Route: Buttermere circuit
Area: Western Lake District
Date of walk: 21st November 2019
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 6.7 miles
Ascent: 500 feet
Weather: Weak sunshine, very windy
Gale force winds had been rattling the bedroom windows all night long, and hadn’t abated by morning. According to the Mountain Weather Information Service walking conditions on the felltops would be ‘arduous’ with significant wind chill. This caused us to revise our plans and walk round Buttermere instead, as it’s been a while since we were last here
We parked in the National Trust car park at Long How, but instead of heading through the village as usual, we went in the opposite direction and passed through a gate in the car park which leads into Long How Wood. A lovely path through the wood brought us to Mill Beck, which we crossed, and then followed a path to Nether How at the head of Crummock Water. We walked around Nether How and beside Mill Beck into Buttermere village
From here we set out on the classic circuit of Buttermere, passing the Fish Inn and following the path towards the foot of the lake. The bridge over Buttermere Dubs was washed away a while ago but has recently been replaced, so we crossed it and followed the shoreline path to the head of the lake. The views towards Fleetwith Pike and Warnscale Bottom were as good as ever
After crossing Peggy’s Bridge at the head of the lake, and passing by Gatesgarth Farm, we started the return leg along the other shore. We followed the sometimes rocky path back into Buttermere village, passing through the short tunnel in the rocks near Hassness along the way to end a wonderful walk
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 start of the walk as we enter Long How Wood from the car park near Buttermere
We follow the path through the wood
We walk beside Mill Beck
After crossing Mill Beck we walk towards Crummock Water and Mellbreak
Mellbreak from the head of Crummock Water
We walk around the other side of Nether How, heading towards Buttermere
Fleetwith Pike in the distance...
...and again, as we join the path to the foot of the lake
High Snockrigg from the foot of Buttermere
We cross the new footbridge over Buttermere Dubs
Burtness Wood
Looking across to Dalegarth
The little white house at the head of Buttermere
Fleetwith Pike on the left
The white bothy again
We turn left at the dry stone wall to walk across the head of Buttermere
Warnscale Beck from Peggy's Bridge
Buttermere pines and Warnscale Bottom
We pass through Gatesgarth Farm
Looking to our right along Gatesgarthdale Beck to the Honister Pass
We turn left to follow the Buttermere road for a short distance
Looking across to High Stile and Burtness Comb as we continue along the road...
...and now looking back to Fleetwith Pike
A memorial bench with a view
We continue around the promontory at Hassness...
Fleetwith Pike and the head of Buttermere
Mellbreak
Into the tunnel (carved out in the 19th century by a Manchester Mill owner)...
...and out again
Looking back along the lakeshore
Pike Rigg
A last look back along Buttermere to Fleetwith Pike
We pass by St James' Church Buttermere, and from here it's a short stroll back to the start
A couple of days later, a return visit to the head of Buttermere - just as beautiful in mist as in sunshine...
