Windermere ferry | Westmorland and Furness Council

We operate a ferry that carries vehicles, bicycles and foot passengers across Windermere from Ferry Nab in Bowness to Far Sawrey.

The ferry runs throughout the day and the journey takes around 10 minutes, one way. The ferry can carry up to 15 vehicles (depending on their size) and over 100 passengers.

If you miss the ferry, there is approximately a 20 minute wait for the next one. During British Summer Time demand can be high, so vehicles may queue for longer.

The ferry runs throughout the day. We do not have a set timetable or guarantee return journeys, and you cannot pre-book a journey. This is because weather conditions, maintenance issues and numbers of passengers can all affect departure times.

You can:
Sign up to our daily service updates by email on the GovDelivery website
Find the times for the first and last crossings

Users of the Windermere Ferry do so entirely at their own risk. Westmorland and Furness Council will not accept any responsibility for any damage, accidents or losses incurred.

Locations

Ferry Nab

Bowness-on-Windermere
LA23 3JH

Google map for Ferry Nab

Far Sawrey ferry landing

Far Sawrey, Ambleside
LA23 3JH

Google map for the ferry landing at Far Sawrey

Fares

Blue badge holders (displaying a badge), their passengers, and emergency services travel for free.

Pay on the ferry - card payments only.

Windermere ferry fares
Fares from April 2025	Single
Pedestrian	£1.15
Pedal cycle and rider	£2.20
Moped, motorcycle, horse	£2.75
Vehicles up to 6m	£6.60
Vehicles over 6m	£12.05
Vehicle and trailer over 6m	£12.05

Tickets from other operators are not valid onboard Windermere ferry.

Discounts

We offer special contracts for:

books of tickets
three month pre-paid contracts
annual pre-paid contracts

To buy books of tickets and to discuss contracts, please contact us by telephone.

Windermere Ferry
Telephone: 01539 713 066

Departure times

These times may be affected by factors such as the weather conditions, passenger numbers and maintenance issues.

On days when we have less than a full crew, the team take breaks at:

10:10am to 10:40am. The last crossing before the morning break is at 9:50am from Ferry Nab and 10am from Ferry House
6:10pm to 6:40pm. The last crossing before the afternoon break is 5:50pm from Ferry Nab and 6pm from Ferry House

In winter, the timetable finishes an hour earlier than in summer. The ferry does not run on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

First crossings

Monday to Saturday

The first crossings on Monday to Saturday are:

from Ferry Nab at 6:50am
from Far Sawrey at 7am

Sunday

Maintenance breaks are every Sunday morning, so the first crossings are later than on a weekday.

The first crossings on Sunday are:

from Ferry Nab at 8:50am
from Far Sawrey at 9am

Last crossings

Summer

From the last Sunday in March to the last Saturday in October, the last crossings are:

from Ferry Nab at 9:50pm
from Far Sawrey at 10pm

Winter

From the last Sunday in October to the last Saturday in March, the last crossings are:

from Ferry Nab at 8:50pm
from Far Sawrey at 9pm

Accessibility

Vehicles drive directly onto the ferry. Blue badge holders (displaying a badge) and their passengers travel free.

There are no steps, but the ramp can be steep, depending on lake levels. Our crews help wheelchair and mobility scooter users on and off the ferry.

There are bench seats in the pedestrian area with overhead cover, which are not wheelchair accessible. Wheelchairs and mobility scooters can be located just outside this area with overhead cover.

Public toilets

There are no public toilets on-board.

The closest public toilets are Ferry Nab car park, Bowness (300 metres from the Ferry Nab slipway).

The public toilets at Ferry Nab car park close at the end of October until summer.

Ferry Nab car park toilets are wheelchair accessible.

There are currently no toilets at Ferry House, Far Sawrey.