Affordable Sailing with SailTime in the Lake District

SailTime is a real alternative to traditional yacht ownership. As a SailTime Member, you enjoy the yacht while SailTime takes care of all the costs and troubles associated with outright ownership; worries such as depreciation, insurance, berthing and servicing are removed.

In fact, the only issue that you will face is the glorious dilemma of which yacht to sail and where you want to sail from.

On Lake Windermere we can offer Membership aboard our Beneteau Oceanis 323 (Even Flow) or a Hunter Legend 31 for only £399 per month.

Members enjoy a minimum allocation of 42 days sailing a year allowing them to sail the boat as if it were their own. SailTime takes care of all the maintenance, running costs allowing the members to relax and enjoy a pastime they love.

In the Lake District, SailTime offers its unique programme from Windermere Marina Village at the centre of this fantastic lake. Through SailTime’s Membership programme, people without the time to maintain a yacht or motor boat or perhaps the experience to make the commitment to purchase one, can enjoy sailing and boating.

With SailTime, high specification, quality yachts and powerboats can be enjoyed in the same way that you might lease a car or pay for health or golf club membership. Perhaps you have dreamed of sailing or power cruising, but have not been ready or confident enough to make the large financial undertaking to purchase your own yacht or power cruiser. If this is the case, then SailTime could be for you!

 Information

Join SailTime on Lake Windermere & Sail a Beneteau Oceanis 323 or Hunter Legend 31

We (Steve and Alex Davies) launched SailTime in North Wales after investigating becoming members of SailTime and finding that there was not a convenient base in the North of England.

Lake Windermere is our second SailTime base and is a landmark development in terms of the SailTime network. Windermere is the first inland waterway SailTime base that allows Members to sail in non-tidal waters that are safe and spectacular.

By opening in Windermere, SailTime has opened the door to the less experienced sailors and boaters as well as lovers of the Lake District in general.

The monthly membership on either of our two yachts on Lake Windermere is £399 (inc. VAT) so there has never been a better way to get on the water. Just turn up and sail and let us do the rest.

If you want to find out more or would like to see or sail the boat please click on the here or call on 0845 602 6593 or 07501 222 580. We also have regular open days which can be found listed below.

Forthcoming Events

Open Day - Saturday, 28th April 2012, Windermere Marina Village

We look forward to seeing you there.

Training

We strongly believe that the RYA Day Skipper qualification is the minimum that will enable you to feel confident in handling the boat and to enjoy your sailing with family and friends.

We can help you reach this standard and beyond through our integrated training programme.

From our Pwllheli base we are able to offer RYA accredited training courses aboard our own high specification yacht using highly capable and respected instructors.

Alternatively if you would prefer to learn in the surroundings of the Lake District National Park then we can offer individual tailored training to get you on the water.

Our programmes give you the flexibility to have a Yachtmaster instructor onboard for one-to-one tuition, group tuition, or simply as a companion to help build your confidence until you feel confident to venture out on your own.

Through SailTime you can build your confidence to allow you, your friends and family to get the most out of yacht cruising. SailTime Members are able to benefit from private tuition, ongoing training workshops, group courses (e.g. Ladies only weekends) and a natural route to competent seamanship, all at a fraction of the cost of traditional training. In addition we run offshore passages (can be part of mile building), night sailing and accompanied short cruises. Whether you join us as a complete novice or Yachtmaster, we can help you achieve your goals.

To enquire about training with SailTime, please email or call 0845 602 6593.

Windermere, at 12 km long, almost 2km wide and 64m deep, is the largest natural lake in England, and is fed by numerous rivers. The Romans built their fort of GALAVA at its northern end (Waterhead), and it has always been an important waterway for movement of heavy materials.

In the late 19th century, wealthy businessmen from Lancashire built grand mansions overlooking the lake, and many of these have now been converted to hotels, such as the Langdale Chase Hotel, and the Belsfield Hotel. Others houses include The National Park Visitor Centre at Brockhole, between Ambleside and Bowness, and Wray Castle almost opposite Brockhole, and the first Lake District holiday home of Beatrix Potter.

