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Record numbers due at Lake District rowing event

Clive Penkett A number of crews in rowing boats are rowing across Derwentwater - a very large lake in the Lake District. The lake is surrounded by mountains. Clive Penkett
Crews from all over the north of England are expected to attend the event

More than 300 people from across the North East and Cumbria are due to take part in what organisers say is the "biggest rowing event" to take place on a lake since Victorian times.

Lakeland Rowing Club (RC) held the first Derwentwater Head of the modern era in 2023, with the same event the following year cancelled due to high winds.

Up to 80 crews of four or eight rowers, of all ages and from rowing clubs including Durham, Sunderland, Hexham, Tynemouth and Tees Rowing clubs will race the length of the lake on Saturday in a time trial competition.

Lakeland RC chair Julia McCumiskey said there was "a lot of excitement" about the event.

Clive Penkett Two crews of four women sit in boats waiting to start racing. They are all leaning forward holding their oars with their knees bent. Behind them you can see the shores of Derwentwater Clive Penkett
Crews race against the clock and are set off at 15 second intervals

The event began more than 150 years ago when Victorian rowing enthusiasts transported their boats to the Lake District by train from all over the country and carried them through the streets of Keswick to the shore.

The last one was held in 1870, but has now been resurrected by Lakeland RC.

Clive Penkett Two rowing boats race across Derwentwater with mountains and a clear blue sky behind them. On an island you can just see a marshal wearing a hi-vis jacket Clive Penkett
The club says most rowing events take place on much smaller lakes than Derwentwater

Ms McCumiskey said: "Our beautiful lake is unlike any other location on the British Rowing racing calendar and there's a lot of excitement from across the region about it.

"All the races we went to were on smaller lakes or on rivers, so we decided it was time we put on an event here.

"We've got 78 crews this year, we had 50 two years ago and we hope to expand it further in future years."

Coach Dan Lockey, from Durham Rowing Club which is sending 13 crews, said: "It's just such a beautiful location, it's somewhere everyone knows about.

"I don't think you'll be able to row anywhere else with the same scenery and the history that body of water has."

The event will begin at 08:30 GMT when clubs start walking their boats from Lakeside car park to the water between the Keswick Launch Company jetties with the exact course decided according to wind conditions on the day.

Staging the race takes "a lot of time and commitment" Ms McCumiskey said, adding: "We really want to share our beautiful scenery and the lake we enjoy every week."

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