The Buttermere Infinity Pool has risen in popularity over the last few years and for good reason – it is one of the many incredible wild swimming pools that the Lake District has to offer. Since we’ve lived in the Lake District, and even on visits before we moved, we have explored and visited this area in the Buttermere Valley countless times. The hiking routes, the endless fell views and the remote feel are really hard to beat – we just love it. We always come away with big smiles on our faces.
However, in recent times, the Buttermere Infinity Pool has become subject to some not great conditions. It has become the highlight of a lot of social media posts, and we’ve unfortunately seen things like BBQ’s being lit, rubbish being left and damage being done to the fragile landscape around it.
We also don’t believe in gatekeeping information, as we believe these amazing spots should be accessible to anyone. There are a few simple and easy things you can do to make sure you’re as respectful as possible to the location so our guide to the Buttermere Infinity Pools shows you how to visit them safely and sustainably to keep them wild for years to come.
Our guide contains everything you need to know about visiting with step-by-step instructions of how to get there. We’ve also included lots of other suggestions of alternative spots to visit, other walks and hikes and equally amazing swimming spots that we’ve been to over our many times here in case the pools themselves are over saturated and too busy. As well as places to eat, where to stay and what to bring and do to have the most rewarding (and kind) trip to the Buttermere Valley.
We’re sure you’ll be as in love with what you see in this gorgeous pocket of the Lake District as we are! Prepare to be seriously wowed with some of the most stunning Lake District hiking you can do, full stop.
Postcode: There isn’t an exact postcode for the Buttermere Infinity Pool, but the closest one (for Gatesgarth Car Park) is CA13 9XA.
What3words location: ///verb.officer.inflating
The map we’ve provided above shows the location of the Buttermere Infinity Pool in relation to some of the most useful car parks that we’ve outlined below. The infinity pool itself is set in the remote Western Lake District, near to Buttermere Lake and in the Buttermere Valley.
It is roughly 10 miles and about a 30 minute drive from Keswick, and about a 28 mile /1 hour 10 minute drive from Ambleside in the Central Lakes. Of course, this does vary from time to time depending on traffic and if you’re arriving from the Ambleside area, you can expect this to take longer on weekends! The pool itself is set within the beautiful Warnscale Beck.
This amazing infinity pool in the Lake District is actually pretty easy to find. In fact, we have found that the Buttermere Infinity Pool is one of the more accessible wild swimming pools like this around here. When exploring, we’ve found that some of the other swimming spots like this have either really lengthy hikes to get to or have big scrambles to get down to.
Below, we’ve included walking maps to help you find the Infinity Pool easily, as well as various other suggestions if the pool itself is really busy. These include Fleetwith Pike, going further up Warnscale Beck and good swimming spots on Buttermere and Crummock Water.
We’ve also included step by step directions to find the pools from our personal experience of exploring this area over the years as well as some of the best ways that you can help protect this area and visit sustainably. We genuinely believe that if treated well and respected by having the right knowledge, these kinds of amazing spots should be accessible to anybody to enjoy.
The Best Ways to Get to Buttermere Infinity Pool
Bus: Even though the Buttermere valley is fairly remote, it is possible to get the 77 or 77A bus from Keswick. There are various buses throughout the day, from Keswick Bus Station and they stop at Gatesgarth Mountain Rescue Point (roughly a fifty minute journey from Keswick) – right at the trailhead for the Infinity Pool. The Buses also stop in Buttermere Village – ideal if you want to extend your walk to take in the lake. Here’s the timetable.
Train: There is no direct train to Buttermere, if travelling by train, the nearest station you can get to is Penrith, which has national services between London and Glasgow. From Penrith, you would then need to take an X4 bus to Keswick. Then from Keswick, you can follow the bus directions to Buttermere above. This is definitely a longer route!
Car: Probably the easiest option at present is to arrive at the Buttermere Infinity Pool by car. You can either drive over Newlands Pass from Keswick which is easy to get to from the Central Lakes and North Lakes from areas like Penrith. If travelling from the direction of Cockermouth, you’ll come along the B5292 then join the B5289 from Low Lorton. You’ll then drive along the side of Crummock Water before reaching Buttermere.
Where Do You Park to Visit Buttermere Infinity Pool?
There are a few options for parking to visit the Buttermere Infinity Pool, and the great thing is some of these provide easy access to the other wild swimming pools you’ll also find nearby. Below we’ve listed the main car parks that you can use to hike up to the pools.
Obviously, some of them have longer walks up to them than others, so it really depends on which hiking route you want to take. If you want the shortest route, then Gatesgarth Car Park is your best bet.
There are some areas around the Buttermere Valley that work as pull in spots – and a few very small off road and unofficial parking areas. Whilst it may be tempting, we’d really advise against parking in any of these.
The main reason is because most of the pull in spots around here are actually passing places designed to allow an easy flow of traffic along the narrow roads. If cars park in these, they can block access, and it can mean that passing cars can be difficult and actually cause damage.
This is also a big problem if emergency vehicles need to gain access around here too – if a car is parking even just slightly out of a passing place or roadside layby, it can mean that something like a fire engine or ambulance cannot pass. This can be very dangerous.
