It's hard to imagine a more idyllic base for sailing in the Lake District than that used for the WCOA’s second Coniston Cruise weekend, September 11^th - 12^th, organised by Ken Dickinson.

Situated in classic Lakeland scenery on the West side of Coniston, nearly half way along its 5.5 miles length, is Birmingham University’s Priestly Centre. We had use of this well appointed sailing centre and it’s facilities for the weekend and made full advantage of its pontoons, boat park, beach and superb showers. I particularly welcomed being able to leave the boat fully rigged afloat on a pontoon at the end of a days cruise.

Ken was on hand on the Friday evening to welcome early arrivals, such as ourselves, he having already spent the day sailing in superb, albeit somewhat windy, conditions and we and one or two others were able to deposit our boats in the dinghy park overlooking the lake. We then returned to our adjacent lakeside camp site only 100 meters or so from the boats.

The Saturday dawned disappointingly overcast with little wind as some seven Wanderers prepared for the first days cruise. A briefing at 10am explained that the day’s plan was to sail to the southern end of the Lake with a lunch stop planned close to Peel Island before returning to the Centre.

The first boats afloat sat deceivingly motionless in the windless conditions, this did not bode well! However no sooner had the fleet edged out from the shore and cleared the lee of a small headland than we all discovered the shelter it had been affording us and we shot off on an exhilarating, albeit somewhat wet, beat down the lake in a fresh and gusty F4.

Noon saw us all pulled up for lunch on the wooded eastern bank, just beyond Peel Island at Grass Paddocks. After refreshment and some drying out we set to complete our excursion to this end of the lake. In improving weather and kinder winds we quickly reached the far south end of the lake where the River Crake exits en route to Morecambe Bay. This was a lovely spot and in stark contrast to our earlier sail. Quite and peaceful, reed lined river bank and small boats bobbing at their moorings. We all explored this tranquil spot before turning due north and setting off on a ‘dead’ run back from whence we came 4hrs earlier.

The full panorama of the lake unfolded before us as we glided back, in the deceptively quite conditions, as is often experienced with ‘dead’ runs. Glimpses of sun tantalised from time to time. Some boats went in close to shore to explore, some stayed off and attempted spinnaker hoists, others sailed straight ‘down the middle’. What ever route taken offered fine sailing. On arrival back at the Priestly Centre several boats continued on a little further while others sailed long reaches from one side of the lake to the other. Eventually all returned and were either pulled up onto shore, afloat on the pontoon or placed in the boat park.

The day was perfectly rounded off by a meal in the restaurant of a local hostelry in Torver, just a mile or so from the centre, where our ranks were swelled to about twenty when we were joined by the non-sailing family members in our party.

Sunday was blessed with lighter winds and many sunny spells which greatly enhanced the views of lake and fell. We had a leisurely launch at 10:30 and set course for Brantwood on the far side of the lake, once the home of the poet John Ruskin and now a museum open to the public. We enjoyed a lovely sail down the lake, mingling with the local boats out for Sunday morning pottering or racing. We also were treated to close up views of the famous Steam Gondola as it departed the Coniston pier in all its Victorian splendor. We eventually put ashore for lunch just north of the Brantwood pier, where the water bus drops off the tourists, with the great white house looking very striking above us.

After lunch we completed our circumnavigation of Coniston by sailing to the northern most extent of the lake. Being close to the town of Coniston with its pier, boat hire centre and tourists it was much busier and very different to the southern end. Making our way back to the Priestly Centre some of our party put ashore at the National trust café at the pier for refreshments and to explore while others made the most of the time available by continuing to sail and explore.

However, all good thing must come to a regretful end and by about 4pm all boats were being de-rigged and readied for the trip home. We, however were to leave our boat at the Centre while we continued north for a Scottish holiday before returning, ten days later, for the boat and thereafter making our way to Norfolk to join yet another WCOA’s cruise, namely John Ferguson’s popular Broads cruise [see Georgina Foggo’s report elsewhere].

Many thanks to Ken Dickinson for arranging this very enjoyable cruise in such a perfect location and we look forward to sailing with the Wanderers again in the Lake District during 2000.

Terry Pullen and Judy Porter W863.

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