MV Tern, the oldest vessel in Windermere Lake Cruises 16-strong fleet, is proving age is no object as she entered service in mid-February 2025 following a winter refurbishment.
The iconic vessel, which is one of the most popular on the water, has been undergoing work to replace sections of timber belting, the original parts having been in place since 1891.
The vessel’s stylish design, based on that of a Canadian Canoe, features an iconic bow, making her one of the most picturesque vessels on Windermere.
Sailing back on the waters from Saturday 15 – Sunday 23 February (excluding Friday 21), visitors will be able to hop aboard and enjoy cruises between Lakeside and Bowness.
Originally launched in June 1891, Tern is one of the oldest large-scale vessels still operating on England’s inland waterways. Over a long career, she has sailed more than a million miles and carried more than 17 million passengers.
A member of the National Historic Fleet, Tern was built by boat builders Forrest and Son and could originally carry well over 600 passengers.
She is one of just a handful of vessels of her size to be built during the reign of Queen Victoria and still fully operational today.
During World War Two Tern was requisitioned as a sea cadet training ship and temporarily named HMS Undine.
In 1973 during the filming of Arthur Ransome’s Swallow and Amazons film, the crew of the Swallow narrowly missed colliding with Tern – an incident which resulted in an ad lib change in the script.
In 1996 she was used in an episode of Agatha Christie’s Poirot.
Tern hosted the Olympic torch as part of the official relay in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympics
Tern was originally commissioned by the Furness Railway Company back in the late 1800s.
