10 Tips on How To Be An Environmentally Responsible Paddleboarder in the Lake District
- Jo Moseley
- Jun 8
- 6 min read
Updated: Jun 9
With the sun shining, many of us will be heading to the Lake District with our SUPs to enjoy the stunning scenery and beautiful waters.
Having spent much of 2023 researching my bestselling book Stand Up Paddleboarding in the Lake District - Beautiful Places to Paddleboard in Cumbria with award winning Vertebrate Publishing, I know what a huge privilege and joy it is to paddle here. Some of my most special SUP moments have been in the Lake District.
Alongside safety planning, here are 10 ways we can each ensure we paddle responsibly and look after this UNESCO World Heritage site and the largest National Park in England.
1) Respect where we can paddle:
There are 10 lakes we are allowed to paddleboard on:
Bassenthwaite, Buttermere, Coniston, Crummock, Derwentwater, Grasmere, Loweswater, Ullswater, Wastwater (England's deepest lake) and Windermere (England's largest lake).
We are not allowed to SUP on Brothers Water, Elterwater, Ennerdale, Esthwaite Water (a fishing lake), Haweswater, Rydal and Thirlmere. I would also not paddle on tarns as many are Sites of Special Scientific Interest and fragile environments.
For more information:
2) Buy Your Permit:
If you paddle on inland waterways in England and Wales, you will need a Paddle UK Waterways License. Whilst the licensing agreement does not cover the Lake District, there are certain lakes that do require a permit either from the LDNPA or National Trust.
a) Bassenthwaite: Buy a permit online from LDNPA. This also allows you to park at the very handy Peel Wyke Harbour with easy access to water.
b) Buttermere, Crummock and Loweswater: Buy a National Trust permit at the cash only car park meters near Buttermere village (CA13 9UZ) or at the Crummock Lanthwaite Woods (CA13 0RT) or using the PaybyPhone app code 804483. Please note, membership of the National Trust gives you free parking but you still need to buy a permit.
3) Check, Clean and Dry:
One of the most important things we can do is to ensure we do not carry Invasive Non Native Species (INNS) from lake to lake. Even a tiny fragment of one of the most well known, the New Zealand pigmyweed can grow very quickly, decreasing the oxygen in the lake and making it difficult for native fish and and invertebrates to survive. You will see plenty of signs around the lakes asking you to Check, Clean and Dry.
After every paddle:
Check: your board, safety kit, leash, clothing & buoyancy aid.
Clean: leave any organic matter at the lakeside to dry out. Do not put it back in the lake.
Dry: dry all clothing and kit after cleaning, either in the sunshine or with a towel (wash after).
Paddle UK recommends shows that soaking smaller items in hot water at 45 C for 15 minutes has a 99% mortality rate across all INNS. It is hot water that kills off the INNS, not cleaning products.
To help onsite cleaning, I use a Biomate Brush system.
4) Stay on designated campsites:
Overnight camping, including tents, bivvies and vans, is not allowed in laybys, on islands or along the lakeshore other than in designated campsites.
For your sunrise SUPs, stay at one of the campsites such as:
Coniston: Caravan and Motorhome Club Coniston Park Coppice, Coniston Camping Hoathwaite or Bank Ground Farm.
Ullswater: Side Farm Campsite, Park Foot Holiday Park or Waterside House Campsite.
Windermere: Social District, National Trust Low Wray Campsite, Graythwaite Adventure or Long Valley Yurts.
Derwentwater: Keswick Camping and Caravanning Club Site or Borrowdale Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite.
Crummock & Buttermere: Syke Farm Campsite.
Look up Camp Wild for wilder but permitted campsites in the Lakes.
Alternatively, why not try the Youth Hostel Association? Windermere's YHA Ambleside is right on the water near Waterhead!
5) Cook Responsibly:
BBQs and open fires are not allowed. Disposable BBQs can be a fire risk, create litter and damage wildlife. They scorch the ground and damage flora and fauna.
Instead use a camping stove, such as from Alpkit, Vango or Kelly Kettle.
