Rowing Boats at Rudyard
Rowing Boats are available for hire at the Dam Head and can take 4 people per boat. Booking is NOT required for Rowing Boats.
Bell boats can also be hired, which seat up to 12 people. Please book in advance.
Please contact the Ranger for availability information.
Rowing Boats & Bell Boats are available every day from Easter to End October from 10.30 until last boat going out at 4pm.
Bell Boats are generally available by prior arrangement by contacting the Ranger, normally they are hired in 4 hour hire periods although shorter durations can be accommodated subject to availability.
Buoyancy aids for adults are optional on the rowing boats but all children of 16 and under must wear them. All users of Bell Boats must wear buoyancy aids. Helmets are not required.
Rowing Video
Rowing Boat Prices
Rowing Boat History
The North Staffs Rowing Club arrived at Rudyard Lake in 1988 from Trentham in Stoke-on-Trent and at that time there were about seven members. By 1995, they had acquired a rather large wooden shed which was erected on the Dam Head car park and housed their two boats.
With the formation of Rudyard Lake Ltd in 1995 it was necessary to rearrange the storage facilities in the interests of the visiting public. The Company erected a prefabricated building which housed the café, the ranger’s office, a small visitor centre and the North Staffs rowing boats.
By 1996 a set of concrete steps had been built to allow a safe and easy transition to the water. At the same time, the Company took the opportunity to remove some of the temporary cabins on site.
Following the success of Team GB in the subsequent Olympics, the interest in rowing gathered momentum year on year with adult membership continually rising. In time, the storage facilities for rowing boats were becoming very stretched and some expensive boats had to be stored on outside racking. The Activity Centre was rebuilt for the ever increasing number of visitors to the Lake with custom made racking being installed for the rowing club on the ground floor.
More recently the club has continued its growth and thanks to trained and approved volunteers they have been able to approach local schools to encourage young people into the sport. Today there are some forty senior members and seventy junior members who regularly compete at events in the north west.
GPS GUIDED TOURS
Whilst out on the lake you can also use our free app to get a guided tour and information about all the various landmarks you’ll see along the way.
