Route: Circuit of Buttermere
Area: Western Lake District
Date of walk: 18th October 2024
Walkers: Andrew, Gilly, Phil and Denise
Distance: 5.1 miles
Ascent: 400 feet
Weather: Mixed sun and clouds
Today’s walk was in complete contrast to our last one, some 4,200 miles away in the busy city of Calgary, where skyscrapers dominated the landscape
It was good to be back on familiar ground and to revisit Buttermere. The classic walk around the lake appears over 30 times on this site and is one of the finest low level walks in the Lake District. The beauty and accessibility of the walk is both a virtue and a problem in that the path can be too busy at peak times and, if you prefer to walk in relative solitude, then it’s best to choose a quiet day and time
We parked as usual in the National Trust car park at Long How and walked through Buttermere village, passing by the Buttermere Court Hotel (formerly The Fish). We followed the path to the foot of the lake and as usual set off around Buttermere in an anti-clockwise direction in order to keep the best views ahead. After crossing the footbridge over Buttermere Dubs we followed the lakeshore path which leads to the head of Buttermere. The section near the head of the lake is perhaps the best of all, with views towards Fleetwith Pike and Haystacks
After crossing Peggy’s Bridge and passing by Gatesgarth Farm we started the return leg along the other shore, passing through the rock tunnel near Hassness along the way. We continued along the shoreline path and, where it forks off to the foot of the lake, carried on ahead. This brought us back into Buttermere village, to end another wonderful circuit of the lake
For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
After walking through Buttermere village we follow the track to the foot of the lake
Waterfall in Sourmilk Gill
Buttermere ahead
Sourmilk Gill again
We arrive at the foot of Buttermere and turn right...
Fleetwith Pike at the head of Buttermere
Looking back along the foot of the lake, with Whiteless Breast and Whiteless Pike in the background
We follow the path through Burtness Wood on the west shore of Buttermere...
View across the lake
At a junction we turn left to follow a narrow path which hugs the shoreline
Fleetwith Pike, and Fleetwith Edge catching the sunbeams
Looking up Comb Beck towards High Stile, summit unseen from here
Gilly and Denise approaching the head of Buttermere
Char Cottage, sometimes known as the Little White Hut, at the head of Buttermere...
Buttermere pines and Warnscale Bottom beyond
We cross Peggy’s Bridge and head towards Gatesgarth
Looking along Warnscale Beck...
...and now looking the other way
Buttermere pines and Warnscale Bottom
Mellbreak beyond the foot of Buttermere
We follow the path past Gatesgarth Farm
A short road section follows beyond the farm
High Crag and High Stile
View along Buttermere from the short road section...
A path soon appears and we follow it along the lakeshore
We walk around the small promontory at Hassness...
Looking back to Fleetwith Pike
Trees at the edge of Hassness Crag Wood
Scots pine proudly showing off its surroundings
We cross the footbridge over Hassnesshow Beck
Autumn colours along the shore of Buttermere
We enter the tunnel, made by a former owner of Hassness Estate
Beyond the tunnel we walk along Pike Rigg...
Approaching Buttermere
We pass by St James’ Church to end another wonderful circuit of Buttermere
