Walkers Ticket
A stunning circular route of Windermere by boat & lakeshore walk
 | This service is not running at the moment.This service only operates during our peak season (April-October) and will return in April 2025. The information below is for reference only. |
Leave the car behind and enjoy a beautiful walk around Windermere. The walker's ticket combines 3 boat cruises with a stunning 4.5 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 later in the day.
Please allow over 4 hours to enjoy this day out and bring suitable outdoor clothing and footwear.
So much to see on your walk along the western shore:
- Claife Viewing Station (pictured) - National Trust - FREE
- Wray Estate - National Trust - FREE
- Bark Barn Jetty - stunning lake views from our most remote pier.
Your route options
Ambleside → Wray Castle → Walk to Ash Landing (4.5 miles/7.2km) → Bowness → Ambleside
- Starting at Ambleside you take a traditional wooden launch to Wray Castle jetty. Before you begin your walk you could visit National Trust Wray Estate (free to visit).
- Take the path left of the boathouse to follow the lake shore south to Ash Landing.
- Take a slight 5 minutes detour to visit National Trust Claife Station (free to visit)
- Catch the Cross Lakes Shuttle back from Ash Landing to Bowness where you can stop off for a cup of tea and slice of cake at the Pier Cafe before catching the third boat of the day back to Ambleside.
Bowness → Ambleside → Wray Castle → Walk to Ash Landing (4.5 miles/7.2km) → Bowness
- Alternatively, you can start at Bowness, sail north to Ambleside and catch the traditional wooden launch to Wray Jetty and then follow the lake shore south to Ash Landing as above. Catch the Cross Lakes Shuttle back to Bowness for your third boat trip of the day.
Start at Brockhole or Windermere Jetty (Museum)
- You can also start your circuit at Windermere Jetty (Museum) or Brockhole, but please note that there is limited car parking at these venues/piers.
Ash Landing - where's that?
We sadly lost our landing rights to Ferry House (near the car ferry), but we're using a new jetty that's 10 minute's walk further south.
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 to Ash Landing | (4) 🛳️ Return to Bowness on the Cross Lakes Shuttle |
| START AT 09:50 (arrive 10:25) | 11:00 (arrive 11:15) | 11:20 (walk takes 2hrs+) | Faster walk 13:00 (arrive 13:20) Slower walk 14:25 (arrive 14:45) |
| START AT 10:20 (arrive 10:50) | 11:00 | 11:20 (walk takes 2hrs+) | Faster walk 13:00 (arrive 13:15) Slower walk 14:25 (arrive 14:45) |
| START AT 10:40 (arrive 11:20) | 12:15 (arrive 12:30) | 12:35 (walk takes 2hrs+) | Faster walk 14:25 (arrive 14:45) Slower walk 15:00 (arrive 15:20) |
| START AT 11:10 (arrive 11:40) | 12:15 (arrive 12:30) | 12:35 (walk takes 2hrs+) | Faster walk 14:25 (arrive 14:45) Slower walk 15:15 (arrive 15:35) |
- (3) Start your gentle 4.5 mile walk to Ash Landing along the scenic lake-shore forest path. 📄 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 2 boats back to Brockhole:
| (1) 🛳️ Leave Brockhole for Ambleside | (2) 🛳️ Leave Ambleside for Wray on Green Cruise | (3) 🚶 Start your walk from Wray to Ash Landing | (4) 🛳️ Leave Ash Landing for Bowness on Cross Lakes Shuttle | (5) 🛳️ Leave Bowness on Red Cruise to Brockhole |
| START AT 10:10 - Red Cruise > (arrive 10:25) | 11:00 (arrive 11:15) | 11:20 (walk takes 2hrs+) | 14:25 (arrive 14:45) | 14:50 (arrive Brockhole 15:15) |
| START AT 10:20 - Green Cruise > (arrive 10:40) | 11:00 | 11:20 (walk takes 2hrs+) | 14:25 (arrive 14:45) | 14:50 (arrive Brockhole 15:15) |
| START AT 11:05 - Red Cruise > (arrive 11:20) | 12:15 (arrive 12:30) | 12:35 (walk takes 2hrs+) | 15:15 (arrive 15:35) | 16:00 (arrive Brockhole 16:25) |
| START AT 11:30 - Green Cruise > (arrive 11:50) | 12:15 (arrive 12:30) | 12:35 (walk takes 2hrs+) | 15:15 (arrive 15:35) | 16:00 (arrive Brockhole 16:25) |
| START AT 11:55 - Red Cruise > (arrive 12:10) | 12:15 (arrive 12:30) | 12:35 (walk takes 2hrs+) | 15:15 (arrive 15:35) | 16:00 (arrive Brockhole 16:25) |
- (3) Start your gentle 4.5 mile walk to Ash Landing along the scenic lake-shore forest path 📄 Download map (PDF)
Starting in Ambleside (Waterhead)
- Join your 1st boat of the day to Wray Castle, enjoy your walk to Ash Landing 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 to Ash Landing | (3) 🛳️Leave Ash Landing on Cross Lakes Shuttle to Bowness | (4) 🛳️ Return to Ambleside on the Red Cruise from Bowness |
| START AT 9:50 (arrive 10:05) | 10:10 (walk takes 2hrs+) | 12:10 | 13:00 (arrive 13:40) |
| START AT 11:00 (arrive 11:15) | 11:20 | 14:25 (arrive 14:45) | 14:50 (arrive 15:30) |
| START AT 12:15 (arrive 12:30) | 12:35 (walk takes 2hrs+) | 15:15 (arrive 15:35) | 15:35 (arrive 16:05) |
| START AT 13:45 (arrive 14:00) | 14:05 (walk takes 2hrs+) | 16:20 (arrive 16:40) | 17:10 (arrive 17:45) |
- (2) Start your gentle 4.5 mile walk to Ash Landing along the scenic lake-shore forest path 📄 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 to Ash Landing and catch the boat back to Bowness and change for boat to Windermere Jetty Museum:
| (1) 🛳️ Depart Windermere Jetty for Ambleside on Red Cruise | (2) 🛳️ Depart Ambleside for Wray on Green Cruise | (3) 🚶 Start your walk from Wray to Ferry House | (4) 🛳️ Depart Ash Landing for Bowness on Cross Lakes Shuttle | (5) 🛳️ Depart Bowness for Windermere Jetty on Red Cruise |
| START AT 10:50 (arrive 11:20) | 12:15 (arrive 12:30) | 12:35 (walk takes 2hrs+) | 15:15 (arrive 15:35) | 16:00 (arrive Windermere Jetty 16:10) |
- (3) Start your gentle 4 mile walk to Ash Landing along the scenic lake-shore forest path 📄 Download map (PDF)
Additional Information
- ➡ Single fares can be purchased from our ticket offices➡ Single fares can be purchased from our ticket offices
- 🐕 Well-behaved dogs travel free
- Looking for more walking ideas? See our walks section with over 9 downloadable walking guides
