Lilac timetable to Saturday 24 October 2026, then winter green timetable from Sunday 25 October 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027 - checked 15 October 2026. Lists show the sailings that run through between Glenridding and Pooley Bridge
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Crossing time
~60 min
Operator
Ullswater 'Steamers'
Map – Ullswater 'Steamers'
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult, single Pooley Bridge to Howtown (or back) | £11.75 |
| Adult, return Pooley Bridge to Howtown | £16.50 |
| Adult, single Glenridding to Howtown (or back) | £12.75 |
| Adult, return Glenridding to Howtown | £18.00 |
| Adult, single Glenridding to Pooley Bridge (or back) | £17.50 |
| Adult, round the lake from Glenridding or Pooley Bridge | £26.00 |
| Child (5-17), single Pooley Bridge to Howtown | £8.00 |
| Child (5-17), return Pooley Bridge to Howtown | £11.50 |
| Child (5-17), single Glenridding to Howtown | £8.25 |
| Child (5-17), return Glenridding to Howtown | £12.50 |
| Child (5-17), single Glenridding to Pooley Bridge | £11.75 |
| Child (5-17), round the lake | £16.00 |
| Child under 5 | Free |
| Family (2 adults + 2 children), round the lake | £76.00 |
| Family (2 adults + 2 children), return Glenridding to Howtown | £54.75 |
| Family (2 adults + 2 children), return Pooley Bridge to Howtown | £50.25 |
| Dog, per journey ticket | £1.50 |
| Bike, per journey (subject to space, not bookable online) | £3.00 |
| Paddleboard, per journey (subject to space, not bookable online) | £4.00 |
Fares come from the operator's table headed 'Ullswater Lake Cruise Fares 2026'. Tickets are open for the day of travel, not time-specific, and can be bought online or at the pier houses and on board; return tickets have no fixed return time. 'Round the lake' means a full return from Glenridding or Pooley Bridge with the option of getting off at Howtown. The operator says bike and paddleboard places cannot be pre-booked and depend on space, and that dogs are £1.50. The table also lists Aira Force fares as 'coming soon, date TBC'; those sailings are suspended and are not listed here. The page gives no separate winter fares, so the 2026 figures are shown. All fares in pounds sterling (GBP).
Ullswater 'Steamers' runs scheduled boats along the lake between Glenridding, Howtown and Pooley Bridge. Its own pre-arrival page says the company fulfils the function of ferrying passengers across the lake as well as providing scenic cruises, so a ticket here is both. The tickets are 'open': they are not time-specific, and a return has no fixed return time. The operator asks passengers to be at the pier at least 15 minutes before departure.
The timetable is chosen by date, not by day of the week. On 15 October the lilac timetable is running, with six through sailings a day from Glenridding (first 09:45, last 16:35) and six from Pooley Bridge (first 09:45, last 16:30), each calling at Howtown. It ends on Saturday 24 October. From Sunday 25 October the winter green timetable runs to 3 January 2027: from Glenridding, a 09:45 to Howtown that turns back, then through sailings at 11:05 and 13:40, and from Pooley Bridge two, at 12:10 and 14:45. The operator's calendar assigns no timetable to 24 and 25 December, and nothing is published after 3 January. The Aira Force pier has been out of use since 18 July, and the operator says the route reopens in 2027.
The fares are charged by stretch. An adult pays £12.75 single between Glenridding and Howtown, £11.75 between Pooley Bridge and Howtown, £17.50 end to end, and £26 for a return round the lake with the option to stop at Howtown; a child aged 5 to 17 pays £8.25, £8 and £11.75 for the same singles. Under-fives are free and dogs are £1.50. The operator describes the walking links as roughly 7 miles from Glenridding to Howtown and 5 miles from Howtown to Pooley Bridge, and recommends taking the cruise first and walking back.
Parking depends on the pier. Glenridding pier has a pay and display car park (CA11 0US), Pooley Bridge pier is a ten-minute walk from the car parks in the village, and the operator says there is no parking at Howtown, which should be reached by boat. Bikes cost £3 and paddleboards £4 a journey, only if there is room.
- Arrive at the slipway a few minutes before departure; vehicle queues build quickly in summer.
- Check the operator's notices before travelling — tides, weather and maintenance affect sailings.
- Confirm accepted payment methods: several crossings are contactless-only.
Frequently asked questions
From Sunday 25 October 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027 the operator's winter green timetable applies. From Glenridding there are through sailings to Pooley Bridge at 11:05 and 13:40, plus a 09:45 to Howtown only; from Pooley Bridge they leave at 12:10 and 14:45.
Until Saturday 24 October the lilac timetable runs: from Glenridding at 09:45, 11:15, 12:20, 14:05, 15:20 and 16:35, and from Pooley Bridge at 09:45, 11:05, 12:25, 14:00, 15:15 and 16:30, all calling at Howtown.
The operator's timetable calendar lists no timetable for 24 or 25 December 2026, and its pre-arrival page says the Glenridding pier house is open all year bar Christmas Eve and Day. Sailings resume on 26 December, running to 3 January in the published calendar.
On the operator's 2026 fares an adult single is £12.75 and a return £18; a child aged 5 to 17 pays £8.25 single or £12.50 return. Under-fives are free, a dog is £1.50 and a family of two adults and two children pays £54.75 return.
The operator gives approximate times: about one hour between Glenridding and Pooley Bridge, 35 minutes between Glenridding and Howtown, and 25 minutes between Pooley Bridge and Howtown.
Both work. Tickets can be bought online in advance or on the day at the pier houses and on board the boats, subject to availability. They are open tickets, not time-specific, so you can choose any sailing on the day.
Yes. The operator describes the Ullswater Way walk as about 7 miles between Glenridding and Howtown and about 5 miles between Howtown and Pooley Bridge, and recommends taking the cruise first and walking back. There is no parking at Howtown.
No. The operator says Aira Force sailings have not operated since 18 July 2026, until further notice, and that the Aira Force routes will reopen in 2027. Its page still lists Aira Force fares as coming soon, date to be confirmed.