Buttermere Lake

Address: Buttermere, Lake District, Cumbria CA13, United Kingdom

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.

Buttermere is accessible by local roads off the A66 and A595 in the Lake District, roughly 30-40 minutes from Keswick by car. Local buses run from nearby towns in season; the nearest major rail stations are in Penrith and Carlisle, with onward bus connections.

• Walk the north shore early in the morning - the reflections on the lake are best then and the popular high routes are quiet.
• If aiming to climb Haystacks, start early; the path is rough in places and weather can change quickly.
• Ask local boat operators about the history of the area - long‑running families still row punts on the lake and have stories about the fell.