Cyclists will go free on the Windermere Ferry

Cyclists and mountain bikers on a Lake District route will be quids in next week when ferry bosses offer free travel.

The £1 charge for cyclists on the Windermere Ferry will be waived as part of the Drive Less See More Challenge Week in the national park.

The ferry, operated by Cumbria County Council, runs between Ferry Nab near Bowness and Far Sawrey on the western shore of the lake.

Cyclists will be able to travel free from 22 to 29 July.

Councillor Tim Knowles, transport and environment portfolio holder for the council, said: “Waiving the fee for anyone travelling by bicycle or electric bike on the ferry for the week of the promotion is a small gesture which demonstrates the county council’s commitment to encouraging more sustainable ways of getting around.

“Travelling the Lakes by bike, bus, boat or boot offers a completely different experience from just driving around. You really do see more if you drive less.”

A Go Cycle, Go Walk, Go Lakes Festival will take place at Staveley on 22 July. The festival includes guided walks, bike rides, electric bike try-outs, stunt displays, a cycle roadshow and circus entertainment on the village playing fields.

The promotion is part of the GoLakes Travel drive, a £6.9m project being run by Cumbria County Council, Lake District National Park Authority and Cumbria Tourism to get visitors using sustainable forms of transport to reduce the area’s CO2 emissions by around 11,000 tonnes by 2015.

More details of events are on the GoLakes Travel website.