Buttermere Circular Route
Stopping for fuel at the Croft House Farm Cafe
Continuing on from our hike past Crummock Water, up Rannerdale Knotts and back down to the village of Buttermere, we complete our day with a walk around Buttermere Lake.
The blunder here is stopping too long for coffee. By the time we leave - around 2pm - we’ve only a couple of hours to scoot around the lake before sunset and once we set off, we discover there’s more than impending darkness to compete with.
The only visible thing on the lakeshore
Thankfully the route is clearly signposted from the centre of Buttermere from behind the Fish Inn.
Heavy fog hangs low over the lake and path, our hair increasingly soggy as we wander through it. Such thick mist adds a fairytale-esque mystique, evermore pronounced by the fact we can only see about 3ft ahead at any point. We know we’re circling a lake but we can we see it? Not a lick. What we do see is pebbled lakeshores, tangling tree branches, and even an enchanting craggy tunnel.
Why is the valley called Buttermere? The name Buttermere originates from the Old English “butere mere”, meaning “the lake by the dairy pastures”. It’s called this because, with the flourishing valley nestled between the two lakes, it’s essentially a great place to make butter.
This five mile walk spanning Buttermere lakeshore has been a popular one since Victorian times. The circular walk is renowned for its distinctive line of trees known as The Buttermere Pines, which line up like guardsmen across the lake, said to be the most photographed trees in the Lake District. It’s thought the trees were originally planted to protect dwellings from high winds.
Buttermere Pines but-a-mere blur
The Buttermere Pines are but a mere blur amidst the heavy fog as we make our way around. We’re rushing which I’m not a fan of. I prefer to stop, snap a few photos and actually pause to take in the sights but on this trek there’s no such chance because we’re against the clock. I try and stop briefly and sneak a couple of snaps but Mr J senses my lack of urgency and hurries us on. To be fair, he’s absolutely right. I don’t really fancy being stuck in complete fog and darkness on a route we’ve never taken before, especially as it’s the one day we’ve gone and left our head torch in the car.
Taking the path up toward Burtness Wood
To our surprise the walk isn’t a straightforward loop around the lake as we expect. The stretch featuring the Buttermere Pines is on private land and instead, we have to walk up a road and between a couple of barren fields before we reach the route the other side of the lake.
Mr J scans the map and suggests we head a little off piste through Burtness Woods. Sounds great. The woods border the lake and once again add an element of fairytale mysticism. I particularly love the shot below of the mist like a shawl along the tree line, the last of the sun setting the mountain peaks aglow behind. It’s a shame this view is only visible due to diseased trees in the foreground that have recently been culled.
We wander on through mucky puddles, boggy bogs and twirly tree roots. This is an easily accessible route and perfect for families with young children. It’s a great length and reasonably simple to follow all the way round before reaching the back of Fish Inn again.
We’re looking forward to coming back and walking this one again when the visibility is better. I imagine the views are stunning. Being a straightforward circular route that takes around 1-2 hours makes it perfect for a half day or adding as a second hike. We found hiking around Crummock Water, up Rannerdale Knotts and back to Buttermere in the morning, stopping for coffee and then walking Buttermere Lakeshore circular walk in the afternoon was the perfect balance, the latter a more relaxing route to round off the day. On a map it’s the Buttermere Figure of Eight.
If you’re after shorter walks in the Lake District, this is perfect. I’d even recommend combining this with the route down to Crummock Water (without climbing Rannerdale Knotts).
We drop in for our second stop at the Croft House Farm Cafe just before closing and head back to the car for our drive back to Coniston.
Rating: *****
I’ve rated this walk 4 stars, but really that’s only due to our experience in the heavy fog. I have no doubt on a day of better visibility I’d rate it 5/5.
Length: Approx. 4 1/2 miles
Park: Buttermere Carpark. There’s also a carpark at Gatesgarth
Difficulty: Easy
Terrain: Straightforward all the way.
Navigation: Easy
Facilities: Plenty of places to eat, drink and stay in and around Buttermere.
Highlights: Lake views, tunnels, wooded areas.
