CAMPAIGNERS staged a show of “resistance” on the shore of Grasmere against a bid to moor holiday boats on the lake.

More than 200 people gathered at Penny Rock Beach for a “day of solidarity” designed to “keep the pressure” on the Lowther Estates Trust to abandon its idea of putting up to 10 “gentleman’s yachts” on Grasmere.

MP Tim Farron joined the placard-waving crowds, who travelled from as far afield as London, Gretna, Manchester and the Midlands.

Retired village postman Andy Astle, who is spearheading the Facebook campaign group Houseboats off Grasmere, said he was “absolutely blown away” by the turnout.

The group is now stepping up its campaign and leading London barrister Robert McCracken has been instructed to prepare a document opposing the proposals. The QC is described as “a leading public, planning and environmental lawyer”.

As the Gazette went to press yesterday, 147 letters of representation had been sent to the Lake District National Park Authority about the Lowther Estate Trust’s application for a certificate of lawful existing use or development for holiday boats on Grasmere.

In a statement the trust said: “The question posed to the LDNPA was would it be lawful to put recreational leisure craft on Grasmere? The question was not asking about residential boats – houseboats – as has been widely perceived but leisure boats such as are already seen, and have been seen for many years, on Coniston Water or Ullswater.

“The question was a query in law, about the legality of the move. It was not a planning application.”

The trust added: “As with all planning matters, the question has been posed in a public forum and all views are listened to and taken into account.”

David Bliss, the trust’s CEO, met campaigner Andy Astle this week. Mr Astle said he asked Mr Bliss to consider gifting Grasmere to the National Trust or Grasmere Village Society.

He said Mr Bliss told him the Lowther Estate Trust had had an offer accepted on two plots of land which would guarantee direct access to the lake from the land it already owns at White Moss Common.

Mr Astle, 62, said the campaign was “growing and growing” and it had “very big ideas”. He has dipped into his own pocket to help cover costs, and a crowdfunding campaign has exceeded its original £1,000 target.

More than 2,000 people have signed an online petition, and the Facebook page has been seen 88,840 times, attracting around 1,600 followers. The next event to be staged at Grasmere will be a “big day out”, which Mr Astle expects to attract around 600 people including anglers, runners, open water swimmers and rowing boat owners. A date has yet to be set.

Meanwhile, Grasmere Village Society this week unanimously agreed to oppose the holiday boats proposal.

Society chair Vivienne Rees said: “Grasmere lake is very special to us all. It’s a unique place, as Wordsworth said himself, which has a particular character of quietness and tranquillity. The committee said the whole atmosphere would be spoiled by these proposals.”

She said it would be “dreadful” if something “so contrary” to Wordsworth’s ideas went ahead as the 250th anniversary of his birth was being celebrated this year.

Cumbria county councillor Will Clark, who attended Saturday’s gathering, told the Gazette: “We were overwhelmed by how many people there were. It just goes to show the feeling that people don’t want the place to change."

South Lakes MP Tim Farron said the plans would “start a slippery slope" to inappropriate and environmentally damaging development”. A spokesman for the LDNPA said the trust’s application would not go to committee and a decision due in February.