Fishing Boat Hire

• Full training for the boat operation and orientation on the Lake is given.
• Buoyancy aids are available and must be worn by everyone while on the pontoons and on the boats.

• Fishing Equipment

Common species of fish which can be caught include pike, perch, roach, bream, trout, and Arctic charr.

• North basin (Ambleside): best for trout and charr.
• South basin (Bowness/Fell Foot): best for pike and coarse fish.
  Anglers must hold a valid rod license.

• You must be over 16 to drive the hire boat.
• Anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an over 18.

For the duration of the hire period and whilst on or using company property, the hirer and all passengers must adhere to the following safety and conduct rules.

The hirer must not:

• Navigate the vessel within 30 metres of the shoreline.
• Impede the passage of any other vessel or water user.
• Deliberately cause damage to the hired vessel or any other person’s property.
• Enter the water or swim from the vessel at any time.
• Climb out of the designated seated area onto the deck or other parts of the vessel.
• Tamper with or remove any safety equipment provided.
• Interfere with the engine or any mechanical/electrical components of the vessel.
• Smoke, consume alcohol, or use illegal substances on board.
• Throw or discard items from the vessel into the water or surrounding area.
• Deliberately rock, capsize, or otherwise destabilise the vessel.
• Allow anyone under the age of 16 to operate the vessel without adult supervision.

Breach of Rules:

• The company reserves the right to apply additional charges, terminate the hire without refund, and/or pursue recovery of costs for any breach of these rules or of the general Terms and Conditions of Hire.

How do I book?

• Book a boat on our simple-to-use online system only. Hire Boats can only be booked through this website or at our booking office
• When open, the team can help with your booking enquiries at our BOOKING OFFICE, on Glebe Road between the Driftwood gift shop and The Quayside.

What boats are available?

• The booking page for each boat type shows a calendar; when boats are available the day is marked in GREEN. When you click on the day you want to book it shows you the available times. If nothing shows, the boats are fully booked.

Can we take a dog onboard the boat?

• Yes, well behaved dogs are welcome.

Can we take a baby onboard?

• Yes, it will need to be included in the number of people onboard.

Do you charge for children?

• Children under 11 years (primary school) are free, over 11 are charged as adults.

How many people are allowed on a boat?

• The total number of people allowed is shown on the website for each boat this includes all children and babies.

Am I allowed to stay out longer than the booked time?

• No, the times booked must be very strictly observed, if you are late returning then the next hires for the day are all delayed.

Do we receive any training?

• Full training for the boat operation and orientation on the Lake is given, for this reason you should arrive punctually so as not to over reduce your time in the boat.

Can we book when we arrive?

• All bookings are done online, this enables you to see all the boat types, availability each day and hire charges.

Where do we go to get the boat?

• Booking Office, Quays, Glebe Rd, Bowness-on-Windermere, Windermere LA23 3HE

What happens if I arrive late to pick up the boat?

• You may lose your booking completely, we cannot delay all bookings for the day for that boat because you are late.

What happens if the weather is bad?

• If the weather would produce unsafe sailing conditions, we will cancel the use of the boats and a full refund will be given.

What happens if there is an emergency?

• An emergency phone number is posted in the boat, when we are alerted a rescue boat will come to you.

Do we need lifejackets?

• A buoyancy aid is available for all persons on the boat, collect what you require when you arrive.

Can we take food onboard?

• Yes, if you remove all rubbish at the end of the hire.

Can we park locally?

• Our Booking Booth is directly opposite the Glebe Road car park, the Braithwaite Fold one is a little further around the road, say 3 minutes’ walk. You should be aware there is great pressure on the car parks use during public holidays and you should plan to allow time to secure parking.

Do you have disabled access?

• Wheelchairs can easily gain access to our floating pontoons and get alongside the boats, but to board the person would have to be lifted, you would have to judge whether this is practical for you.

Can we swim off the boat?

• No, for safety reasons we do not allow swimming or getting close to a shore.

If the Hirer cancels an on-line booking 4 calendar days before the hire a full hire charge shall be returned, at any period less than this only 50% shall be refunded, should the cancellation be on the day of hire then all money’s will be retained. The only exception to this is if Aquatic Windermere initiates the cancelation due to weather or boat availability, etc. then a full fee is returned.