Aira Pier is the FIRST new pier to have been built on Ullswater in fifty years!  It was built under a joint operation between Ullswater Steamers and The National Trust and rides between Glenridding and Aira Force. Here’s how you can visit Aira Pier.

The first new pier in five decades

The pier opened at the beginning of the 2015 summer season but nobody could have predicted just how flooded the area would become by November 2015.

Although I wasn’t in The Lakes, the photos of the devastation were shocking with lots of bridges collapsing and whole communities cut off from access. A whopping 4.3km of the road leading to Aira Force had to be repaired but thankfully the pier stood strong and survived.

Operating hours

The ferry operates only on weekend’s in the winter and a one way ticket from Glenridding to Aira Force costs £6.50 for adults and £3.25 for children.  The idea is that you walk back from Aira Force to Glenridding or Pooley Bridge on the new path ‘The Ullswater Way‘.

The Ullswater Way

The Ullswater Way has four stages that tie in with the Ullswater steamers.

• Pooley Bridge to Aira Force, 6.5 miles/10.5km
• Aira Force to Glenridding 3 miles/4.6km
• Glenridding to Howtown 6.5 miles/10.5km
• Howtown to Pooley Bridge 5 miles/8km

Aira Pier on a miserable day

I couldn’t have visited on a more miserable day. If you’d read our post on Aira Force you will understand why, however for the benefit of those who have not, the weather was terrible!

It was 2*c, we’d had about 3cm of snow, clouds were low, visibility was poor and then it started to rain! Probably the worst day to visit but we did.

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