The crossing may be the shortest in the UK but the ferry linking the east and west shores of Windermere could well be Cumbria’s most idyllic commute.
Mallard is managed by Westmorland and Furness Council and links Ferry Nab at Bowness to Far Sawrey. The alternative is a major diversion around Windermere.
Yet there’s concern at the number of times the service has been disrupted and regular commuters say they can no longer rely on it.
In May, the ferry returned after a five-week maintenance and refit programme.
But this week the service was reduced, not because of mechanical problems, but a lack of crew.
“It’s becoming the norm,” according to Far Sawrey resident Nick Heather. “It’s a vital public service but we’re being let down at a time when it should be working at capacity and earning the kind of revenue that supports it during the winter.”
On Wednesday the service began at 750am with a crossing from Ferry Nab and concluded with an 1800 departure from Ferry House.
For the crew on board their shift would have been particularly busy as tourists made the most of the fine weather.
Among the vehicles carried on Wednesday was an ambulance responding to an emergency call.
“There doesn’t seem to be a long-term strategy for the ferry,” Nick, a naval architect, says.
A Facebook group he set up to provide advice about the service contains comments from those worried about the future of the service.
Westmorland and Furness Council concede that reliability has been an issue.
“Unfortunately, despite successful recruitment drives, unforeseen circumstances have prevented new crew members from joining us, resulting in repeated job advertising and staffing shortages,” the council said.
“To continue delivering a safe service for our customers, we must operate condensed hours until further notice. We apologise for the inconvenience this will cause and we are working hard to resume our normal summer timetable by the August bank holiday weekend.”
The authority said three new crew members will soon be joining and more interviews have been scheduled.
As for the longer-term future of the popular service, Westmorland and Furness Council said work was underway to develop it after 2029 and is promising to keep people in touch with plans for the much-loved link.
“’Windermere Ferry has been granted its licence to continue providing a service across the lake for the next five years following completion of the Maritime Coastguard Agency inspection and significant investment programme earlier this year,” the council said.
“Work has started to explore options for ‘Mallard’ moving forward and we will keep our communities updated every step of the way.”
An email service outlining the daily operating status of the status is offered by the council.
This weekend’s schedule:
- 08:30 – First Sailing from Ferry Nab
- 08:40 – First sailing from Ferry House
- 17:50 – Last sailing from Ferry Nab
- 18:00 – Last sailing from Ferry House
Next week:
- 07:50 – First sailing from Ferry Nab
- 08:00 – First sailing from Ferry House
- 10:10 – 10:40 – staff break
- 17:50 – Last sailing from Ferry Nab
- 18:00 – Last sailing from Ferry House
