Rutland Water is a large reservoir in Rutland, north of Cambridgeshire. By surface area it’s the largest reservoir in England with a perimeter of over 17 miles, not including the Hambleton Peninsula which divides the lake for the majority of it’s length.
The lake has access for Wing Foiling on the North Shore via Rutland Watersports centre and on the South Shore through Rutland Sailing Club.
This review is for the North Shore which I use quite often when the wind is Southerly which is off-shore at Grafham Water my home spot. It’s a very large lake and generally there will be quite a number of foilers and windsurfers there.
It’s well worth a visit as I’ll explain, so get there and let’s Go-Wingfoil.
In a nutshell
Pros:
- Very large lake with plenty of room
- Fairly flat water with easy entry and no shore break
- Prevailing wind is cross on-shore
- Peninsula provides some shelter creating smoother water and slightly calmer wind
- Beyond the peninsula you can get big enough lake swells to surf flagged out when it really blows
- Safety cover through watersports centre
- Good rigging areas right by car parking close to launch point
- Close to A1
Cons:
- You have to pay to access the lake and extra to park!
- Closed on Tuesday and Wednesday in winter
- Weed can be a significant issue during summer months making launching and landing quite difficult
- The surrounding area including the peninsula is quite hilly so there are multiple wind shadow effects
Where is it ?
Rutland Water is located close to Oakham in Rutland.
Access to the north shore for Wing Foiling is through Rutland Water Watersports Bull Brig Ln, Whitwell, Oakham LE15 8BL. The entrance to the watersports centre is on the left shortly after you leave the village of Empingham, travelling west.
The water is open from 9.00 (10 from end of October to January). Closing varies depending on month, with the water closing at 7.00 pm in the summer and 3.00 pm in the Winter.
The watersports centre is on the North shore of the lake so the prevailing south westerly winds are cross-onshore. This makes it quite beginner friendly . Most wind directions work well. Even straight Northerlies are manageable, but perhaps best avoided by beginners.
There are toilets, showers and changing rooms at the watersports centre and a Cafe near the windsurfers car park.
Costs
Annual membership is available (£350 in 2024) – check latest prices on the watersports website here.
Day sailing is also available as of 2024 it costs £24 for an Adult to launch a Wing Foil for the day (£20 in winter). Parking is not included in this and must be paid separately (a source of many a grumble from visiting sailors).
Note that:
- Insurance is needed with third party liability of £2m.
- Buoyancy aids must be worn.
Parking/Rigging/Launching
There is a dedicated parking area for windsurfers and wing foilers. This is right beside two launch areas which are directly alongside one another separated by a hedge. The eastern launch area is larger, but there is no significant advantage to either one and your choice will probably depend on where you park.
1. Finding the car park
When you turn into the entrance to the watersports area you will come to car park barriers after ~ 200 metres, you need to take a ticket for access. Follow the road straight down then bear left to find the watersports centre where you can pay the fee and sign onto the water. If you return to sign off the water car parking is half price. From the watersports centre turn right and after ~100m left down a track which is sign posted to the windsurfer car park.
Once you are parked you can decide which of the launch areas you prefer. I usually put my board and foil together in the car park and then carry it through to the eastern launch area. I then take my wing through and blow it up on the grassy area by the shore. I do this as I prefer not to manoeuvre an inflated wing through a gap in a Hawthorne hedge.
On the Water
The lake is large but the peninsula does create some differences in conditions that give you some variety.
In the shelter of the peninsula
In the prevailing southerly winds staying in the North leg of the lake in the shadow of the peninsula will result in somewhat smoother water and slightly less wind. This becomes more apparent the further West up the North leg you travel. On a really blowy day this can give some respite if you are getting tired. It’s probably also the better area for beginners. Be a bit careful of going too close to the peninsula though, the dead spots can take you by surprise and having foiled over into one, you may need to flog off-foil back quite a way before you get the clean air to take off again.
In the North South channel
Clear of the peninsula the wind is cleaner in the North South channel, it is also a bit stronger and you get the full effect of any gusts. The water here can be quite a lot choppier and in strong southerlies nice little lake waves can form that will allow you to play around surfing. I have seen locals that are able to flag out and join up these lake bumps surfing without the aid of the wing for decent distances (something to aspire to).
Obviously you can sail between the two areas so you can choose what you prefer, or use the shelter of the peninsula to take a breather when the conditions are tough, before heading back to stronger winds and the waves.
Other lake users
Aside from your fellow wing foilers and windsurfers there are a number of other water users to look out for. Dinghies, cruisers and canoists all launch from the watersports area. There are also fishermen who we need to steer clear of when they are not underway, but generally there is plenty of room for all. One vessel you will want to stay clear of for sure is The Rutland Belle a 62 foot pleasure cruiser. I suggest forgetting rules about power and sail and staying out of her way. Although foiling alongside is welcomed by the passengers and stimulates much videoing activity.
At weekends there can be big fleets of racing boats from the Sailing Club on the South shore. Generally their courses will be away from the prime routes for foiling from the North shore but best to keep clear as racing sailors are quite volatile if you get in their way. Ask a local for advice on where to head to avoid issues if you do see a large racing fleet out.
Safety
The watersports centre provides reactive safety cover. This means there is not a boat out patrolling but they will come out if someone has an issue. Ideally you would be out with a friend or friends and can keep an eye out for one another. If not there will generally be others about you could ask to summon help should disaster strike.
Weather
There is a live weather station that shows current conditions. Note the station is on the lake so it’s likely to give a slightly higher reading than you will experience on the shore.
The wind forecast by Windguru is the one I usually pay most attention to, but UK inland waters are unpredictable so I take it with a large dose of salt.