Bluebird - Water Speed Record

Many will know of Donald Campbell's, almost annual, attempts to break the world water speed record on Coniston and of his tragic death during the final run there on the 4th of January 1967.

Less well known is the fact that, in 1955, he spent nearly six months based in Glenridding, making test runs on Ullswater and carrying out modifications to the jet-powered Bluebird. Then, on the 23rd of July 1955, he made two timed runs that produced an average speed of just over 202.32 mph (325 km/h), smashing the record of 178.497 mph (178 km/h) set in July 1952 by american Stanley Sayres in his propellor driven boat Slo-Mo-Shun IV.

In recognition of the hospitality shown by locals during his stay, Donald Campbell presented a trophy to the village. It was known as the Campbell Cup and awarded annually to the best sportsman of the dale.