Buttermere Lake

Buttermere is one of the Lake District's most spectacular lakes, surrounded by dramatic fells and classic Lakeland scenery. It's a beautiful place to visit with your dog, whether you're stopping to enjoy the views or looking for a relatively gentle lakeside walk without tackling one of the surrounding fells.

If you're looking to explore Buttermere on foot, we recommend following the classic circular walk around the lake. At approximately 4.5 miles, it's predominantly gentle and relatively level, without the sustained climbs you'll find on many Lake District fell walks. There are some uneven sections, gates, a short road section and a small rock step to negotiate, and conditions can become muddy or slippery after wet weather.

Buttermere Valley has a one-pawprint rating from the National Trust, but don't let that put you off. It simply means it's worth arriving prepared. Livestock, particularly sheep, graze throughout the valley, so dogs need to be kept under close control and should be on a lead whenever livestock is present.

There are dog waste bins at Buttermere car park and another later on our recommended walk as you reach the beginning of the road section. We'd still recommend carrying plenty of poo bags with you, but thankfully you shouldn't necessarily have to carry a full one for the entire circuit!

The National Trust car park at Buttermere makes a convenient starting point for the walk, although it can become busy during peak periods, so we recommend arriving early. Public toilets are available in the village and currently cost 60p to use.

You'll also find a good selection of pubs and cafés in Buttermere village, making it easy to stop for something to eat or drink before or after your walk. There's even a small coffee and ice-cream stall near the road section of the route for a little mid-walk refreshment stop.

We think this circular route is one of the best ways to experience Buttermere with your dog. You get spectacular mountain views, beautiful lakeside scenery and relatively gentle walking, proving you don't need to climb a fell to experience some of the very best scenery the Lake District has to offer.

Distance: Approx. 4.5 miles
Time: Approx. 2 hours
Difficulty: Easy

This walk was explored for Dog Owners Guide by Ambassadog @maya_indie_lena, who provided the images and first-hand dog friendly information for this listing.

Follow our chosen Buttermere Lakeshore route on OS Maps

This walk was also selected as one of the UK's 10 Most Scenic Dog Walks as part of our campaign with Petgevity.