Route: Circuit of Crummock Water
Area: Western Lake District
Date of walk: 15th June 2016
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 9.3 miles
Ascent: 800 feet
Weather: Cloudy but quite bright, very warm, light rain at end
We parked in the National Trust car park near Scale Bridge and followed the wide track through Lanthwaite Wood to the foot of Crummock Water. The lake was like a millpond as we passed by the fish ladder and started out along the western shore, with Mellbreak towering over us
Just beyond the head of the lake we crossed Buttermere Dubs and walked into Buttermere village, stopping for refreshments at the excellent Bridge Hotel
The walk back along the other shore involves some contact with tarmac but it’s a quiet road and this is not an issue. Most of the road section may be avoided by diverting into Rannerdale, though we chose not to do so today
At Cinderdale Common we left the road and dropped down to the shoreline path which we followed back to the foot of the lake, and from there we walked along the bank of the River Cocker back to the start
This is a wonderful walk which we’ve done many times, and in some ways is to be preferred to the circuit of its better known neighbour Buttermere, as it’s equally beautiful but much quieter
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
There was plenty of red squirrel activity in the garden before we set off this morning…
A short time later, the start of the walk as we head through Lanthwaite Wood towards the foot of Crummock Water
Crummock Water
The boathouse
We cross the footbridge over the River Cocker at the foot of the lake
Start of the path along the western shore
The surface of the lake was like a mirror…
Mellbreak
We walk round the shingly beach
The slopes of Mellbreak plunging into the lake
Rannerdale Knotts
Low Ling Crag, and Fleetwith Pike in the distance
Angler on Low Ling Crag
Fleetwith Pike again as we approach the head of the lake
Buttermere Dubs, which flows out of Buttermere and into Crummock Water
We cross Buttermere Dubs via Scale Bridge
The path to Buttermere village
Fleetwith Pike and Haystacks
A pint of Buttermere Beauty at the excellent Bridge Hotel in Buttermere
We pass by Crag Houses as we walk out of Buttermere
A short road section, part of which we avoid by taking the track to the right
Looking back from the path below Rannerdale Knotts
This was a perfect walk for Bonnie - half dog, half fish
High Ling Crag on the far side of the lake
Sign near Rannerdale Farm
We leave the road here to descend to the path along the eastern shore
Walking towards High Wood
Silver birch in High Wood
The boathouse
The High Stile Range from the foot of Crummock Water
Raindrops on Crummock Water, looking towards Rannerdale Knotts
Instead of retracing our steps along the main track to the start we follow the nearby path by the bank of the River Cocker
Looking across the Cocker to Mellbreak at the end of the walk
