Cruise the Lake District

Ullswater

The second largest lake in the English Lake District, being approximately 9 miles long and 0.75 miles wide. I regard Ullswater as the most beautiful of the English lakes. It is a typical Lake District narrow 'ribbon lake' formed after the last ice age when a glacier scooped out the valley floor, the deepened section filled with melt-water when the glacier retreated, and it became a lake. The surrounding mountains give Ullswater the shape of an elongated "Z" giving it three separate segments (or "reaches") that wend their way through the surrounding hills.

2011 - GP14 Cruising weekend, 4 boats taking part and hosted by Ullswater Sailing Club. I stayed at the Caravan site opposite and launched from the sites own marina. Good facilities and excellent sailing area with magnificent views. Despite a whole days attempt the light winds did not get us to the far end..

2014 - returned for a long weekend and still not able to get the whole length, the winds just fell away approaching Glenridding. At least we got round the 'Z' but it was getting late so needed to turn back just short of the target!

Same again 2016 with York Sailing Club but this time the excuse was the winds were too strong! With three other boats we met a very strong headwind channelling through at the 'Z' section. Its the downward gusts that got quite scary.

The village of Glenridding, situated at the southern end of the lake, is popular with tourists of all kinds but especially mountain walkers who can scale England's third highest mountain, Helvellyn, and many other challenging peaks from there. The village has ample accommodation including two Youth Hostels and camp sites. The village of Pooley Bridge is at the northern extremity of the lake. Its narrow 16th-century bridge straddles the River Eamont as it flows out of Ullswater, it is overlooked by Dunmallard Hill which was the site of an Iron Age fort. For much of its length Ullswater forms the border between the ancient counties of Cumberland and Westmorland.

Sir Donald Campbell set the world water speed record on Ullswater on July 23, 1955, when he piloted the jet-propelled hydroplane "Bluebird K7" to a speed of 202.32 mph (325.53 km/h). That’s is nearly as fast as I got in 2016!

Ullswater - excellent sailing if you can get round the 'Z' bend (starting just on the right of this pic.)

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Coniston Water

Coniston Water is famous for being one of the largest lakes in the Lake District. It sits at the base of The Old Man of Coniston and boasts beautiful scenery of the surrounding fells. It was the inspiration behind Arthur Ransome’s celebrated children’s novel, Swallows and Amazons. Donald Campbell’s doomed world's water speed record attempts took place here in 1967.

I use the Coniston Water Sports Centre, it can get quite busy with cars etc. However, boat storage available and good lauching area. Downside - its expensive!

I have sailed here twice, the last time in September 2024. A very interesting sailing experience, to say the least. The first time was dead calm not much movement on the water. The second time exactly the opposite. Very strong catabatic winds at the north end where we launched my boat and I was in company with the 1929 one-design Blue Moon.

I was sailing single-handed. Once we were away from the north end things calmed down a bit and managed a nice sail in the top 3/4 of Coniston. A quick bit to eat on Peel Island was necessary (well worth the journey, I thought). Rain came down quite heavily on the way back (not quite downwind). I could see the 'bad' bit coming up i.e. dark streaks of wind fingers coming down the mountains and across the lake.
After a few near misses the boat finally went over - just shear wind power there was nothing I could do. I did manage to right the boat and get in fairly quickly and after getting a few buckets of Coniston water out headed for the nearest shore. That unfortunately was the furthest shore where I was hoping to land the boat.
On the way to the shore another gust took me on a 180 degree spin and my rather nice ash wood tiller stick broke away from the universal joint I was immediately rudderless- this caused another capsize. Again managed to right it and get to the shore (still wrong side of the lake). There and with my trusty bucket started to get some of the water out.
Being without a rudder was a issue so in the end took the sails down and broke out the oars. Normally my boat handles under oars quite well, unfortunately this time it was into a strong head wind. This was very hard work and often the wind took me round in a circle - eventually I got into the shore at the Water Sports Centre. There the weather was completely different - sunny and a gentle breeze - glad to get back in one piece and especially being able to all this this myself. I was quite tired!

The next day was sunny and a gently breeze I manage to find a mop handle in a skip in the boat yard and fashioned a new tiller stick - which worked quite well actually.

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Windermere

I have been sailing out for the Royal Windermere YC three times now. This is the club that my GP14 '28' Aeolian first made its maiden voyage in 1952. The Vintage Section have always been very welcome here and it is a lovely club surrounded but absolute tourist chaos. Why would anyone want to live there!
Ferry’s, tourest steamers, boat hires, all adds to the experience.

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Bassenthwaite Lake

Have been here a couple of times - nice club but getting a bit worn around the edges. Amazing water to sail in AND there is a lot of it! Nearly 4 miles long but just be wary of potential down-draft winds.

Bass Week good fun, busy, hetic and if staying on-site very noisy.