Launching at Windermere

[blootac]

I'm thinking of popping up to Windermere to run in a new outboard.
Having never been there before, where do people normally launch from?
and who do I pay? Is it just £10?
Anything I should be aware of before going?

Thanks!

[beamishken]

Boat needs to be registered & fitted with registration numbers not sure how much it costs but used to be quite a bit
We stopped going a long time ago as all they seem to want to do is put their hand in your pocket at every turn
I'd go to ullswater as it's much more relaxed we used to go to the camp site at Pooley bridge & launch from there or there is a launch further round at howtown & another at the other end of the lake somewhere around Glenridding
Not sure about charges but possibly free if you find the right spot

[steco1958]

Last time i enquired, it was £25 registration, then you had to pay for launching, and there is a 10Knt speed limit.

If that is ok for you, have a word with Windermere marine village

https://www.windermeremarinavillage.co.uk/

Steve

[blootac]

Thanks both.
I'm assuming that there aren't any lakes in the north of England that don't have a 10knt limit? It's not the end of the world would be nice to go a bit faster! This time I'm only going to run it in for a few hours so it shouldn't be much of a problem.

I've contacted a few places in ullswater and am waiting for their response but will probably end up there instead. Thanks beamishken ☺

[Big Al C]

Only Windermere has the registration system, first payment for registration and numbers is £30 then £15 each year. Launching fees start from £10 with no trailer.

Speed limit on all the lakes is 10mph, but that's up to you what you do

I've parked up at the side of Coniston several times, pumped the boat up and launched from there.

[Ribtecer]

This bl**dy country of our used to be a free country - yet they tell us it still is????

how can they stop and charge you for launching a dinghy from a public beach in any public water???

[keg]

Because they have to clean up the S**t and C**p left by the very small percentage of idiots both on the water and on land.

Sadly, Bowness is like a zoo on most weekends, even starting to see stag and hen nights....

[claretcass]

Well thanks for the information. I have a small inflatable (Excel lightweight SL260) and was going for a short break in my motorhome to the Fallbarrow touring site which is right on the waters edge and easy for an old giffer like myself to manage. My intention was to move slowly round the lake taking photographs. To assist me I have the Torqeedo 1003S electric outboard which is solar powered and very green but I had no idea that i would have to go through the whole registration process for such a small craft and a single annual trip. I need to think again.
Many thanks for the information.

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by claretcass

Well thanks for the information. I have a small inflatable (Excel lightweight SL260) and was going for a short break in my motorhome to the Fallbarrow touring site which is right on the waters edge and easy for an old giffer like myself to manage. My intention was to move slowly round the lake taking photographs. To assist me I have the Torqeedo 1003S electric outboard which is solar powered and very green but I had no idea that i would have to go through the whole registration process for such a small craft and a single annual trip. I need to think again.
Many thanks for the information.

Park foot or the farm site both at Pooley bridge on ullswater would be ideal for your purpose as they both have lake access from the site

[Big Al C]

We used Windermere for several years with out registration, old avon and a 6hp. Got a newer boat and found out you could use SSR to go on the lake, used that for several more years but got stopped 2 or 3 years ago as no official numbers on side of the boat. I was informed that SSR had stopped on Windermere and told to register or face a £500 pound fine with the ticket they gave me.

Its just a money making scam.

[paddlers]

It's a bloody shame it's gone the way it has. Back in the day (1980's) a small group of us all had little 14ft speedboats and went most weekends to Ullswater for a days waterskiing/picnics for the price of the fuel. Then the speed limit forced us up to Windermere for a fee to ski in restricted zones & then speed limited that too.

There's nowhere now so we're limited to north of the border and the sea!!

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by paddlers

It's a bloody shame it's gone the way it has. Back in the day (1980's) a small group of us all had little 14ft speedboats and went most weekends to Ullswater for a days waterskiing/picnics for the price of the fuel. Then the speed limit forced us up to Windermere for a fee to ski in restricted zones & then speed limited that too.

There's nowhere now so we're limited to north of the border and the sea!!

+1 learned to waterski on ullswater about 2 seasons before they put the limit on tried windermere but found it too restrictive most of the time so we used to head to loch lomond in summer & do bed & breakfast at windermere in winter
Lived in Durham at the time & always thought it was worth the extra 120 miles to loch lomond to get away from the red tape & constant pressure on the pocket during the summer in Windermere

The limit on ullswater was the thin end of the wedge & unfortunately I can see loch lomond heading the same way now it has national park status .
Prefer loch tay to loch lomond now

[claretcass]

I am going to see if any motorhome campsites near waters edge around Loch Tay. Would be ideal for me in my small inflatable

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by claretcass

I am going to see if any motorhome campsites near waters edge around Loch Tay. Would be ideal for me in my small inflatable
Attachment 102801

Loch tay Highland lodges have motorhome spaces I think & direct water access from the site
The site at Kenmore used to be the best but they only have static caravans now.Im pretty sure there's no motorhome spaces but might be worth asking
Good thing is once your on the water there's no one to bother you & no fees or red tape
There is also a site on the side of lock Earn with direct access although I've never stayed there might be worth looking at

[blootac]

Thanks everyone.
Confirms my suspicions of having to go to Scotland for a blast around!
I'll head off up to Ullswater some time in March to finish running it in then head to Oban at some point in the summer

Cheers

[Poly]

Originally Posted by blootac

Confirms my suspicions of having to go to Scotland for a blast around!

Of course this is a bonus not a disadvantage!

[blootac]

Oh absolutely!
I used to live in Oban when I was 3 and had my 4th birthday there. My birthday cake was made into the shape of the waverley!
Haven't been back since so really looking forward to this summer and going back to explore!

[Poly]

Originally Posted by blootac

Oh absolutely!
I used to live in Oban when I was 3 and had my 4th birthday there. My birthday cake was made into the shape of the waverley!
Haven't been back since so really looking forward to this summer and going back to explore!

Fancy returning in June for the sib gathering?

[blootac]

I was really hoping to come along with you all but I'm away on a sun sail holiday the weekend you're going

[philpot]

I used to take the caravan and boat to ' Hill of oakes ' site on Windermere which has it's own slipway, great little site.

Phil