Boating and fishing in the Buttermere Valley

A man fishing with his dog on a misty morning on Loweswater — A misty morning out fishing on Loweswater | © @National Trust Images / Leo Masson

Find out all the information you’ll need before your boating or fishing trip to the lakes of Buttermere, Crummock Water and Loweswater, including how to get fishing permits and boating permits and where to fish for that elusive catch.

Boating and fishing permits

If you're planning to go fishing or launch a boat onto the waters in the Buttermere Valley, you’ll need a permit before you head off. This applies to all types of floating craft including canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddle boards (SUP), windsurfers and inflatable craft.

To keep the lakes quiet and peaceful, motorised craft are not allowed on Buttermere, Crummock or Loweswater.

The use of lead weights for fishing is banned on all National Trust waters.

Please help to keep these lakes free from invasive species by checking, cleaning and drying your boats, paddles and wetsuits before using them in the Buttermere Valley.

Where to buy fishing and boating permits

You can buy fishing and boating permits for Buttermere, Crummock Water and Loweswater from the National Trust.

Day permits are available to buy from the machines in the National Trust car parks in Buttermere (sat nav CA13 9UZ) and Crummock Water (CA13 0RT). Please note these machines only take coins.

If you don't often carry cash with you, you also have the option of purchasing your permit through the pay by phone app. To do this, you must first download the app to your phone and enter the code 804483 when prompted. You can find more information and download the app here: Pay by Phone

We recommend dowloading the app and purchasing your permit before you head out in case connection is poor on location.

For an annual permits please call the North and West Lakes office on 017687 74649 or email at northandwestlakes@nationaltrust.org.uk .

Permit prices as of 1 March 2024

£5 per day per craft for boating, payable at the car park machine or through the pay by phone app as described above.
£65 per year for annual boating permits (January to December or pro rata for rest of year)
£10 per day for fishing, payable at the car park machine or through the pay by phone app as described above.
£100 per year for annual fishing permits (January to December or pro rata for rest of year)

Kajak and canoe on the shore at Derwent Water in the Lake District — Kayaks at the ready in the Lake District | © National Trust / Steve Barber

Rod licences

All anglers need to hold an Environmental Agency Rod Licence which you can get from any Post Office or at gov.uk/fishing-licences.

Fishing in Buttermere Lake

Trout, char, pike, and perch can all be found in Buttermere with a bag limit of 20 char. There are no launching facilities, but you can launch your own boats. To keep the lake's quiet character, the number of boats is limited to 10 per party (including canoes or windsurfers).

Fishing in Crummock Water

There are opportunities for trout, char, pike and perch fishing here with a bag limit of 20 char on the lake. There are no launching facilities, but you can launch your own boats. The number of boats is limited to 10 per party (including canoes or windsurfers).

Fishing in Loweswater

You can fish for brown trout on this lake with a bag limit of three. There is also other coarse fishing with pike and perch in Loweswater.

There are no launching facilities, but you can launch your own small boats (under four metres) including canoes. There is a restriction on the lake of four craft at any one time.

A selection of fishing equipment comprising a rod, reels, a box of flies and haversack laid out on the shingle beach at Loweswater in the Buttermere Valley, Lake District — A selection of fishing equipment laid out on the shingle beach at Loweswater in the Buttermere Valley, Lake District | © National Trust Images / Leo Mason

Help stop the spread of Invasive Non Native Species such as New Zealand pigmyweed

New Zealand pigmyweed is an alien invasive species. In some lakes such as Derwent Water, it’s thriving so well it’s formed thick mats of vegetation across the lake bed, outcompeting the native species like water plantain which are on the Biodiversity Action Plan red list of species under threat. It's also covering up the spawning gravels for the UK’s rarest freshwater fish, the vendace, which only survives in Derwent Water and one other lake in England.

The worry is that it could spread to Buttermere, Crummock Water and Loweswater – especially as wild swimming and paddleboarding becomes more popular.

What can you do to help?

Whenever you swim, paddle, paddleboard or sail in any body of water, please make sure you don’t take the weed with you when you go.
Checking, cleaning and drying your canoe, dinghy, wetsuit, swimming costume and dog all helps prevent the spread of invasive species.

Find out what you need to do here.