All of the west shoreline, but very little of the east, is owned by the National Trust. The Trust also owns Fellfoot Park at the southern end of the lake.

Low Wood Marina and Hotel

The Low Wood Marina provides Lake Windermere with an exceptional boating facility. As well as its enviable location with spectacular views of the Langdale Pikes, the marina also benefits from the diversity of Low Wood Hotels’ restaurants, bars, leisure complex watersports and activity centre.

The Marina incorporates 40 water berths with electric and water supply, plus 70 hardstanding storage spaces for “trailer sailors”, speedboats etc as well as 29 garage facilities.

John Derbyshire, who opened the new marina is the Performance Director of the Royal Yachting Association and was head of the highly successful British Sailing Team at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. John started sailing on Windermere and frequently returns to the area with his family.

The event marked the completion of a £750,000 investment programme at The Low Wood, including the new marina and the refurbishment of the hotel’s stunning new entrance lobby, luxurious lounge bar and elegant lounges where people can relax and enjoy the lake views including the marina.

The Waterhead Jetties and Hotel

At the north end of the lake lies the town of Ambleside and one of the sister hotels of Low Wood, The Waterhead Hotel. This is where the Lake Steamers start their journey south down the lake stopping at Bowness and then on to Lakeside.

Experience the Lake District and all that it has to offer in stylish sophistication and contemporary luxury. The Waterhead Hotel, near Ambleside, cleverly combines traditional Lakeland elegance and its stunning setting with the comfort of a new luxury four star Town House Hotel. Every detail is designed to offer a relaxed, intimate atmosphere, calm moods and a fresh approach to service.

The Waterhead hotel and it’s moorings, with it's prime position on the shores of Lake Windermere half a mile from Ambleside, is ideally located for exploring the Lakes; walking the fells, taking a cruise on Windermere or simply visiting the many local attractions in Ambleside and nearby towns and villages.

Bowness-on-Windermere

Bowness-on-Windermere - Lakeland's most popular holiday resort - is an excellent centre for boating activities, with over 10,000 boats registered. Until March 2005 Windermere was the only lake without a speed limit, but a 10 mph limit has now been imposed. Steamers and launches operate from Bowness Bay to Waterhead at Ambleside, and Lakeside at the southern end.

Lakeside

Lakeside Pier is at the southern end of, Windermere where you can arrive by boat from Waterhead or Bowness. There is also a ferry across the short distance to Fell Foot Park.

Lakeside Pier is one end of the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway, in which you can travel by steam train 3.5 miles via Newby Bridge to Haverthwaite, along the old Furness line that used to go to Ulverston and Barrow.

Here also is the Aquarium of the Lakes, where you can discover in over 30 displays the fascinating and often secret world of wildlife and freshwater creatures dwelling in and alongside these magnificent waters.

The English Heritage owned Stott Park Bobbin Mill is only a short walk away, at Finsthwaite (about 1/2 mile)

Ambleside

Ambleside can be found at the northern end of Lake Windermere, close to Waterhead, between Wansfell and Loughrigg Fell. Ambleside is also a convenient base for touring the central areas of the Lake District, Grasmere and the Langdale valleys being a short journey by car or bus. With Ambleside being a popular tourist centre for all types of outdoor activities, you will find a variety of shops which sell outdoor clothing, walking boots etc. You will also find excellent craft and gift shops.

Ambleside began to prosper during the reign of Queen Victoria with the growth of tourism.

Being a market town, Ambleside received its first market charter in 1650 with the centre of the town now being designated a conservation area. The Watermill and a few other buildings have survived from this time. One of the most popular buildings from this time and photographed is the Bridge House which spans the beck of Stock Ghyll, and was originally built as a summer house by the owners of the Ambleside Hall. It is now a National Trust Centre.

The Romans once had a fort here called the Galava, close to the River Brathay and the River Rothay, which flows into Lake Windermere.

