Alternatively retrace your steps back along the lakeshore to Harrowslack car park. So whilst enjoying the marvellous panoramic views, why not treat yourself to a tipple of your choice. This Gothic style folly was built in 1840 for the surgeon James Dawson of Liverpool, and was originally surrounded by mock ruins. Car: take the ferry and park in the National Trust car park at grid ref. We use cookies to provide you with a better service. Between Ambleside and Ferry House, the walk starts by climbing that Lakeland jewel, Loughrigg, then drops down again past Loughrigg Tarn and on to a pleasant lakeside stroll by Wray Castle. ... You can combine this walk with Route 7 Red Nab to High Wray for a long expedition to Wray Castle and back. Please keep watching our social media and this service status page for information on when we plan to re-open. All well behaved dogs are welcome on board and travel for free. Toilets are available on all our ‘steamers’ and launches (check for disabled access) but not our traditional launches. Want to do a bit of walking whilst out on your lake cruise, you can purchase the walkers tickets. Map. On the lake, you are likely to see many geese. Our most wheelchair-friendly vessels are ‘steamers’ (marked in black on the timetable) that can be accessed by a ramp from the pier and the main cabin which is under cover and is on the same level. Look out for the mulberry tree in the garden, which was planted by the poet William Wordsworth. Pass the village hall and after about 100yd (90m) the road veers left. Yachts moored north side of Ferry … The first boat took us to Wray Castle which we’ve visited before. Bowness - Ambleside - Wray Castle - Claife Viewing Station - Ferry House - Bowness Starting the walk at the delightful Bowness Pier on Lake Windermere, you climb aboard the famous Lake Windermere Cruise to Ambleside. In fact, Windermere is England’s largest natural lake. … Continue reading Wray Castle → Turn right here and follow the footpath to the lake, after about 10yd (9m) go through the squeeze stile and little gate in the wall, down some steps and walk down the field keeping the wall to your left. The route allows you to reach Bowness on foot from the National Trust property. OS Grid ref:- SD376009. On board, you get to explore the beauty of England's largest lake from the water in the heart of the Lake District. The National Trust don’t have any of the original castle contents, so it is more informal and child-friendly. Windermere Lake Cruises run a launch to the Wray Castle boathouse from Easter to End of Oct. Wray Castle In a potted history, Wray Castle was built in the mid-19th Century by a … Wray Castle is below. SD 388960. There are plenty of pebble beaches along the way if you want to stop and take in the wonderful views. Website designed and developed by A Digital. For the best view of Windermere it is necessary to walk a few yards from the summit cairn, easterly. HF Holidays Price: Free. Windermere Lake Cruises: Walkers Ticket to Wray Castle - See 3,862 traveler reviews, 2,368 candid photos, and great deals for Bowness-on-Windermere, UK, at Tripadvisor. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |, Claife Viewing Station and Windermere West Shore, Enjoy a lakeshore walk, through woodland and parkland, © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey, Toilets at Ferry Landing (and at Wray Castle), Discover Hawkshead and Claife Viewing Station, http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hawkshead-and-claife-viewing-station/, Ash Landing and Claife Heights Windermere walk. Monday – Wray Castle and Claife Heights Windermere at Ambleside. 4 miles (6.5 km) A walk along Lake Windermere from Wray Castle to Ferry House. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | This walk hugs the wooded shoreline of Windermere to bring you out to the tranquil setting of Wray Castle. It's an ideal family walk for those based in and around These earthen platforms were used in the production of charcoal, which in turn was used to manufacture iron. (That is the opposite side to Hawkshead.) