Management of Lake Windermere
A guide to “Who Does What” on Lake Windermere
| Organisation | South Lakeland District Council (SLDC) | Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) |
| Teams | Lake Wardens | Park Management and Lake Rangers |
| Contact details | 015394 42753 or email the wardens |
Lake Ranger Team to report byelaw offences on 0844 225 2922 or head office on 01539 792555 or by email |
| Byelaws | Provide advice and education to lake users on the Windermere byelaws Patrol the Lake throughout the year to enforce the Windermere ByelawsProvide and maintain the speed limit buoys and signs.Provide educational material such as the Lake User guide and wider Windermere information on the LDNPA website. |
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| Windermere Registration Scheme | Act as agents for the LDNPA to provide a local registration facility on the Lake at Ferry Nab. | The Windermere Registration byelaws require powered craft to be registered and pay an annual fee on Windermere. It is administered at the Kendal headquarters.The registration scheme has associated fees which are set at a level to match the cost of administering and enforcing the registration scheme. |
| Licensing Authority | Licensing Authority for hire craft that carry up to 12 passengers on Windermere. Inspection and licensing over 400 craft in the District. Carry out Boatmen’s tests and issue licences for skippers of hire craft. |
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| Safety and Navigation | They provide and maintain 250 triangles and red buoys marking shallow water and rocks, plus 11 lifebelts at various locations around the lake. | |
| Emergency Rescue and the Coast guard | Agent to the coastguard for emergency rescue via 999 calls between 9am to 5pm. During the summer this is extended to 9am-9pm.The Lake Wardens also provide out of hours cover on a voluntary basis. They carry pagers and can be contacted either by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency or Cumbria Police. | Provide assistant and support to the coastguard for emergency rescue via 999 calls between 9am to 5pm. During the summer this is extended to 9am-9pm. |
| Moorings | Let 800 of a possible 1034 permanent swinging moorings across 28 mooring areas.21 swinging moorings for holiday rental in four areas of the lake. This is monitored and administered from Ferry Nab. |
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| Boat Storage | Annual Boat storage is available for 185 tenders and sailing dinghies. Winter storage for 157 larger boats. Monitored and administered from Ferry Nab – contact web site above. |
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| Encroachment | There are around 300 encroachment agreements between the Council and landowners around the lake, which are both private and commercial, and cover all structures that encroach onto the Lake bed. | |
| Public jetties and Moorings | Public jetties are provided and maintained at four locations around the lake at Ferry Nab, Bowness Bay, Rayrigg and Waterhead. Public slipways are available at Ferry Nab, and Waterhead. Public showers and fresh water hose reels are also available at Ferry Nab. |
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| Sewage pump out and disposal facilities | Two sewage pumps to empty holding tanks, and an Elsan Disposal Point for portable toilets. The prices, charges and opening hours for these can be found here | |
| Training | Ferry Nab is a RYA recognised training centre and only provides training and certified courses to organisations such as Police, Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, and The National Trust (i.e. not to members of the public). | |
| Lake shore and island patrols | The Lake Ranger Team patrol the Lake throughout the year to maintain the various shoreline and island properties owned by the Authority. | |
| Data collection | During routine patrols data is routinely and systematically collected by the patrol team, on various aspects of lake and shoreline usage by boaters and other members of the public, to inform decision making. | |
| Wider educational role and supporting events | Provide wider information about the lake, water safety talks and demonstrations to groups. These can be arranged by contacting the Lake Wardens at Ferry Nab. |
Provide wider information about the lake, and wider National Park issues through the National Park cruise with a ranger events, water safety talks and demonstrations to groups. These can be found on the Lake District National Park events program and website, or to arrange a specifically organised activity through contacting the Lake Ranger Team. |
| Work closely with Environment Agency’s officers responsible for the licensing and management of fishing and all water quality issues including pollution and toxic algae. This includes provision of appropriate signing when notified that toxic blue green algae are present in the water. Provide advice and guidance for events on the lake and safety cover for large events such as the Great North Swim and challenge events such as charity swims and rowing. | ||
| Sharing of information to aid decision making | A jointly prepared annual report is produced that outlines – trends and key issues along with lake usage and incidents. | |
| Environment Agency | Contact the Environment Agency for pollution reports or advice on fishing – 0800 80 70 60 | |
| PLEASE NOTE that the information on this page may not be up to date, so please contact the relevent person/body to check if it is. | ||