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Windermere Explore Regatta 2025

Judith Leader shares her thoughts and experiences from this year’s Explore Regatta on Lake Windermere

The Indian summer finally caught up with us for the annual Windermere Explore rowing regatta.

Across the summer months, rowing clubs in north-west England hold a regatta each month, inviting new learner crews and social rowers, without British Rowing points, to learn about racing and have some great fun in boats.

There were some early arrivals for the Windermere Explore. A few of the clubs made a weekend of it, arriving Saturday afternoon for a practice row in torrential rain followed by swimming in the lake, reckoning it would not be possible to get any wetter.

But on Sunday morning, regatta day, we couldn’t have asked for better weather. Lovely autumn sunshine and a light breeze brought out other lake users, such as the swimmers and sailors, as well as an unusual steamboat. With the regular ferry and parked yachts, this all provided a bit of an obstacle course to get to the start, but all was expertly managed by the Windermere club members.

The Explore series is a great way to learn about regattas and racing quads. As new Explore racer Jo says, “The relaxed, friendly atmosphere really helps to put novices at ease.”

Florence has just completed the Learn to Row course at Windermere and is taking part for the first time, “Any initial nervousness was dissipated by the supportive atmosphere, great cakes, and everyone not being too serious about the day, other than when you are in the boat”.

With crews in stable quads, approximately 70 people participated, including coxes. There were around 20 club members helping out on the jetty, and in the boats at the start and end of the course. And cake baking, so many cakes! Fuelling the day.

Crew names follow the pub quiz format of light-hearted titles, including ‘Lakeland Cakeland’ and Warrington RC’s ‘To Be Oar Not To Be’. But the real business of the season is next month, and which crews will take home the trophies at Chester’s Grosvenor RC final Explore races of the season.

Today, there were two crews who won all 4 of their races, Trentham BC’s ‘When Crew Becomes One’ and ‘Men in Black’ from Trafford RC.

The Explore races are a fun, friendly, and supportive introduction to rowing across the north west of England, and what better way to spend a beautiful day in September than at Windermere.