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Please call us to discuss your access requirements. Kendal - Keswick cycle route passes through Windermere village, 5 miles (8km) visit National Cycle Network. The head of the lake makes an attractive picture. SD 386994. Windermere is great place to visit all-year round. Take the path left of the boathouse to follow the lake shore south to Ferry House. Catch the Cross Lakes Shuttle back to Bowness for your third boat trip of the day. This linear walk includes some short, steep sections and follows a combination of tarmac, gravel and stony track and includes some grassy parkland near Wray Castle. Look uphill into the wood when walking along the lakeshore track - you may get lucky! Continue straight ahead along the track through the woodland, eventually passing Bark Barn (built in the 19th century for storing oak bark before being transported to local tanneries for use in the leather industry) on your right and then Belle Grange House on your left. Following this trail on mobile or tablet? 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. Our other vessels have limited access for wheelchairs but sometimes can be accommodated on board. This walk alongside Lake Windermere's undeveloped western side leads to a crag that boasts stunning views of the lake, islands and the Troutbeck fells. With turrets and towers, a Gothic Revival interior and dramatic views to the fells, there’s lots to explore and enjoy. Get this route. Windermere Lake Cruises: Walkers Ticket to Wray Castle - See 3,784 traveller reviews, 2,315 candid photos, and great deals for Bowness-on-Windermere, UK, at Tripadvisor. By ferry. Bikes are welcome on board our larger vessels if space is available. A walk around Lake Windermere Ambleside and Lakeside. There are 2 options for the walker’s ticket, one you can go from Ambleside you take a traditional wooden launch to Wray Castle jetty. Bowness Swans. The castle gatehouse. Each bike will cost £1 per journey pier to pier payable on the day of travel. All rights reserved. The track divides with a stony track to Hawkshead, marked with white-topped posts. Overnight: Bowness. On Monday, we purchased Walkers’ Tickets from the pier at Ambleside – three ferries with a walk in between ferries one and two. At this point you can follow the path by the railings up to the castle, or along to the wooden jetty at the second large Gothic boathouse. Find out what positions we have onboard and on shore. By bus. Rest here or play a while as others were as I walked along. For the safety and comfort of all passengers and crew, Windermere Lake Cruises Ltd operates a no smoking policy on-board its vessels, piers and shore premises. Ambleside → Wray Castle → Walk to Ferry House (4 miles) → Bowness → Ambleside, Bowness → Ambleside → Wray Castle → Walk to Ferry House (4 miles) → Bowness, Start at Brockhole or Windermere Jetty (Museum). 185 charcoal-burning platforms (some featuring stone revetment wall on their lower sides) have been recorded in these woods, and many are easily visible from the lakeshore track. Combined tickets enable travellers to link a boat trip with a visit to one of several local attractions – the Lakeland Motor Museum , the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway , and the Lakes Aquarium, all of which are located at the southern end of Windermere. Take a slight 5 minutes detour to visit National Trust Claife Station (free to visit). After ½ mile (800m), cross a cattle grid and continue along the gravel track, past Strawberry Gardens caravan site. Bowness on Windermere. Share your experience. Why not combine your cruise with a local attraction, or enjoy a full day on Windermere with the Freedom of the Lake. The Windermere Way Ambleside to Ferry House ... a path signposted Wray Castle leads off to the left. Travel further with Windermere Lake Cruises and our Walkers Ticket. Many of our vessels have licensed bars and/or tea bars. Alternatively, you can start at Bowness, sail north to Ambleside and catch the traditional wooden launch to Wray Castle Jetty and then follow the lake shore south to Ferry House as above. Windermere Lake - Wray Castle to Ferry House is an out and back trail located near Ambleside, Cumbria, England that features a lake and is rated as moderate. A tarmac road and stone track to the quiet west shore of Windermere. You will arrive at Ferry Nab from where a short ferry trip delivers you to the bustling town of Bowness; full of good restaurants and pubs and the perfect base for your next few nights. Stagecoach in Cumbria 505/506, from Kendal to Bowness. After the short steep section of path, turn right at the brow of the hill and head towards the metal gate into Watbarrow Wood. Carry on browsing if you're happy with this, or find out how to manage cookies. Finally the walk climbs