Buttermere Horseshoe: Lake District Guided Walks

"No mountain range in Lakeland is more dramatically impressive than this, no other more spectacularly sculptured, no other more worth climbing and exploring."

A. Wainwright

A circuit of the Buttermere Valley provides a wonderful long days walking over fine ridges, taking in 8 Wainwright summits including High Stile, Haystacks, Fleetwith Pike and Dale Head.

This long horseshoe walk offers some stunning views of every changing scenery and makes a good challenge for anyone with a reasonable level of fitness.

Summits included on this route:

Red Pike (Buttermere)	755 metres/2477 feet
High Stile	807 metres/2648 feet
High Crag	744 metres/2441 feet
Haystacks	597 metres/1959 feet
Fleetwith Pike	648 metres/2126 feet
Dale Head	753 metres/2470 feet
Hindscarth	727 metres/2385 feet
Robinson	737 metres/2418 feet

The earliest reference to the name Buttermere is in 1230. The lake near the dairy pastures, the area was evidently well know for it's butter.

From Buttermere we will follow the path above Crummock Water to Scale Force. Climbing the path alongside the waterfall we will climb onto the ridge leading to the summit of Red Pike.
From Red Pike we will continue along the fine ridge to the summits of High Stile and High Crag, with wonderful views over Buttermere, Ennerdale towards the higher tops of Great Gable, Pillar and Scafell Pike as well as over the Solway Coast.
From High Crag we will descend to Scarth Gap climbing again to the summit of Haystacks, this fine rocky summit offers wonderful views over the Buttermere Valley and it's tarns along the summit ridge are a delight.

From Haystacks we will descend to Dubs, a former slate quarry from here we will climb again to the summit of Fleetwith Pike where from the summit we will be rewarded with views over Buttermere and Crummock Water to the Solway Coast on a good day.

A good track descends from the summit of Fleetwith Pike down to Honister Pass, crossing the road at the top of the pass we will climb again to the summit of Dale Head with it's picturesque cairn and views down over the Newlands Valley.

The route from Dale Head takes us west, crossing to the summit of Hindscarth before reaching the final climb of the day up onto the summit of Robinson before descending over Buttermere Moss and High Snockrigg back to Buttermere.

Each participant will be required to bring suitable equipment for their chosen event, please see Kit List tab above.

Meet Point	Outside the Bridge Hotel, Buttermere
Postcode / GR	CA13 9UZ / NY 174 169
Location Info	From Keswick: Leave Keswick on the Borrowdale Road (from the mini roundabout near the co-op) Follow this road for approx 8 miles, passing through Rosthwaite to the village of Seatoller, from here the road climbs over Honister Pass, descend the eastern slopes of the pass and continue on this road until you reach Buttermere Village, Free parking will be found to the right as you reach the village, by the church or a larger pay car park will be found if you turn left next to the Bridge Hotel heading to the right of the Fish Hotel (Both hotels operate a clamping system). We will meet outside the Bridge Hotel. From Cockermouth: Leave Cockermouth on the Lorton Road, leaving town opposite Sainsburys. Follow this road through the village of Low Lorton and continue until a road leads to the left, signposted for Buttermere, follow this road to Buttermere, a pay and display car park will be found to the right, behind the Bridge Hotel, free parking a little further on up the hill after the church. We will meet outside the Bridge Hotel.

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Difficulty:	Exposure:
A very long day above Buttermere with glorious views thoughout
Distance: 21km / 13 miles	Ascent: 1880m / 6220ft
Duration: 10 hours	Maximum Group Ratio: 10:1

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