Buttermere

Buttermere is a lake and small settlement in England’s Lake District, Cumbria, set in a classic U-shaped glacial valley. The area is a popular walking and photography destination known for its compact lake, surrounding fells and accessible trails.

The lakeshore walk provides an intimate circuit with multiple viewpoints across water and mountains; the area is also a common base for ascents of nearby fells such as Haystacks, Fleetwith Pike, High Stile and Red Pike. Haystacks in particular is well known to walkers and was a favourite of guidebook author Alfred Wainwright.

The lake and valley were shaped by glacial action during the last Ice Age; human settlement and sheep farming have shaped the local landscape for centuries. Recreational walking and tourism expanded in the 19th and 20th centuries as the Lake District became established as a national destination.

Buttermere lies within the central Lake District, between the hamlet of Buttermere and Gatesgarth, and is set among high fells rather than near a major urban centre; the nearest larger towns are Keswick to the northeast and Cockermouth to the northwest.

• Circular walk: A well-known circular walking route follows the lake shore and climbs adjacent fells, providing different perspectives of the valley and surrounding crags.

What to See #

• Buttermere lake and path: A ribbon lake situated in a glacial valley with a well-used circular footpath and car parks at both the village of Buttermere and Gatesgarth.
• Haystacks: Haystacks, a distinctive fell on the lake's southwestern side popular with walkers and closely associated with guidebook writer Alfred Wainwright.
• Fleetwith Pike: Fleetwith Pike, a steep fell above the lake's southern shore offering direct routes to higher ridges and passes.
• High Stile and Red Pike: High Stile and Red Pike, higher ridges forming much of the skyline around the northwestern and northern shores of the lake.