from the shores of Windermere to Wray Castle, a neo-gothic building with fairytale turrets. Windermere, The Lake District and Cumbria are all now classed as Tier 4 within the UK Government's COVID-19 restrictions. Catch the Cross Lakes Shuttle back to Bowness for your third boat trip of the day. There are also piers at Brockhole, Wray Castle, Ferry House and Fell Foot. There have been improvements such as an upgraded café (whoop!) Wray Castle to Ferry House Walk - A walk along Lake Windermere from Wray Castle to Ferry House; Brant Fell - Enjoy a climb to Brant Fell on this walk in Bowness on Windermere; Photos. Harrowslack National Trust car park, grid ref: SD388959. Rome2rio is a door-to-door travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Windermere car ferry operates all year (except in high winds). Facilities: Café at Wray Castle – open from Easter to October Most of the money used to build it came from the family fortune of Dawson's wife, which was founded on the sale of gin. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Go through another wicket gate and follow the field edge down to a step stile in front of a boathouse on the lakeshore. Take some time to explore the gardens and parkland around Wray Castle; some of the impressive exotic trees in the grounds are county and national champions'. M6 J36, A590 west then A591 to Plumgarths roundabout, B5284 to Bowness B5285, then Windermere car ferry. COVID-19 Tier 4 restrictions -we are temporarily closed. Rome2rio is a door-to-door travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. Dogs are welcome on all of services and travel for free. Find out more about the exciting events happening both on and off the water. These will usually be a mixture of the native greylag (with their distinctive orange bills and pink legs and feet), and Canada geese (with their black heads and neck, white band around the chin and light brown bodies). Check their website for details. Hire an electric motorboat for 1 or 2 hours from Bowness or Ambleside and explore Lake Windermere at your own pace. The second part of the walk takes in a woodland trail and then a stroll along the west shore of Windermere. On board toilet facilities on all vessels can only be reached by means of the stairs, however there are adapted toilets at Lakeside, Bowness and Ambleside Piers. Walking is popular way to explore the Lake District. Find all the transport options for your trip from Wray Castle to Ambleside right here. Please keep checking back to find out when we are re-opening fully. Start point: Red Nab car park - grid ref. and new displays. The path is well maintained and easy to follow. This is a wonderful linear low-level lakeshore walk, through woodland and parkland. A circular valley walk from the village of Outgate through woods and open countryside with some stunning views of the central fells As it’s a circular route, you can choose your own starting point. Rome2rio makes travelling from Bowness-on-Windermere to Wray Castle easy. Now owned by the National Trust it’s a popular day out at Windermere and we were excited to go inside and see what it had to offer. Wray Castle is a Gothic Revival Castle, 180 years old, build by a surgeon and heiress from Liverpool with the sole intention that it would only ever have to defend itself from the Cumbrian weather. Travel by boat to some great lake-shore attractions and make it a full day out for the whole family. Wray Castle Pier is only 15 minutes away from Ambleside (Watehead) Pier, so why not ditch the car and enjoy a cruise on Windermere? Packages available for 20 passengers or more. How to get to our piers by road, rail and bus. Wray Castle to the Ferry A gentle stroll of no more than 11⁄ 2hours along paths and tracks by the quiet western shore of Windermere, or detour for Claife ridge and the walk becomes 21⁄ 2hours with magnificent views and varied, easy to follow, forest paths. ‘With the inclusion of Wray Castle and the Lake Windermere shore walk, this walk has just about everything.’ 4.5 miles. Windermere & Wray Castle Walking route in High Wray, Cumbria, United Kingdom (UK) Leave a Review. Before you begin your walk you could visit National Trust. Alternatively, you can start at Bowness, sail north to Ambleside and catch the traditional wooden launch to Wray Castle Jetty and then follow the lake shore south to Ferry House as above. