For more than 80 years the “Battle of Peasholm” has played out for 30 minutes three times every week during the summer season (weather permitting!)
The battle features model warships, many of which are powered by human operators in the lake.
Crowds gather on the slopes around the lake and whoop and cheer as torpedoes hit and planes drop bombs on the ‘enemy’.
When the shows first began, the models were First World War battleships, called Dreadnaughts, mystery ships called Q-ships, a passenger liner called Orantes and a U-boat.
After the Second World War, the fleet was replaced with new vessels to recreate the Battle of the River Plate.
Today, there is far less emphasis on recreating either World War; just on unnamed “friends” and an equally unnamed “enemy”. Now that children across North Yorkshire have broken up officially for the summer holidays, the Naval Warfare shows are more frequent. From July 20, the battles will take place very Monday and Thursday.
Into August, the battles will take place every Monday, Thursday and Saturday throughout the month until the last show on August 31.
Doors at 2pm, music from 2:30pm, battle at 3pm. Visit the North Yorkshire Council website for more information. Check out the photos below.