Ambleside is also known for its associations with a number of famous literary people with William Wordsworth being the most famous. William Wordsworth had his office here when he was the Distributor of Stamps for Westmorland. At St. Mary's Church there is Wordsworth chapel. Close to Ambleside on the road to Grasmere is Rydal Mount, once the home of William and his family.

At St. Mary's Church on the first Saturday in July is a rush-bearing ceremony, which originates from medieval times. This is when the children walk through the town carrying rushes which are then laid in the church. Also on view is a mural which depicts the ceremony.

From the centre of Ambleside there is a short walk which will take you through woodland to the Stock Ghyll Waterfalls. Another short walk from Ambleside to Waterhead is where you can connect onto Lake Windermere Steamers for a Lake Cruise, hire dinghies and feed the ducks and swans.

Not far away on the road to Coniston, at Skelwith Bridge is Skelwith Force. This is where the River Brathay can look very impressive after heavy rain. Good views of Ambleside and its surrounding areas can be seen from Wansfell and Loughrigg fells on clear days.

Newby Bridge

Newby Bridge, once a part of Lancashire, is a small village adjoining the River Leven at the southern end of Lake Windermere. It got its name from the five-arched stone bridge built across the river in 1651. It caters mainly for the passing tourist trade, and has a railway station on the preserved Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway. Newby Bridge is a convenient base to explore the Furness peninsula and southern Lakeland areas.

Islands

The lake contains 18 islands. By far the largest is the privately owned Belle Isle (40 acres (16 ha)) lying opposite Bowness and around a kilometre in length.

The other islands are considerably smaller. The island of Lady Holme is named after the church that formerly stood there. The remaining islands are Bee Holme, Blake Holme, Crow Holme, Fir Holme, Grass Holme, Lilies of the Valley (East, and West), Ling Holme, Hawes Holme, Hen Holme, Maiden Holme (the smallest island, containing a singular tree), Ramp Holme, Rough Holme, Snake Holme, Thompson Holme (2nd largest), Silver Holme.

Boat clubs

There are three large boating clubs based around the lake: the Windermere Motor Boat Racing Club, the Royal Windermere Yacht Club, and the Windermere Cruising Association. The Royal Windermere Yacht Club maintains a set of turning marks on the lake, which are also used by the Windermere Cruising Association. The Windermere Cruising Association organises the popular Winter Series. This event benefits from not being hindered by the large waves, caused by gales, that often lead to sea racing being cancelled.

Speed limits

For many years, power-boating and water-skiing have been popular activities on the lake. In March 2000, however, the Lake District National Park Authority controversially introduced a bylaw setting a 10 knots (12 mph; 19 km/h) speed limit for all powered craft on the lake, in addition to three existing 6-mile-per-hour (5.2 kn) speed limits for all craft on the upper, lower, and middle sections of the lake. While the bylaw technically came into force in 2000, there was a five year transition period and the new speed limits were only enforced from 29 March 2005.

Lake Monster!

Like many bodies of water around the world, Windermere is reputed to contain one or more large, unusual fish or animals. The Centre for Fortean Zoology claims there have been many sightings of a giant eel-like creature in the lake stretching back to the 1950s. The 'monster' first made the news in 2006 after being spotted by university lecturer Steve Burnip and his wife Eileen.

Popular Culture

The children's book series Swallows and Amazons is based loosely on life before World War II around a fictional lake derived from a combination of Windermere and Coniston Water.

In the horror novel The Pike (1982) by Cliff Twemlow a 12-foot (3.7 m) long pike in Windermere goes on a killing spree, and the consequence is a boom in the Lake's tourist trade. Two attempts have been made to film the novel.

The area is also featured as an arena in the popular Sony PlayStation videogame Tekken.

In November 2009, Several scenes were shot on Windermere for the soap opera Coronation Street. The filming centered around Pull Wyke Bay and Pull Wood House on the North-West shoreline. The Scenes, featuring the newlyweds Gail and Joe on honeymoon were aired in January/February 2010.

The Great North Swim

On Saturday 13 September 2008, Windermere hosted the inaugural Great North Swim. This year the event will take place from the 22nd-24th June.

Frequently Asked Questions