Buttermere walk - circuit of Buttermere

Route: Circuit of Buttermere

Area: Western Lake District

Date of walk: 4th June 2018

Walkers: Andrew

Distance: 5.1 miles

Ascent: 400 feet

Weather: Warm and dry

I’d set the alarm early in the hope of photographing some dawn mist, and drove over to nearby Buttermere. However the conditions weren’t as good as I’d hoped for and after taking a couple of roadside shots I decided to return. Having taken the trouble to get here, it seemed a waste to drive straight back, so I made an impromptu decision to walk around the lake, something I’ve done hundreds of times and could never tire of. This is a popular circuit, and I avoid it at peak times, but at 5 am in the morning I guessed that I’d have the place to myself, and this proved to be the case

I parked as usual in the National Trust car park at Long How and walked through Buttermere village to the foot of the lake. As I’ve always done before, I set off round the lake in an anti-clockwise direction, which seems the natural way to go. The walk to the head of the lake was a joy every step of the way, with some good dawn light showing the landscape at its best

After crossing Peggy’s Bridge and passing by Gatesgarth Farm I started the return leg along the other shore, passing through the short tunnel near Hassness and following the sometimes rocky path back into Buttermere village to complete a wonderful circuit

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

The day before the walk, it was good to see spotted flycatchers in the garden - they are now on the red list of endangered bird species in the UK

Feeding a fly to the youngster

Dawn next day, and a roadside photo of the head of Buttermere

I then decided to walk around the lake, and after parking at Long How, I walked past Cragg House Farm into the village...

I pass by The Fish

The moon behind High Stile

I follow the track to the foot of Buttermere, with the distinctive outline of Fleetwith Pike on the left

High Stile again

I arrive at the foot of the lake

Burtness Wood

A young roe deer at breakfast

I cross the footbridge over Buttermere Dubs...

...and follow the delightful lakeshore path...

Looking back - Mellbreak is in the background

Approaching a small plantation known as Horse Close

The bothy at the head of Buttermere

Fleetwith Pike and Haystacks

The bothy again

The path on the right leads up to Haystacks, I carry on straight ahead

Having passed the head of the lake, I'll turn left at the dry stone wall ahead

Early morning sunlight on Haystacks

Flag Iris and Buttermere pines

Warnscale Beck...

I follow the path across the head of the lake to Gatesgarth Farm

Haystacks again

Warnscale Bottom

Horse in the fields beyond Gatesgarth

A short road section at the start of the return leg

The area around Hassness has been taken over for a few days, hence the tents, and is the base for an annual charity event hosted by local paragliders

Looking back to the head of Buttermere

Bonsai pine tree near Hassness

Soft light looking towards Mellbreak at the foot of the lake

Into the tunnel...

...and out again

Further along the lakeshore path

The path across the foot of the lake (which is not on my route today) is temporarily closed to protect the nesting sandpipers, which lay their eggs on the beach