William Wordsworth, the Victorian-era poet laureate, lived almost his entire life in the Lake District. He is still the region’s most famous inhabitant, living or dead. Wordsworth believed that the finest views of the Lake District were to be had from the shore of a lake looking up, rather than from the top of a hill looking down. He probably walked up more hills and down more dales than most, so his views should be taken seriously.
After my walk up Rannerdale Knotts, the circular walk around Buttermere was the perfect way to test his theory. Besides, I was way too tired to attempt any more hills, a flat walk next to a lake in which it would be possible to paddle was ideal. To be fair to Wordsworth, it would be hard to describe the scenery around the lake as anything but spectacular.
The Lake District National Park was inscribed on to UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 2017, an addition to the world’s most prestigious bucket list that was not without controversy. When making the award UNESCO stated that the “combined work of nature and human activity has produced a harmonious landscape”. Others argue that “human activity”, or centuries of intensive sheep farming as it’s known, has turned this region in a “wildlife desert“.
It’s hard to argue with that, but one part of the decision to upgrade the Lake District to world heritage status, was the role it played in establishing the idea that landscapes have a value for humanity and that everyone has a right to enjoy the countryside. Wordsworth and his contemporaries in the Romanticism movement popularised that idea, and a walk around Buttermere on a sunny day makes you appreciate the right to be in nature.
The circuit around the lake has been upgraded as well, and instead of the rough paths of the fells there is a flat, even surface that allows easier accessibility. I’d expected the route to be busy with people as a result, but most seemed to have stayed in the village and it was unexpectedly peaceful. Much of the route is shaded by trees, which was welcome in temperatures approaching 30ºC. The water clean and cold as you might expect of a lake that is home to Arctic charr.
I walked the northern edge of the lake first, on my way through Syke Farm a signpost implored visitors to remember this was a working farm and to use common sense when passing through it. I imagine that it’s a lesson learned the hard way. Farming and tourism seem to coexist in an uneasy truce here. If there is a legal definition of common sense, sooner or later someone will do something stupid enough to test it.
As I made my way towards Gatesgarth, which is little more than a single farm at the end of the lake, the views to Red Pike, High Stile and Haystacks were fabulous. At intervals along the route there are wide stone beaches that jut out into the water and allow you to get clear views down the 2km length of the lake. I stopped regularly to drink in the views.
Unusually for the Lake District, a landowner has decided to deprive people of the ability to walk around the top of the lake, putting up new fencing and signs warning people to stay off the land. This forces walkers to use the road instead, luckily it is not heavily trafficked. I suspect the landowner may be the same person who owns the ice cream stall at Gatesgarth, the road route forces you past it and it was doing a roaring trade.
I returned to Buttermere village on the other side of the lake and there were noticeably more people on this stretch, maybe some were coming off the hills after a morning’s walk. Before leaving I visited St James’ Church. Wordsworth said of this tiny church that, “A man must be very unsensible who would not be touched at the sight of the chapel of Buttermere”.
Today though, it is better known for its plaque to famed walker and guidebook author, Alfred Wainwright. It sits in a window looking out to Haystacks, his favourite Lakeland hill and the place where his ashes were scattered.
I haven’t been to the Lake District since I was around 6 years old. Lately we’ve been thinking we really ought to go, though probably not in high summer. Far too many people for my liking. You’ve increased the likelihood of us doing it fairly soon.
Go, it’s fabulous! I’m a little biased because I grew up there, but I love the Lakes. I much prefer autumn, but you can still find yourself walking alone away from the most popular hills and routes even in summer.