Buttermere Valley

Evening sun on fellside Loweswater, Lake District — Fellside aglow with autumn evening light

Important notice -

Our countryside space is open. We encourage everyone to observe social distancing measures. Please stay local if possible to avoid creating hotspots.

Tranquil area of dramatic fells, farms and woodland, encompassing three lakes

Overview
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Family walking in the woodland at Castle Ward, County Down

Which places are open and what you need to know before you visit

More than 100 gardens and parks and hundreds of coast and countryside places are open in England and Northern Ireland. Following the latest government guidance, all houses in England and Northern Ireland are closed. We're reopening our places in Wales from Monday 9 November for visitors who live in Wales in line with Welsh government guidelines following the firebreak lockdown. To avoid disappointment please book in advance, especially at weekends and school holidays. Please check the property webpage of the place you wish to visit before you travel. Find out how to book and what to expect from your visit.

Buttermere Valley

Things to see and do

Misty reflections of Holme Wood, Loweswater, Lake District

The many colours of Loweswater

Holme Wood may just surprise you this autumn!

Turner's sketch of Brackenthwaite and the place itself

A real head Turner

Brackenthwaite Hows, a breathtaking viewpoint in the Lake District, has recently been acquired by the Trust. It was sketched by world famous artist JMW Turner on his first visit to the Lake District in 1787. Brackenthwaite was a popular tourist stop in the Georgian and Victorian eras. This beautiful, wildlife-rich area will now be opened up to the public, 200 years on.

Buttermere

Buttermere (the lake) offers one of the best round-the-lake walks in the Lake District. The walk is relatively easy and level with a great 'reward for effort' ratio.

Crummock Water

Enjoy one of the most jaw-dropping beach-side views in the Lakes when woodland (a haven for red squirrels) suddenly opens up to offer a view along Crummock Water.

Loweswater

Take a walk on the quiet side. Tranquil at any time of year, a walk at Loweswater affords views of Mellbreak, Blake Fell and Burbank Fell.

Crummock at the foot of Rannerdale Knotts, Lake District

Buttermere to Rannerdale walk

Enjoy the view into the secret valley on this exhilarating Lakeland ridge walk that climbs from the Buttermere Valley up to the summit of Rannerdale Knotts.

View from the Corpse Road down to Loweswater, Cumbria

Corpse Road and tumuli walk

See a traditional farm, walk along an ancient Corpse Road and discover evidence of human activity dating from the Bronze Age to the Second World War.

Couple rest beside Crummock Water, Cumbria

Lanthwaite Wood and Crummock Water walk

This walk is dominated by two spectacular views: the famous vista of the Buttermere fells seen over Crummock Water, and the dramatic rocky buttress of Grasmoor End, looming over the northern end of the lake.

Buttermere Valley

Wildlife

Discover rare wildlife beneath the lake's surface

Great depths, cool temperatures and low nutrient levels give Buttermere and Crummock Water incredible clarity and make an ideal home for hardy species, reliant on chilly, clear water.