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Buttermere Lake – Innominate Tarn loop from Buttermere

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Hiking trails & Routes

Buttermere Lake – Innominate Tarn loop from Buttermere

Hard

4.8

(8)

118

hikers

Buttermere Lake – Innominate Tarn loop from Buttermere

06:34

18.3km

910m

Hiking

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: May 26, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Lake District National Park

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

717 m

Buttermere Lake

Highlight • Trail

As one of the few lakes in the national park that you can walk all the way round, Buttermere is well worth a visit. At 4 miles (6 km), the easy-going circuit allows you to experience the awe-inspiring beauty of Buttermere, which lies at the foot of some spectacular fells, including Wainwright's favourite, Haystacks.

Tip by

1.65 km

Buttermere Tunnel

Highlight • Structure

This tunnel-like cave is on the footpath around Buttermere. It is about 50 feet (15 m) long. A torch is useful as there are deep puddles inside in the pitch-black cave.

Tip by

2.00 km

Beach

7.08 km

Innominate Tarn

Highlight • Lake

Innominate Tarn on Haystacks is where Alfred Wainwrights ashes were scattered. These are his own words, taken from his Western Fells guidebook - "All I ask for, at the end, is a last long resting place by the side of Innominate Tarn, on Haystacks, where the water gently laps the gravelly shore and the heather blooms and Pillar and Gable keep unfailing watch. A quiet place, a lonely place. I shall go to it, for the last time, and be carried: someone who knew me in life will take me and empty me out of a little box and leave me there alone. And if you, dear reader, should get a bit of grit in your boot as you are crossing Haystacks in the years to come, please treat it with respect. It might be me."

Tip by

8.18 km

Scarth Gap

Mountain Pass

9.45 km

High Crag Summit

Highlight • Viewpoint

High Crag is the easternmost of the High Stile range's great summits. From Haystacks, it looks a grand, pyramidal peak and the ascent from this direction, via Gamlin End, is suitably steep and rough. The views more than compensate for any effort though, with the muscular bulk of Pillar to the south and the graceful ridgelines of the North Western Fells strutting their stuff to the north.

Tip by

10.0 km

View of Buttermere from High Crag

Highlight • Summit

Very windy day on my last visit here, do be mindful of that as you cross the tops. Great views down to Buttermere.

Tip by

11.3 km

High Stile Summit

Highlight • Viewpoint

Shapely and noble, High Stile is the highest point of the eye-catching ridge soaring proudly above Buttermere. Traversing this ridge – the Buttermere Edge – should not be rushed. It’s a place to linger: find a rocky outcrop and savour the panoramas over the exquisite Buttermere Valley and its wild neighbour Ennerdale.

Tip by

12.5 km

Red Pike (Buttermere)

Highlight • Climb

So called due to the red coloured soil and stone, do be careful going down Red Pike as the paths have all but eroded and its mainly loose stones. If you park at Buttermere village and make Red Pike your first climb, then you can more or less keep going all day. High Stile, High Crag, Haystacks, Fleetwith Pike, Honister, and Dale Head are all on a circular route if you have the energy and time.

Tip by

14.9 km

Scale Force Waterfall

Highlight • Viewpoint

Parking at National Trust- Buttermere car park.
If you want to spend a penny you’ll need to spend 49 more and the turnstile in the loo doesn’t accept £1 coins

Tip by

18.3 km

End point

Bus stop

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

7.80 km

6.25 km

2.43 km

998 m

832 m

Surfaces

8.38 km

4.15 km

2.71 km

1.66 km

915 m

489 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (790 m)

Lowest point (100 m)

Weather

Tuesday 18 August

16°C

10°C

88 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 17.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

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Buttermere Lake – Innominate Tarn loop from Buttermere

Buttermere Lake

Buttermere Tunnel

Innominate Tarn

High Crag Summit

View of Buttermere from High Crag

High Stile Summit

Red Pike (Buttermere)

Scale Force Waterfall

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