Twelve Wainwrights start on foot from Buttermere village or from Gatesgarth at the head of the lake. South of the lake are Red Pike, High Stile, High Crag and Haystacks, with Fleetwith Pike at the head of the valley, Starling Dodd further west and Mellbreak across Crummock Water. All seven are in the Western Fells. North and east of the village are Rannerdale Knotts, Whiteless Pike, Wandope, Crag Hill and Robinson, in the North Western Fells.
Wainwrights starting near Buttermere
| Rank | Fell | Height | Area | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | High StileWestern Fells | 806 m | Western Fells | Difficult |
| 62 | Red Pike [Buttermere]Western Fells | 755 m | Western Fells | Difficult |
| 65 | High CragWestern Fells | 744 m | Western Fells | Difficult |
| =67 | RobinsonNorth Western Fells | 737 m | North Western Fells | Moderate |
| 106 | Whiteless PikeNorth Western Fells | 660 m | North Western Fells | Moderate |
| 116 | Fleetwith PikeWestern Fells | 649 m | Western Fells | Difficult |
| 131 | HaystacksWestern Fells | 597 m | Western Fells | Moderate |
Parking and buses
The WalkLakes Buttermere Edge route lists three places to park in the village: the National Trust pay and display on the road in from Lorton, the National Park pay and display behind the Fish Inn and Bridge Hotel, and a small area above the chapel on the Newlands Pass road. WalkLakes warns that they get busy early on summer weekends. For Haystacks, High Crag and Fleetwith Pike, the car park at Gatesgarth Farm, at the head of the lake, starts you closer. WalkLakes mentions an ice cream van there when you come off the hill.
Red Pike, High Stile, Robinson and Whiteless Pike all start from the village, not Gatesgarth: Red Pike and High Stile by Sourmilk Gill, Robinson by High Snockrigg, and Whiteless Pike by Whiteless Breast.
The Stagecoach summer 2026 timetable (23 March to 1 November) runs the Honister Rambler daily:
- 77A from Keswick via Catbells, Grange, Rosthwaite, Seatoller and Honister Slate Mine to Buttermere, then on to Lanthwaite Green, Lorton and Whinlatter
- 77 the other way round, from Keswick via Braithwaite, Whinlatter and Lorton to Buttermere, then over Honister to Borrowdale
- 77C between Cockermouth and Buttermere, via Low Lorton and Lanthwaite Green
The stop is the Buttermere Court Hotel. There are several buses a day each way, and a few run only at weekends in high summer, so check the times for the day you go.
Short walks from the village
Rannerdale Knotts is the quick one. The WalkLakes loop leaves from the Bridge Hotel, climbs through Ghyll Wood and up beside Mill Beck to the ridge, and comes back along the shore of Crummock Water: 5.2 km with 283 m of ascent, a minimum of 1 hour 30 minutes. The Rannerdale valley beside it is known for bluebells from late April, usually best around mid May. Keep to the paths.
Haystacks from Gatesgarth is 8 km with 600 m of ascent on the WalkLakes route, a minimum of 2 hours 36 minutes. You go up to Scarth Gap, climb the rocky end of the fell with your hands in a few places, and come back past Innominate Tarn, where Wainwright's ashes were scattered. Red Pike by Sourmilk Gill and Bleaberry Tarn is 7.2 km and 725 m there and back, with a detour to Dodd. WalkLakes times are for walking only, so add your stops.
Short walks from Buttermere
| Rank | Fell | Height | Area | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 210 | Rannerdale KnottsNorth Western Fells | 355 m | North Western Fells | Moderate |
| 131 | HaystacksWestern Fells | 597 m | Western Fells | Moderate |
| 62 | Red Pike [Buttermere]Western Fells | 755 m | Western Fells | Difficult |
| 106 | Whiteless PikeNorth Western Fells | 660 m | North Western Fells | Moderate |
Full days from the village
Whiteless Pike climbs from the village by Whiteless Breast. Above it, Whiteless Edge is narrow and airy but has no scrambling, and it leads to Wandope on the rim of Addacomb Hole and on to Crag Hill. Robinson goes up by High Snockrigg and across the marshy hollow of Buttermere Moss. Fleetwith Pike starts from Gatesgarth by the white cross on Low Raven Crag, and the ridge has rocky steps that need your hands. Mellbreak is across Crummock Water by the Scale Force path, and Starling Dodd is a long walk over the boggy Floutern Pass.
