Powered vessels could be banned from small Lake District waters to avoid conflicts between sailors and swimmers.

The Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) said it was carrying out a consultation on proposals to amend by-laws to prohibit the use of powered vessels on the smaller lakes including Buttermere, Grasmere and Elterwater.

The LDNPA said Windermere, Coniston, Derwentwater and Ullswater would be unaffected by the proposed changes.  A report said arguments between "drivers of electrically powered vessels and swimmers have been reported in recent years, including incidents where injury to individuals has been narrowly avoided".

The smaller lakes were more "appropriately used" for activities such as paddleboarding, kayaking, canoeing, and swimming, LDNPA documents said.  They added that, along with the increase in popularity of wild swimming, there has been an increase in power-driven vessels.  "An amendment to the by-laws is necessary to conserve the amenity and natural beauty of the smaller lakes and their surrounding areas and prevent nuisance or damage to the smaller lakes," the report concluded.

(Article continues)