Route: Circuit of Buttermere
Area: Western Lake District
Date of walk: 2nd October 2018
Walkers: Andrew
Distance: 5.1 miles
Ascent: 400 feet
Weather: Very windy with some sunshine at first, clouding over later on
The circuit of Buttermere appears about 20 times on this site and I can make no apology for another appearance, as this is one of the classic low level walks in the Lake District. It’s a perfect way of spending a spare couple of hours. 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 as I do, then it’s best to choose a quiet day and time
I parked as usual in the National Trust car park at Long How, and walked through Buttermere village, passing the Fish Inn and following the path to the foot of the lake. After crossing the temporary footbridge over Buttermere Dubs I set off along the lakeshore path which leads to the head of Buttermere. My luck was in today, since my arrival at the head of the lake (the most beautiful section of the walk in my opinion) coincided with some good light as patches of sun broke through the clouds
After crossing Peggy’s Bridge and passing by Gatesgarth Farm I started the return leg along the other shore, and as I did so the clouds rolled in and this turned out to be the last of the good light
I then passed through the short tunnel in the rocks near Hassness and followed the sometimes rocky path back into Buttermere village
Before returning to the car park I made a brief detour to the small church of St James’ to revisit the memorial tablet in honour of Alfred Wainwright, looking towards his favourite fell, Haystacks
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
On the way to the start of the walk I stopped the car at Hause Point Crummock Water to admire the view of Mellbreak
A few minutes later I set off from the car park outside Buttermere village and walk past Cragg House Farm
Light traffic on the road
After passing through the village I walk towards the foot of the lake
Sour Milk Gill waterfall
I arrive at the foot of the lake
I was last here 2 months ago, on the way to the High Stile Range - the old bridge over Buttermere Dubs had recently collapsed when the main beam failed. The bridge is being rebuilt elsewhere using the same materials and will be deposited back on the site in its entirety. I cross the temporary bridge
Autumn colours starting to appear in Burtness Wood...
Further along the lakeshore path, looking across towards Hassness and Crag Wood
I negotiate my way past this recently fallen tree
Fleetwith Pike beyond Horse Close...
...and again
Looking across to Hassness
I cross the small footbridge over Comb Beck, which flows down from High Stile
Foot of the Honister Pass
Buttermere bothy at the head of the lake
I arrive at the head of the lake
Warnscale Bottom
Looking back along the path
The bothy again
I'll turn left at the dry stone wall to walk across the head of Buttermere
Gatesgarth and the Honister Pass
Buttermere pines
I follow the path towards Gatesgarth Farm
From Peggy's Bridge, looking along Warnscale Beck to Buttermere...
...and now looking the other way, to Warnscale Bottom...
I was fortunate that good light coincided with my arrival at the most scenic section of the walk
Fleetwith Pike and Haystacks
Herdwick sheep
Gatesgarth Farm ahead
High Snockrigg beyond the bothy
More herdies
Highland cattle at Gatesgarth Farm
Looking back along the path
Fleetwith Pike above Gatesgarth Farm
A short road section at the start of the return leg
Fleetwith Pike above Gatesgarth Farm
Into the tunnel...
...and out again - the tunnel was made by a former owner of Hassness Estate so that he didn’t need to stray too far from the shore
Beyond the foot of the lake now, looking back to Haystacks and High Crag
I turn left at the end of the path, and Buttermere village is just around the corner
The path passes through the farmyard of Wilkinsyke Farm
At the end of the walk I visit St James' Church to see the memorial tablet to Alfred Wainwright looking towards Haystacks, his favourite place