For more great cooking tips and recipes, see local Cumbrian author Harrison Ward's book Cook Out
6) Wild Wees:
There are very few loos by the lake so plan ahead by checking the link here.
If you do need to go, follow the guidelines on Wild Wees or Poos.
Use a Kula cloth so there is no need for toilet paper which you would need to take away with you.
Buy a Go Anywhere Waste Kit Bags or WAG bags which contain paper, hand wipes, a large secure bag for your waste and liquid absorbing, deodorising crystals. You simply put the poo in the bag, seal it securely and dispose of safely.
Create your own Poo Kit, including a trowel, toilet paper, hand sanitiser and resealable plastic bags. Wee or poo at least 30 metres from a path or water source. Use the trowel to dig a hole 15 - 20 cm deep to bury poo and then cover it. Do not bury toilet paper, tampons or sanitary towels as they don't rot and will be dug up by animals. Put them in a bag and take them away with you. The same goes for wet wipes and nappies. Do not wash your hands in lakes - use a hand sanitiser or bottled water.
7) Plan where and when to paddle:
Avoid the no boating zones and times to protect bird and wildlife and only land on islands where and when it is permitted.
Derwentwater: Strandshag Bay and Great Bay.
Bassenthwaite: Bowness Bay and southern end of the lake.
Ullswater: Norfolk Island is a vital area for nesting birds, such as oystercatchers and greylag geese. Keep a distance and do not land between 1st March and 1st July.
Buttermere: From the beginning of April to the end of June the National Trust close a section of the permissive path near the village to protect nesting sandpipers.
Check the maps and ensure you know where to avoid.
8) Take Your Litter Home & Do a 2 Minute Litter Pick
Make sure you take all your litter home with you and if you can, do a #2minutelitterpick. Litter is a fire hazard, it can harm local wildlife and farming stock and even be a danger to children and adults enjoying the lake.
Where possible, avoid single use plastic for picnics and bring reusable water bottles, mugs, picnic wear and cutlery.
9) Travel Responsibly:
If going by car:
Travel with others to reduce car numbers
Be patient & give yourself plenty of time as roads are narrow
Use passing places to pass not park
Don't block gates or park on yellow lines which can obstruct emergency services from getting through
Don't park on grass verges where sheep graze
Public Transport:
Where possible, use the bus or shuttle buses, such as Wastwater, Buttermere, Crummock and Ullswater.
See Stagecoach for timetables.
10) Make a positive difference!
Be a citizen scientist by collecting samples for the Freshwater Biological Association's Big Windermere Survey. I have done this and it is hugely rewarding knowing your time on the lake is adding to the scientific understanding of England's largest lake.
It is important to remember, the Lake District is not a theme park - crews are not waiting to clean up the area overnight ready for the next day. The National Trust rangers have important conservation work to complete and aren't there to pick up after us. The land is where farmers tend to their livestock. The wildlife, flora and fauna also need the opportunity to thrive. This is home to local families who want to work, live and raise their children here. They too want to swim and paddle in a safe and clean environment.
Paddleboarding in the Lake District truly has been one of the highlights of my SUP journey. It is where I learned to paddle in 2016 with Lake District Paddleboarding and is why I wrote my book Stand Up Paddleboarding in the Lake District - Beautiful Places to Paddleboard in Cumbria.
Whilst I want to encourage others to fall in love with the area too, it is important that as paddleboarders we recognise that with opportunity comes responsibility. As a new sport, we have the chance to write our own story about how we as a community respect and protect the places that bring us such joy and wellbeing.
I hope these tips and the information I share in my book about safety, launch spots, cafes and lessons, plus the stunning photography and maps, will help you enjoy paddleboarding in the Lake District as much as I have.
I'd love to hear if you have learned something new, if there is a tip you are going to pass on to others or if you will choose to become a citizen scientist. Please do get in touch and let me know!
Wishing you every joy on your paddleboarding adventures! Jo
Jo Moseley www.jomoseley.com Instagram @jomoseley
Photo credits Jumpy James Photography
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