The Windermere Ferry crosses the lake at its narrowest point, linking Bowness on the eastern shore with the western bank and the road to Hawkshead and Hill Top. The crossing takes about ten minutes. It runs year-round except when strong winds make the crossing unsafe, and it carries cars, bicycles, and foot passengers.
Taking the ferry is the most direct way to access the western shore, which has a completely different feel from the tourist-heavy eastern side. From the Far Sawrey landing, it is a short drive or a longer walk to Hawkshead village and to Hill Top, the National Trust farmhouse where Beatrix Potter wrote her books. Cyclists use the ferry as part of circular routes around the lake. The ferry schedule is worth checking in advance in winter, when services are reduced and weather cancellations more frequent.