Ullswater ‘Steamers’ has published their summer timetable, covering sailings from 6 July 2020 along the full length of the lake and the welcome return of a shuttle service between Glenridding and the iconic Aira Force waterfall.
The attraction will operate its fleet of steamers on six daily cruises, with three return journeys departing from Glenridding and three departing from Pooley Bridge. In accordance with social distancing guidelines, all bookings must be made in advance. Each cruise will also stop at Howtown as a drop-off service only for those wishing to take a walk; passengers will not be able to board any services from the Howtown pier.
A separate cruise will also operate four shorter, 20-minute return journeys from Glenridding to the National Trust site Aira Force. Each cruise will be named after a fruit or flower or easy booking. Whilst some National Trust properties and sites require forward booking, Ullswater ‘Steamers’ passengers will not need to book to see the waterfall, only for the boat journey itself. Restrictions however will be in place for those wishing to use the Aira Force car park.
Lake District Estates‘ Head of Marketing & Development, Rachel Bell said, “We are delighted to finally relaunch cruises for visitors on Ullswater after several months of lockdown measures. The Steamers provide an integral link for visitors to the valley, tourism businesses and local communities. We place the utmost importance on the safety and wellbeing of our passengers and people, and have been working hard to get everything in place to ensure our visitors receive a warm welcome. The safety of our passengers and staff takes top priority, hence the need to book in advance and for social distancing measures to be followed, but we know the ‘new normal’ is being widely accepted by visitors and we welcome the return of responsible tourism.”
Tickets must be booked online before 9am on the day of intended travel. Full reopening details and FAQs can be found here, along with a new downloadable brochure.