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | For many, Windermere encapsulates everything that is so special about the Lake District. Great days out for groups on Lake Windermere. Passengers can enjoy four different scenic routes, taking in the famous towns of Bowness-on-Windermere and Ambleside, as well as Lakeside and other stops including Brockhole and Wray Castle. Wray Castle, in the hamlet of Low Wray, stands guard by the far north west shore of Lake Windermere.. Did you know that you can make more of your cruise by upgrading it? 1. - Paul Farrington, National Trust Ranger. Website: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hawkshead-and-claife-viewing-station/. To help stop the spread of Coronavirus, all of our cruises and self-drive boats have temporarily closed. Stay safe everyone. This is followed by some gentle lakeside walking from Wray Castle. Arrive at Wray Castle in style at their very own boathouse on a lake cruise from Ambleside. Practical Information for Tour / Group Leaders / Coach Drivers, Pier Departure Points & Hotel Partnerships, ➡ Single fares can be purchased from our ticket offices, Buy online & get over £40 worth of discount vouchers to use at local businesses, See our walks section with over 9 downloadable walking guides, Starting at Ambleside you take a traditional wooden launch to Wray Castle jetty. Starting at the 17th century viewpoint of Claife Station, the Wray Castle walk will take you along the breath-taking west shores of Windermere, where you can admire far-reaching views across the water to the nearby fells. Take this path which is clearly signposted through the woods and the field beyond to come out on the minor road, leading to Wray Castle. Turn left as you exit the National Trust Harrowslack car park and follow the tarmac road through the farm land, with the lake on your right. We look forward to welcoming customers back only when it is safe to travel once again. Follow this, veering right at the ridge top. In high summer the fields are a bright sea of yellow and green. The West Shore Walk along Windermere is one of the best low level walks in the Lake District. Wray Castle Walk. Windermere Station linked to Oxenholme Station on main west coast line. Continue along this track, passing two small boathouses on the way, until you come to two field gates crossing the track - one with a stone squeeze-through stile next to it, the second with a footpath gate. Wray Castle has been a family home, a Merchant Navy training college, and during the Second World War housed some of the Natural History Museum's exhibits. Turn left as you exit the National Trust Harrowslack car park and follow the tarmac road through the … Follow the lakeshore path through the parkland towards Wray Castle. We will be contacting all customers as soon as possible to arrange a full refund. The walk includes a crossing on the Windermere Ferry over to Sawrey on the western shore. To the right of Ambleside is Wansfell, and the wooded slopes of SkeIghyll. Our services are provided in accordance with our Conditions of Carriage which can be found on our homepage under ‘About Us’. Make your big day even more special with a wedding cruise on England’s largest lake. This convenient ticket allows walkers to create a circular walking loop and can start/finish at Bowness, Windermere Jetty (Museum), Brockhole or Ambleside. With origins dating back to the Victorian era, the fleet of boats includes ‘steamers’ with saloons, promenade decks, teashops and licensed bars. This area is one of the best places in Lakeland to see wild deer, as both red and roe deer live in the Claife Woods. Find our hire points at Ambleside, Bowness Beach and Bowness Dock. COVID19: THIS CRUISE IS CURRENTLY NOT RUNNING, To maintain social-distancing and keep everyone on board safe, we've had to change our cruises with: ✔️ Social-distancing ✔️ Ticketed seating ✔️ More space to enjoy the views ✔️ Enhanced cleaning ✔️ Limited timetables, FOLLOW THIS LINK TO SEE WHICH CRUISES ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING. ⚠ The information below is for reference only. Start at Brockhole or Windermere Jetty … Whatever you want from a walk, we've got something special just for you. Bark Barn Jetty - stunning lake views from our most remote pier. Facts, plans, images and tours of our ‘steamers’, modern launches and traditional wooden launches. Continue along the gravel track until you reach the tarmac road, with Red Nab car park just to the right. Wheelchair users are strongly advised to call us to confirm which vessel is operating on which service as not all of our vessels are suitable for wheelchair users, particularly in poor weather conditions. Find out more about our all-in-on packages, many have been designed with educational groups in mind. