Jemima Kirkwood
22 March 2021
When the weather is glorious, Buttermere in the Lake District is a lovely place to be. Around the Lake you will find lush greenery, a place of peace and serenity and a towering High Stile range above you. When the sun is out, there is nothing quite like a day spent here.
If you ramble in a clockwise direction, enjoying the cool shade of the trees and the tunnel on the near side of the lake, you will find some lovely pebble beaches to settle on for a rest and some bird watching. Above, you will be able to see keen climbers making their way along and up Grey Crag, whilst you dip your toes in the water.
After a stroll by lakeside, you can make your way back to the village of Buttermere. Take your pick of all the ice cream flavours on offer here at the independent parlours - Turkish delight, lime, butterscotch and Irish cream makes for quite a combination! But you might be more of a straight chocolate or vanilla fan. The newly rebuilt barn houses have a lovely tearoom and serve the ice cream which is made on the farm in a variety of interesting flavours.
Buttermere is barely big enough to call itself a village but it has two great pubs and two lovely cafes. Croft House is under new management and flourishing this year. The interior has been completely renovated with exposed beams and a bright airy atmosphere. There is an excellent range of cakes made on the farm accompanied by good quality coffee.
The Bridge Inn and The Fish Hotel offer traditional Lakeland fayre, good beer and a warm welcome. The Bridge also served breakfasts until 11am. Both have beer gardens filled with friendly (greedy!) sparrows and views to the high Buttermere fells directly opposite. Gaze up at Sour Milk Gill and promise yourself you follow the route up to Bleaberry Tarn if you didn’t make it this time round.
There are walks for all ages and abilities around the lake and even in the height of summer, there is little traffic compared to other hotspots. We have many several self-catering cottages in the area around Buttermere and one in the village itself - Middle Cragg Cottage - so make sure you check our website for self-catering Lake District cottages when planning your next visit.
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please ensure you check carefully before making any decisions based on the contents within this article.