14 easy to follow walks from Buttermere

Fourteen easy to follow walk route maps from the beautiful village of Buttermere in the The Lake District National Park, Cumbria, England

Buttermere and Fleetwith Pike
Photo: William Ingram

Buttermere is a small village nestled between the lake of Buttermere and Crummock Water. There are approximately 92 residents of Buttermere (as of 2021).

There are two pubs in the village, The Bridge Hotel and The Buttermere Court Hotel (formerly The Fish Inn), both of which offer a fine array of beers and spirits along with accommodation for the night.

Syke Farm Camp Site offers basic camping along with two Yurts (which sleep 4 adults each) and a Shepherd's Hut that offers self-catering accommodation for two.

Buttermere is an excellent base from which to explore the North Western Fells and the Western Fells of the Lake District with lots of local walks from a stroll around Buttermere Lake or Crummock Water to all-day hikes in the high mountains.

Walking the Wainwrights from Buttermere

Walkers seeking to Walk the Wainwrights will find no shortage of opportunities to add to your hill bagging tick lists with Wainwrights accessible by foot direct from Buttermere village. These are:-

Pillar (Wainwright No. 8);
High Stile (No. 29);
Red Pike (Buttermere) (No. 62);
High Crag (Buttermere) (No. 65);
Robinson (No. 67);
Fleetwith Pike (No. 116);
Starling Dodd (No. 122);
Great Borne (No. 127);
Hay Stacks (Haystacks) (No. 131) and
Rannerdale Knotts (No. 210);

And if Wainwright Bagging is your thing, then don't miss our popular Walk All 214 Wainwrights in just 59 Walks feature.

When the weather turns

The small but perfectly formed St James' Church in Buttermere was built in 1840 and features a memorial to writer and walker Alfred Wainwright. It is well worth a visit.

14 easy to follow walks from Buttermere

Walk c219 A Circuit of Buttermere from Buttermere

An easy stroll round a lakeland jewel

Vital Statistics:

Length:	4.75 miles (7.5 km)
Ascent:	485ft (148m)
Time:	2 hrs
Grade:

Walk route map with easy-to-follow route instructions for walk c219 A Circuit of Buttermere from Buttermere pdf

Route Summary:

Buttermere - Dalegarth - Hassnesshow Beck - Gatesgarth - Black Beck - Peggy's Bridge - Burtness Wood - Buttermere

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Walk c221 A Circuit of Crummock Water from Buttermere

Lovely lakeshore stroll

Vital Statistics:

Length:	7.5 miles (12 km)
Ascent:	262ft (80m)
Time:	3 hrs
Grade:

Walk route map with easy-to-follow route instructions for walk c221 A Circuit of Crummock Water from Buttermere pdf

Route Summary:

Buttermere - Great Wood - Wood House - Crummock Water - Hause Point - Rannerdale Bridge - Cinderdale Common - Lanthwaite Green - High Wood - Lanthwaite Wood - River Cocker - Park Beck - Iron Stone - Low Ling Crag - Scale Bridge - Buttermere

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Walk c379 Rannerdale Knotts from Buttermere

A relatively small hill with huge views

Vital Statistics:

Length:	3.25 miles (5 km)
Ascent:	968ft (295m)
Time:	2.25hrs
Grade:

Walk route map with easy-to-follow route instructions for walk c379 Rannerdale Knotts from Buttermere pdf

Route Summary:

Buttermere - Buttermere Hause - Rannerdale Knotts - Low Bank - Buttermere

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Walk c406 Hay Stacks from Gatesgarth, Buttermere

Wainwright's favourite mountain

Vital Statistics:

Length:	3.25 miles (6 km)
Ascent:	1,920ft (585m)
Time:	3½ hrs
Grade:

Walk route map with easy-to-follow route instructions for walk c406 Hay Stacks from Gatesgarth, Buttermere pdf

Route Summary:

Buttermere - Gatesgarth - Peggy's Bridge - Buttermere - Scarth Gap - Hay Stacks - Innominate Tarn - Hay Stacks (Haystacks) - Scarth Gap - Peggy's Bridge - Gatesgarth - Buttermere

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Walk c295 Hay Stacks and Fleetwith Pike from Gatesgarth, Buttermere

Wainwright's favourite mountain

Vital Statistics:

Length:	5.80 miles (8.5 km)
Ascent:	2,455ft (748m)
Time:	4½ hrs
Grade:

Walk route map with easy-to-follow route instructions for walk c295 Hay Stacks and Fleetwith Pike from Gatesgarth, Buttermere pdf

Route Summary:

Buttermere - Gatesgarth - Peggy's Bridge - Buttermere - Scarth Gap - Hay Stacks (Haystacks) - Innominate Tarn - Blackbeck Tarn - Black Beck - Green Crag (Buttermere) - Warnscale Beck - Dubs Hut - Dubs Quarry - Fleetwith Pike - Honister Crag (Black Star) - Fleetwith Pike - Fleetwith Edge - Gatesgarth - Buttermere

