Reflections on 2025

A Year of Action for Windermere

As 2025 draws to a close, we’re taking a moment to reflect on an extraordinary year for Windermere. It’s been a year of collaboration, innovation, and resilience—where partners, communities, and individuals came together to protect and restore one of the Lake District’s most iconic places. 

From pioneering solutions to community-led initiatives, every achievement has been a step toward a healthier, more resilient Windermere. Here’s what we’ve accomplished together. 

2025 A Year of Milestones

In March, A Changing Windermere was published. A landmark report that set the tone for action and transparency. In November, we launched the Love Windermere Action Plan, a bold roadmap of 33 commitments designed to tackle the challenges facing the lake. 

We welcomed high-profile visits from leaders and decision-makers, including the Secretary of State, the NFU Vice President, and the Environment Agency Chair. These visits helped shine a national spotlight on Windermere’s challenges and the collaborative work underway to address them. 

Innovation was at the heart of 2025. Partners introduced cutting-edge solutions such as Mobile Organic Biofilm (MOB) technology and Fuji Clean systems, offering new ways to improve water quality and reduce nutrient loading. Alongside this, as the environmental regulator, the Environment Agency carried out numerous site inspections across the catchment in 2025 – 32 times at United Utilities sites and over 100 at private permit holders and farms.

We also supported First Time Sewage pilots and the Windermere Septic Tank Emptying Project (STEP) programme, assisting communities in adopting more sustainable wastewater solutions. Additionally, we amplified funding opportunities, including the Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) Programme and United Utilities grants, enabling local landowners and farmers to implement positive changes for nature and water quality. 

Our efforts didn’t go unnoticed. Positive media coverage of our big pieces—A Changing Windermere, and the Action Plan, along with the Environment Agency’s bathing water results, is helping to shine a light that progress works best when we work together. 

And let’s not forget the moments that brought people together: RoWindermere and the Great North Swim showcased the lake’s beauty while reinforcing the importance of protecting it for future generations. 

Nature, Community & Collaboration

Beyond infrastructure and innovation, 2025 was a year of hands-on action for nature. Through our partners, they planted trees and bulbs, upgraded eel passes, and supported natural flow management projects—all vital steps in restoring habitats and improving biodiversity. 

Equally important was the work of connecting and collaborating. We engaged with local businesses, councillors, community groups, conservation organisations, and farmers to share knowledge, build trust, and co-create solutions. These conversations shaped practical actions and strengthened the collective effort to protect Windermere.  

Citizen science projects like Hello Lamp Post brought new voices into the conversation, while international partnerships such as the Cleveland Water Alliance helped us learn and share knowledge and solutions. 

We also championed sustainable choices, from promoting car-free travel to offering practical guidance for homeowners on managing private sewage systems. Every action, big or small, contributes to reducing pollution and safeguarding the lake.  

Facing Challenges Together

2025 wasn’t without its challenges. Climate extremes tested our resilience, from the driest spring in 69 years to periods of intense rainfall later in the year that brought flood warnings across Cumbria. To support the community, we raised awareness of low water levels, provided resources on blue-green algae, and highlighted the difference between wild camping and fly camping, helping keep people and nature safe. 

But through science collaborations like Plural Lakes and the Cumbrian Lakes Research Forum’s 10th anniversary, we deepened our understanding of Windermere’s ecology and strengthened the evidence base for future action. Our commitment to the ambitious Only Rainwater into Windermere feasibility study further reflects our determination to tackle pollution at its source and protect the lake for generations to come. 

Looking Ahead to 2026

So, what’s next? In short: delivery. The Love Windermere Action Plan is our blueprint for change, and 2026 will be all about turning commitments into reality. We’ll continue to connect with communities, champion innovation, and work tirelessly to protect Windermere for generations to come.

2025 has shown what’s possible when we work together. From science to community action, every step brings us closer to a healthier Windermere. Thank you to everyone who played a part in this journey—we couldn’t do it without you.

Thank You

To our partners, volunteers, and supporters: thank you for being part of this story. Together, we’re proving that collaboration works—and that Windermere’s future can be bright. Stay connected, stay involved, and let’s make 2026 a year of delivery and hope.