Route: Circuit of Buttermere
Area: Western Lake District
Date of walk: 20th January 2017
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 5.1 miles
Weather: Low cloud, overcast
It’s been a gloomy spell of weather in the Lake District recently, with low cloud and poor light keeping me off the fells. This doesn’t matter too much when there are places such as Buttermere to visit – the beauty of the surroundings always manages to overcome dull weather
We followed the time honoured routine of parking in the National Trust car park at Long How, walking into Buttermere village and then setting off round the lake in an anti-clockwise direction. We do this in order to keep the best views ahead of us, those of Warnscale Bottom and the Buttermere pines at the head of the lake
Having reached that point we crossed Peggy’s Bridge and set off along the other side of the lake. The return leg involves a short tunnel and anyone over 6 feet tall is advised to duck on the way through, or risk a sore head
The walk was as enjoyable as ever
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
Red squirrel in the garden before we set off this morning…
A short while later, approaching Buttermere village at the start of the walk
We pass by Cragg House Farm…
…and The Fish Inn
Approaching the foot of Buttermere
Sourmilk Gill
Fleetwith Pike at the head of the lake
Our route will take us through Burtness Wood on the right
We cross the footbridge over Buttermere Dubs
The lakeside path through Burtness Wood…
Looking across to Hassness
The head of Buttermere
Emerging from Burtness Wood
Horse Close and the foot of Fleetwith Pike
Hassness again, and below it the shoreline path which we’ll be following on the return leg
Perhaps the best section of the walk as we approach the head of Buttermere
Gatesgarth and the start of the Honister Pass
The bothy at the foot of Fleetwith Pike
Warnscale Bottom
The bothy again
Turn right for Haystacks, but we continue ahead
Peggy’s Bridge, leading to Gatesgarth Farm
Warnscale Beck from Peggy’s Bridge
Haystacks hidden under the clouds
Warnscale Beck and Buttermere pines
We pass through Gatesgarth Farm to start the return leg
A short road section. This is looking back to the Honister Pass
Comb Beck and Horse Close on the far side of the lake
Looking across to Burtness Wood from the shoreline path to Hassness…
…and looking back towards Fleetwith Pike and the head of the lake
Hassnesshow Beck
Into the tunnel…
…and out again. The tunnel was carved out in the 19th century by employees of a Manchester mill owner so that he could walk around the lake and keep close to the shore
Pike Rigg
2 hours well spent as we arrive back in Buttermere village
