Walking around Buttermere

Take a stroll around Buttermere on a clear day and you’ll be rewarded with some stunning scenery to enjoy. The walk itself is easy with level ground all around the route. It is a perfect place to retreat to when the wind is blowing on the fells above. And on a still day you will struggle to leave your camera in your pocket. To get there it is thirty minutes from Keswick on the Borrowdale Road (B5289). Park at Buttermere Village and take a walk down to the lakeside.

If you’re here with children we recommend heading in an anti-clock direction. This will mean that they can enjoy playing and den-building in the woodland area near the start. Then they can explore the exciting short tunnel section, cut through a crag by the Victorians, as they complete the route. Be aware that there is a short on-road section of the walk which is around 600 metres in length at the southern edge of the lake.

The total round lake walk distance is 4.5 miles. If you have little legs and a stop or two to factor in then allow up to 3 hours to complete the circuit.