RNAS Windermere

The air station was closed following the end of World War II. As a temporary wartime establishment, its purpose became redundant with the cessation of hostilities and the subsequent reduction in military forces and training requirements.

The site of the former air station has been completely redeveloped and integrated into the civilian infrastructure. The specific coordinates point to Waterhead Pier in Ambleside, which is now a major hub for tourism. The area is dominated by the terminals for Windermere Lake Cruises, hotels, car parks, and public recreational spaces. The original slipways and hangars are gone, and there is very little physical evidence of the former military base remaining. The site is now a key part of the Lake District National Park's tourism economy.

RNAS Windermere, commissioned as HMS Urley, was a Royal Navy flying boat base active during World War II. Established in 1941, its primary role was to train pilots for the Fleet Air Arm on seaplanes and flying boats. Its inland location on Lake Windermere provided a relatively safe training environment, sheltered from enemy attacks that targeted coastal airfields. Trainee pilots flew aircraft such as the Supermarine Walrus and Fairey Swordfish equipped with floats. The skills learned here were vital for pilots who would later operate larger flying boats like the Short Sunderland on crucial anti-submarine patrols, convoy escorts, and air-sea rescue missions in the Atlantic and other theatres. The base consisted of slipways, hangars, and accommodation at Waterhead, Ambleside, with other facilities located around the lake.

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening RNAS Windermere as an airport. The site is located within the Lake District National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with extremely strict planning and environmental protections that would prohibit such a development. Furthermore, the type of operation it supported (flying boats) is largely obsolete in modern aviation. The land is now of high value for tourism and recreation, making any conversion back to an airfield economically, environmentally, and logistically unfeasible.