Today we will visit The Windermere Jetty Museum in the morning and Blackwell House in the afternoon.

 

Discover over 200 years of Windermere’s boating heritage through historic vessels, interactive displays, hands-on activities, and a fascinating collection of objects, oral histories, and curiosities connected to the lake in this spectacular lakeside setting.

Across the site you can visit the Conservation Workshop where the boats are actively cared for by an expert team of boatbuilders, the Wet Dock where vessels from the collection are kept afloat.  The exhibition area allows you to "Gain insight into the world of boatbuilding and explore the process of making Windermere Jetty Museum’s newest skiff, from ideation, sourcing materials, to the moment it launches on the water."  This exhibition celebrates craft, Windermere’s boating heritage and the region’s traditional boatbuilding culture. It also highlights how they are helping to keep endangered traditional wooden boatbuilding skills alive for future generations. 

Whilst at the museum you can also experience Windermere from the water aboard beautifully restored heritage boats.  These 30-minute boat trips cost £16.50.  Tickets can be purchased on the day.

At the Jetty Museum there is the Lakeshore cafe, serving drinks, snacks and lunches.

Blackwell – the Arts & Crafts house is one of the Lake District’s most beautiful historic houses.  

Designed in 1901 as a holiday home by architect Mackay Hugh Baillie Scott, it offers a beautifully preserved snapshot into the British Arts & Crafts Movement.  Blackwell has become an internationally significant historic house and a rare and wonderful example of the survival of the Arts & Crafts Movement.

When Blackwell joined Lakeland Arts in 1999, the house did not contain any original Arts & Crafts furnishings. Today the objects in the house’s period rooms are drawn from their own collection, as well as a selection of exceptional loans from other galleries, institutions and private lenders. When you visit, you’ll discover beautiful furniture and objects from leading designers and makers. These include leading members of the Arts & Crafts Movement, such as MH Baillie Scott, Archibald Knox and William De Morgan, and local makers and designers, such as Annie Garnett and Arthur Simpson of Kendal.

2026 marks a milestone year for Blackwell, celebrating 125 years of the house and 25 years since opening to the public. 

 

To celebrate 125 years of Blackwell, Lakeland Arts will be showcasing a major exhibition of works by its architect, the Arts & Crafts designer Mackay Hugh Baillie Scott (1865-1945).  This exhibition brings together significant works by Baillie Scott from Blackwell’s own collection, alongside loans from national, regional and private collections, offering a rare opportunity to explore the full breadth of his creative practice. Visitors will encounter furniture, textiles and interior designs that reveal his contributions to the British Arts & Crafts movement and reflect his position as an architect and designer of international influence. 

There is a cafe at Blackwell serving refreshments.

Cost £40.00, includes entrance to The Jetty Museum and Blackwell Arts & Crafts House, a tour/talk at Blackwell and transport. Departs Holmes Chapel at 09:00; Goostrey 09:10.  Please be at departure point at least 5 minutes before the departure time.