Buttermere

Welcome to the Buttermere Valley: known for its natural beauty and located in the Lake District National Park, it’s a peaceful place popular with hikers and outdoor enthusiasts.

The blue ribbon lakes of Buttermere, Crummock Water and Loweswater are surrounded by fells and mountains including Red Pike, High Stile, Fleetwith Pike, Robinson, Whiteless Pike, Grasmoor and Melbreak; as well as the charming villages of Buttermere and Loweswater.

Tiny Buttermere village – from the ‘lake by two pastures’ is made up of a few farms, some isolated houses, a chapel and, critically, two inns. Loweswater is similar, a scattering of farms and houses form a community held together by the twin magnets of its church and next-door hostelry. These traditional villages owe their continued existence to the National Trust, which owns much of the land and applies strict preservation orders to it. The only way into the valley by car is from the north via Cockermouth or through the snaking passes over Honister and Newlands Hause.

History & Heritage

The classic u-shaped valley and ribbon lakes of the Buttermere Valley were carved by huge glaciers during the Ice Age. It’s thought Buttermere and Crummock Water were once a single lake, but fluvial deposits from Sour Milk Gill and Sail Beck silted up the central section and created the rich grazing pastures that first attracted human settlement into the area.

Ancient remains can be found at Lanthwaite Green and at the northern end of Melbreak. A pele tower once looked out over Crummock Water (its earthworks still visible on the ground), while the small medieval hamlet and chapel at Rannerdale has all but disappeared. This hidden valley was a bulwark of resistance against the invading Normans in the 11th century, but Rannerdale is now better known for its spectacular display of bluebells in the spring.

Historically, it was cows rather than sheep that dominated the pasturelands. Gatesgarth Farm, at the foot of Fleetwith Pike, was once a medieval ‘vaccary' or dairy farm. Nowadays, it is one of the largest sheep farms in the area, raising flocks of Herdwicks and Swaledales on the vast acres of common land. Barley, oats and corn were also grown in the valley, with a corn mill (now the Bridge Hotel, Buttermere) crushing the grain to make flour.

The discovery of bands of attractive green slate at Honister opened up a new source of income for the locals. And while there was some opencast mining, much of it was done from within the mountain – Fleetwith Pike is still honeycombed with old workings accessed at different levels and linked by vertical shafts. The Honister mine closed in 1986 but reopened in 1997. It has since become an award-winning tourist attraction, with guided tours and an exhilarating Via Ferrata course.

Today, much of the Buttermere Valley is owned and managed by the National Trust, who also operate a number of car parks in the area.

The Buttermere Valley is popular for its hiking routes, offering plenty of western Lake District walking opportunities. It’s home to several Wainwrights, as well as lower level walks around its various lakes.  

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FAQs

Where is Buttermere located?

The Buttermere Valley is located in the Western Lake District, between Cockermouth and Wastwater.

Where is there to stay in Buttermere?

There is a good choice of accommodation in Buttermere, including scenic campsites, B&Bs, self catering accommodation, country inns like the Kirkstile Inn and hotels like Hassness Country House and the Bridge Hotel.

Where is there to eat in Buttermere?

From cosy country pubs to farm cafes, Buttermere offers a good selection of places to eat.

How to get to Buttermere?

The Buttermere Valley can be reached by car, with National Trust car parks in Buttermere village and Lanthwaite Wood near Crummock Water. Buttermere can also be reached by bus via the Stagecoach 77/77A Honister Rambler service which operates between Easter and October, taking in locations like Catbells, Seatoller, Honister Slate Mine and Whinlatter Forest.

Keep an eye out for seasonal shuttle bus services from Cockermouth during the summer months.

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Surrounding Areas

Loweswater - Loweswater is a small hamlet situated between Loweswater and Crummock waters. It is home to The Kirkstile Inn which has been providing food and shelter for some 400 hundred years, and now has it's very own brewery.

Ennerdale - The Ennerdale Valley offers incredible walking opportunities and is home to the elequant Ennerdale Water. It offers you amazing opportunities for walking and cycling to explore this surrounding area.

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Did you know?

THE WHITE CROSS OF FLEETWITH PIKE

The stark white cross painted on a rock is in memory of Fanny Mercer. Fanny, a servant of the master of Rugby School, was accompanying him and his family on a trip to the Lakes when she fell to her death while descending the steep slopes of Fleetwith on 8 September 1887.

ST JAMES’ CHURCH

This tiny church was built in 1840 on a rocky knoll at the entrance to the village. There is no graveyard here (because of the rock substrate), so the deceased had to be taken to Loweswater or Lorton churches along so-called ‘corpse roads’. One of the windows is dedicated to Alfred Wainwright (1907−1991), author of the well-known walking guides on the Lake District, and appropriately faces Haystacks, his favourite mountain.