Full days from Buttermere
| Rank | Fell | Height | Area | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | High StileWestern Fells | 806 m | Western Fells | Difficult |
| 65 | High CragWestern Fells | 744 m | Western Fells | Difficult |
| 116 | Fleetwith PikeWestern Fells | 649 m | Western Fells | Difficult |
| =67 | RobinsonNorth Western Fells | 737 m | North Western Fells | Moderate |
| 50 | WandopeNorth Western Fells | 774 m | North Western Fells | Moderate |
| 24 | Eel Crag (Crag Hill)North Western Fells | 839 m | North Western Fells | Moderate |
| 168 | Mellbreak (south top)Western Fells | 512 m | Western Fells | Moderate |
| =121 | Starling DoddWestern Fells | 633 m | Western Fells | Easy |
A short ride away
The 77A stops at Honister Slate Mine, at the top of the pass. From there Grey Knotts and Brandreth make a 7.6 km round with 464 m of ascent, Dale Head is about 2 km up the fence line, and Green Gable and Great Gable are further along the same path. Going the other way, the Lanthwaite Green Farm stop is the start for Grasmoor and Whiteside. By car, the car park at the top of Newlands Hause is the start for Knott Rigg and Ard Crags.
A short ride from Buttermere
| Rank | Fell | Height | Area | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| =91 | Grey KnottsWestern Fells | 697 m | Western Fells | Moderate |
| =79 | BrandrethWestern Fells | 715 m | Western Fells | Moderate |
| 63 | Dale HeadNorth Western Fells | 753 m | North Western Fells | Moderate |
| 35 | Green GableWestern Fells | 801 m | Western Fells | Moderate |
| 7 | Great GableWestern Fells | 899 m | Western Fells | Difficult |
| 20 | GrasmoorNorth Western Fells | 852 m | North Western Fells | Difficult |
| 84 | Whiteside (west top)North Western Fells | 707 m | North Western Fells | Moderate |
| =145 | Knott RiggNorth Western Fells | 556 m | North Western Fells | Moderate |
| =136 | Ard CragsNorth Western Fells | 581 m | North Western Fells | Moderate |
Classic rounds from Buttermere
The Buttermere Edge
Walk the lake shore to Scarth Gap, climb over Seat to High Crag, and follow the edge over High Stile and Red Pike before dropping past Bleaberry Tarn and down Sourmilk Gill. The WalkLakes version starts and ends in the village: 13.5 km with 945 m of ascent, a minimum of 4 hours 11 minutes. Gamlin End, the climb to High Crag, is steep loose scree with no scrambling. Water is scarce between Seat and Red Pike, so carry enough on a dry day.
Rannerdale and the Grasmoor ridge
From the small car park below Rannerdale Knotts, WalkLakes climbs Grasmoor by the Lad Hows ridge, crosses Crag Hill, and comes home over Wandope and Whiteless Pike. It is 12.2 km with 966 m of ascent and takes in four Wainwrights. From the village, the same ridge goes the other way: up Whiteless Pike and back by Rannerdale.
Haystacks and the Warnscale round
Go up Haystacks from Scarth Gap, wander the knolls and tarns on top, and drop into Warnscale on the old quarry path. For a longer day, climb Fleetwith Pike from Gatesgarth first and cross to Haystacks past Dubs Quarry, where the old quarrymen's hut is open as a bothy.
Take a map and compass on the tops and check the Mountain Weather Information Service (MWIS) forecast before you go. Borrowdale is over the pass, with its own list in Wainwrights from Borrowdale, and Braithwaite is on the other end of the bus route: see Wainwrights from Braithwaite. For every fell you can reach without a car, see Wainwrights by bus. If you are ticking them off, Upfell is a free iPhone app that keeps the list for you.