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Walk c367 Robinson and High Snockrigg from Buttermere

Long, steep ascent to superb views

Vital Statistics:

Length:	4.75 miles (7.5 km)
Ascent:	2,363ft (720m)
Time:	4.25hrs
Grade:

Walk route map with easy-to-follow route instructions for walk c367 Robinson and High Snockrigg from Buttermere pdf

Route Summary:

Buttermere - Dalegarth - Hassnesshow Beck - Goat Crag - Goat Gills - Robinson - Buttermere Moss - High Snockrigg - Buttermere

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Walk c207 The High Stile Ridge from Buttermere

Unsurpassed views of Buttermere

Vital Statistics:

Length:	7.5 miles (12 km)
Ascent:	3,338ft (1,017m)
Time:	6.25hrs
Grade:

Walk route map with easy-to-follow route instructions for walk c207 The High Stile Ridge from Buttermere pdf

Route Summary:

Buttermere - Sourmilk Gill - Bleaberry Tarn - Dodd (Buttermere) - The Saddle - Red Pike (Buttermere) - High Stile - High Crag (Buttermere) - Gamlin End - Seat (Buttermere) - Scarth Gap - Peggy's Bridge - Burtness Wood - Buttermere

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Walk c228 Hay Stacks from Buttermere

Wainwright's favourite mountain

Vital Statistics:

Length:	8.25 miles (13 km)
Ascent:	2,334ft (711m)
Time:	5½ hrs
Grade:

Walk route map with easy-to-follow route instructions for walk c228 Hay Stacks from Buttermere pdf

Route Summary:

Buttermere - Gatesgarth - Warnscale Bottom - Warnscale Beck - Green Crag (Buttermere) - Black Beck - Blackbeck Tarn - Innominate Tarn - Hay Stacks (Haystacks) - Scarth Gap - Burtness Wood - Buttermere

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Walk c411 Starling Dodd via Scale Beck from Buttermere

Fantastic views on less visited fells

Vital Statistics:

Length:	9.75 miles (15.5 km)
Ascent:	2,734ft (833m)
Time:	6.25hrs
Grade:

Walk route map with easy-to-follow route instructions for walk c411 Starling Dodd via Scale Beck from Buttermere pdf

Route Summary:

Buttermere - Buttermere Dubbs - Scale Bridge - Scale Force - Scale Beck - Blea Crag - Lingcomb Edge - Ling Comb - Little Dodd (Ennerdale) - Starling Dodd - Great Borne - Floutern Tarn - Black Beck (Mosedale) - Scale Force - Scale Beck (Crummock Water) - Crummock Water - Buttermere

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Walk c263 The High Stile Ridge from Buttermere

Unsurpassed views of Buttermere

Vital Statistics:

Length:	8.75 miles (14 km)
Ascent:	3,390ft (1,033m)
Time:	6.25hrs
Grade:

Walk route map with easy-to-follow route instructions for walk c263 The High Stile Ridge from Buttermere pdf

Route Summary:

Buttermere - Scale Force - Scale Beck - Blea Crag - Lingcomb Edge - Red Pike (Buttermere) - High Stile - High Crag (Buttermere) - Gamlin End - Seat (Buttermere) - Scarth Gap - Burtness Wood - Sourmilk Gill - Buttermere

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Walk c324 Starling Dodd and Great Borne from Buttermere

Fantastic views on less visited fells

Vital Statistics:

Length:	9.75 miles (15.5 km)
Ascent:	3,157ft (962m)
Time:	6½ hrs
Grade:

Walk route map with easy-to-follow route instructions for walk c324 Starling Dodd and Great Borne from Buttermere pdf

Route Summary:

Buttermere - Sourmilk Gill - Bleaberry Tarn - Dodd (Buttermere) - The Saddle - Red Pike (Buttermere) - Ling Comb - Little Dodd (Ennerdale) - Starling Dodd - Great Borne - Floutern Tarn - Black Beck (Mosedale) - Blea Crag - Scale Force - Scale Beck (Crummock Water) - Crummock Water - Buttermere Dubs - Buttermere

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Walk c160 Pillar from Gatesgarth, Buttermere

Simply awesome

Vital Statistics:

Length:	10.25 miles (16.5 km)
Ascent:	4,611ft (1,405m)
Time:	8½ hrs
Grade:

Walk route map with easy-to-follow route instructions for walk c160 Pillar from Gatesgarth, Buttermere pdf

Route Summary:

Buttermere - Gatesgarth - Peggy's Bridge - Scarth Gap Pass - Scarth Gap - Black Sail Hut (Youth Hostel) - Black Sail Pass - Looking Stead (Pillar) - High Level Route - Robinson's Cairn - Pillar - Wind Gap - Black Crag (Pillar) - High Beck - Ennerdale - Scarth Gap Pass - Peggy's Bridge - Gatescarth - Buttermere

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