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | You will then walk up to the Claife Viewing Station, a Victorian tourist attraction, before proceeding on to Hill Top, passing a couple of pubs along the way. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, trail running, and nature trips. Stagecoach in Cumbria 505 from Kendal to Coniston via Hawskhead, get off 1 mile south of Skelwith Fold stop, signed Wray Castle. It includes a cruise on Windermere, an optional visit to Wray Castle and a beautiful four mile walk along the western shore of Windermere. Route. At the junction turn right, walking along the road signed to Wray Castle and Ambleside, through the village of High Wray. Incorporating a walk into your day. Just after the second gate, turn right through the footpath gate in the wall and walk through the parkland, past the third boathouse in High Wray Bay, keeping the lake on your right. Distance: 5 km, 3.1 miles. Or via Hawkshead B5285. It was just a short walk from the jetty, through woods and up the castle itself, standing proudly above the trees, with spectacular views back across the lake towards Ambleside. West side landing stage. The easiest way to reach Wray Castle is by boat with 14 boats arriving and departing daily during peak season. Find hundreds of places to explore on foot on our walking map and lots more walking ideas. Between Easter and 31 October you can collect the Windermere Lake Cruises Launch to Brockhole and Waterhead, where there are bus connections back to Windermere and Bowness. Bear right through the car park and continue along the lakeshore, passing a low wooden barrier. Keeping the lake on your right, follow the path through the wood until you reach a large boathouse. © Copyright 2011-2021 Windermere Lake Cruises. The total length of the walk is about 45 miles. The castle is an imposing building, with its dramatic turrets which rise above the trees and dominate the landscape, it appears to reach out and grasp its domain. Find all the transport options for your trip from Bowness-on-Windermere to Wray Castle right here. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Catch the Cross Lakes Shuttle back from Ferry House to Bowness where you can stop off for a cup tea and slice of cake at the Pier Cafe before catching the third boat of the day back to Ambleside. Wray Castle . Rome2rio makes travelling from Wray Castle to Ambleside easy. Join our friendly team on England’s largest lake. Once you have finished at Hill Top… | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Length8.5 miElevation gain1486 ftRoute typeOut & back Sail around the lake on any of our cruises. You will reach a wicket gate at a junction with a walled bridleway; turn left here (signed to Sawrey) through woodland and pasture. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - OS Explorer Map OL7. 'Wonderful family picnic spots are to be found at Harrowslack and High Wray Bay, just south of Wray Castle. It features great views of the islands, interesting woodland archaeology and the Victorian Gothic Wray Castle. At almost 17km long and 66m at it’s deepest, Cross Lakes Shuttle (Windermere Lake Cruises) from Bowness Bay Pier 3 (pedestrian and cyclist ferry, operates Easter to Oct). © Copyright 2011-2021 Windermere Lake Cruises. Turning point: Wray Castle - grid ref. Day 4: Ferry to Ferry House - Walk to Lakeside (7.5 miles) - Ferry to Bowness Hire a boat for your next business event and treat your guests to breathtaking Lake District views. The small town of Windermere takes it’s name from perhaps the most well-known of the Lake District’s lakes. Stout shoes or boots recommended. NY 375001. 1 … ⚠️ Already booked? Walks around Windermere place you in a land of herdwick sheep, drystone walls, rough hills backed by brooding mountains, chocolate-box villages, endless hiking trails and one magnificent lake. Valid For 24hrs from first use. It's a fairly easy walk of about 4 miles, following trails through peaceful woodland with nice views over the lake to enjoy on the way. This includes electronic cigarettes. Bus connection to Bowness Bay, Stagecoach 505/506. Wray Castle Pier is a 10 minute walk up a gravel track to the castle and grounds. | |