Buttermere

Hotel and inn accommodation in Buttermere itself is scarce by design, limited to a couple of historic coaching inns and a scattering of farmhouse bed and breakfasts scattered along the valley floor. What the village lacks in choice it makes up for in character and location, with rooms often looking straight out onto the fells that ring the lake. Because there are so few beds in the valley, and demand from walkers and photographers is high throughout the warmer months, booking well ahead is strongly advised, particularly for weekends between May and September when rooms can sell out weeks in advance. Many visitors instead choose to stay in Keswick, around ten miles away by road, which offers a far wider range of hotels, guest houses and self-catering properties along with more restaurants, shops and evening activity, while still allowing a straightforward day trip into Buttermere via the Honister Pass or around Derwentwater. Cockermouth, to the north-west, is another practical base with a good choice of accommodation and easier road access for those arriving from the Cumbrian coast or the M6. Wherever visitors choose to stay, the valley roads into Buttermere are narrow and can be slow, so it is worth allowing extra time for the journey, especially after dark or in poor weather. Whatever the choice of base, waking up within reach of Buttermere's lake and fells, whether in the valley itself or a short drive away, is one of the most rewarding accommodation experiences the Lake District has to offer for anyone who loves walking, quiet scenery and dramatic mountain views.

Buttermere rewards walkers most of all, but there is plenty to see even on a shorter visit.

• Buttermere lake circular walk — A largely flat, well-maintained path of around 4.5 miles circles the lake entirely, passing through a short tunnel blasted through rock on the western shore and giving constantly changing views of the surrounding fells; it takes most walkers two to three hours.
• Haystacks — Alfred Wainwright's favourite fell and the spot where his ashes were scattered at Innominate Tarn near the summit; the climb from Buttermere or Gatesgarth is steep in places but the 360-degree views over Buttermere, Crummock Water and Ennerdale are among the best in the Lakes.
• Fleetwith Pike — A distinctive pyramid-shaped fell at the head of the valley, with a memorial to slate quarry workers on its slopes and a demanding but rewarding ascent rewarded by views straight down onto Buttermere and Crummock Water.
• Honister Pass and Honister Slate Mine — England's last working slate mine sits at the top of the dramatic Honister Pass a few miles from Buttermere, offering underground mine tours and, for the more adventurous, via ferrata routes up the crags outside.
• Crummock Water — The larger lake immediately north of Buttermere, linked by a short stretch of the River Cocker; quieter than many Lake District waters, with its own lakeside paths and views towards Mellbreak and Rannerdale Knotts.
• Scale Force — The highest waterfall in the Lake District at around 170 feet, reached via a footpath from the western side of Crummock Water through Rannerdale.
• St James' Church, Buttermere — A small fellside church with a memorial window to Alfred Wainwright looking out towards Haystacks, installed after his death in 1991.

Despite its tiny size, Buttermere village has two long-standing inns that have fed and watered walkers for generations. The Fish Hotel, historically linked to Mary Robinson, the celebrated "Maid of Buttermere", serves pub food and real ale in a traditional setting close to the lakeshore. A short walk away, the Bridge Hotel, established in 1734, houses the Walkers Bar, serving homely dishes such as steak and ale pie alongside locally brewed cask ales and produce including Herdwick lamb and ice cream from nearby Sykes Farm. Neither takes reservations for casual diners, so arriving hungry after a walk rather than at the height of a busy weekend lunchtime is generally the best approach.

Camping around Buttermere means camping among some of the steepest, most dramatic fell scenery in the Lake District, but it also means following England's clear rules on where pitching up is actually allowed. Wild camping without landowner permission remains illegal in England, including within the Lake District National Park, so visitors should not assume they can simply pitch a tent on the fellside or lakeshore, however tempting the views. Instead, a small number of established campsites serve the valley, most notably at Gatesgarth Farm at the head of the lake, a working farm site popular with walkers keen to be first onto Haystacks or Fleetwith Pike in the morning light. Facilities at these valley sites tend to be simple, reflecting the rugged, working character of the landscape, so campers should come prepared for basic amenities and changeable mountain weather rather than resort-style comforts. The terrain around Buttermere is genuinely steep and exposed in places, so anyone planning to combine camping with higher fell walks should carry appropriate map, compass and weatherproof kit, and check forecasts carefully, since conditions on the tops can differ dramatically from those in the valley below. The camping season here runs roughly from Easter through to October, with July and August the busiest and driest months on average, though rain can arrive at any time in this part of Cumbria, and site availability can be tight, so early booking is recommended. For those who want the views and remoteness without the practicalities of a tent, a growing number of glamping options, including safari tents and shepherd's huts, are available in the wider Buttermere and Borrowdale area, offering a warmer and more comfortable way to wake up beneath the same spectacular fells.