bowness (via Cockshott Point) to catch a regular boat back to your starting position 📄 Download map (PDF)
So much to see on your walk along the western shore:
- Claife Viewing Station (pictured) - National Trust - FREE
- Wray Castle - National Trust - Entry fee applies
- Bark Barn Jetty - stunning lake views from our most remote pier.
Additional Information
- You can't buy this ticket online. Simply buy them at the ticket office when you arrive.
- Your ticket is valid for a full circuit (walk and boats) on the day. Pick any boat departure you like on the day
- The council-run Windermere Car Ferry will charge £1 per foot passenger. This isn't included in the price of the Walker's ticket.
- Both walks are clearly signposted. Follow signs for Ferry Nab from Wray Castle and follow signs for Steamer Pier from the Car Ferry to get back to Bowness.
- 🐕 Well-behaved dogs travel free
- 🚲 Sorry, bikes can't go on this service, only our 'steamer' services
- Looking for more walking ideas? See our walks section with over 9 downloadable walking guides
