Buttermere circular walk

 

Saturday 10th June 2023

With yesterday's Ashness Bridge incident firmly behind me I set off today to do the circular walk around Buttermere.

Starting from Gatesgarth Farm at the southern end, I walked up the west side to the village and back down the east side.

It's a hot day even though we set off just before 9.00 am. 

With not a cloud in the sky, the shade from the pine trees in some short sections was very welcome especially for Louis who insists on frequent rest and water stops in this heat.

This glorious with warm sunshine and blue skies is showing the Lakeland scenery at it's best and is most unlike the lake district known for being rather wet, but nobody is complaining except the farmers.

Buttermere village is only small, there are a couple of small hotels, a former school and St James Church where there is a plaque in remembrance of Alfred Wainwright. It faces his favourite fell, Haystacks.

There is a beck running through the village with a shady spot where we sat on a rock for a rest and Louis cooled of with a paddle in the stream and I caught up with phone messages as there is a little bit of 4g signal here.

Then we set off south again for the return leg to Gatesgarth where we're pitched up beneath Fleetwith Pike.

Part of the route takes us through a short tunnel, cut from the rock by the owner of Hassness Estate so that he didn't need to stray too far from the shore. 

A torch isn't needed but if you're tall, mind your head.

It was quite tiring in the heat, even though a mostly flat walk so we were both glad of a cold drink on our return.

The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing and taking in the scenery.

Our Herdwick friends

Various Buttermere views on my circular walk

The becks are very dry

It's a little cooler in the shade of the oak and pine trees

The Bridge Hotel in Buttermere Village

Buttermere School House

St James Church

The memorial tablet in St James Church in tribute to Alfred Wainwright. The window overlooks his favourite Fell, Haystacks

A Buttermere fallen tree clinging to life with new growth

Hardy swimmers

A tunnel cut into the rock by the owner of Hassness Estate so that he didn't need to stray too far from the shore. 

A view up to High Stile

 

A famous, for good reasons, walk I was so pleased to be able to complete on a glorious day, with the added bonus of being able to spend two nights enjoying the scenery.

A day I'll not forget.