The other reason is because you can’t guarantee that where you’re parking is either needed for access or is private land. If you end up parking on private land by mistake, you could have your car towed by the owner. Also, rules change all the time, so it’s best to go for one of the car parks listed below!
Since the Lake District, and this spot has become more popular, parking outside of car parks has become a real problem. So, parking in car parks is one of the best ways you can help keep things enjoyable (and safe) for everyone.
Gatesgarth Car Park
Location: Gatesgarth Car Park, Cockermouth, CA13 9XA, what3words: ///holdings.scariest.elsewhere
Facilities: Rural car park with no toilet facilities. Does have a cafe serving hot and cold drinks as well as ice cream accross the road that is open seasonally.
Cost: Rates are as follows at time of publishing: £4.00 all day, only takes cash.
The Gatesgarth Car Park is a great place to start the Buttermere Infinity Pool and in fact many different Lake District walks from. It puts you right on the start of the trail for the main pools as well as being a great starting point for routes like Fleetwith Pike.
The one caveat of this car park is that at the time of writing, it doesn’t take card payments, only cash, so you will need to make sure you have cash with you. We’d recommend taking more than £4.00 in case the price goes up (and there isn’t really anywhere to check in advance. It is also quite small – having only 37 spaces so it can be difficult to get a space here.
We would recommend that you try and arrive earlier for this car park – as it is the most convenient and closest to the Infinity Pool. Likewise, we often find that arriving at some of the smaller car parks at around lunchtime (1pm) can also be good. This can be the perfect time to get in as you miss the morning hikers who have gone for lunch and get there before the afternoon crowd.
From here, it’s a super short walk to the trail and means you can do it pretty quickly if you wish. This would be the car park we generally recommend with the others below being a backup (depending on the exact walk you want to do).
A note on Gatesgarth Car Park: As this car park is popular, you will likely find in summer that people are parking up the Honister Pass for quite a way too as a spill on from the main car park. Whilst it can be tempting – don’t do it – this makes it very difficult to pass even for regular cars, and creates serious congestion so imagine how this would be if an emergency vehicle needed to pass. Always be prepared to park somewhere else and download more than one hiking route to get to Buttermere Infinity Pools and have a back up just in case.
National Trust Honister Pass Car Park
Location: Honister Pass, Seatoller, Keswick CA12 5XN, what3words: ///concerned.blend.streaking
Facilities: Public toilets
Cost: Rates are as follows at time of publishing: £5 for 2 hours, £7 for 4 hours and £8.50 all day. All day tickets are transferable at other Lake District National Trust car parks. Blue badge holders park for free. Free to National Trust members.
The National Trust Honister Pass Car Park also provides another route to the Buttermere Infinity Pools, but gives a couple of different options. Either heading down the Honister Pass or over the saddle of the mountain between Fleetwith Pike and Haystacks. Either way, it’s scenic.
If you’re a National Trust Member, the great news is that you can park here for free if you bring your card, so it’s well worth it. In fact, we’d say you should head here, park up and take a look around anyway, even if you park somewhere else for the main walk! The views are stunning out toward Glaramara.
This car park is fairly small – with space for 40 cars, but because it is a little bit further out the way you will generally find spaces here. So this makes it a good option for some of the walks around and near the Buttermere Infinity Pool if Gatesgarth or the spots in Buttermere are busy.
National Trust Buttermere Car Park
Location: National Trust Buttermere Car Park, Buttermere, Cumbria, CA13 9UZ, what3words: ///promises.parsnips.smoker
Facilities: Disabled parking, public toilets
Cost: Rates are as follows at time of publishing: £5 for 2 hours, £7 for 4 hours and £8.50 all day. All day tickets are transferable at other Lake District National Trust car parks. Blue badge holders park for free. Free to National Trust members with a valid membership card.
This National Trust car park at Buttermere is a great option if, like us, you have a National Trust Membership as it allows you to park for free if you bring your card and scan it at the ticket machine. As a side note, we’d highly advise this to anyone wanting to spend lots of time in the Lake District, as it’ll save you loads of money on parking and gives you an excuse to visit cool places!
The National Trust car park is just outside of the main Buttermere village, but it is merely a couple of minutes walk in. From here, you can follow the lake side trail down along the left side of Buttermere that follows the Honister Pass road that will take you all the way down to Gatesgarth.
This does of course add some distance onto the walk, but it’s great if you want to enjoy the lake too. This car park does have less spaces than the NPA one, offering 50, but you will generally find a space. If it’s high season, we would recommend going early – especially if you want to make sure you can use that membership!
National Park Authority Car Park, Buttermere
Location: National Trust Buttermere Car Park, Buttermere, Cockermouth CA13 9UZ, what3words: ///exposing.silent.surpasses
Facilities: Disabled spaces, payable public toilets
Cost: Rates are as follows at time of publishing: Chargeable 24 hours a day. £4.00 2 hours, £6.50 4 hours, £8.50 all day/24 hours. Payments can be made in cash or by card.
It’s worth keeping in mind that the prices above are correct at the time of writing, but these can and do change, so we’d recommend always being prepared to pay a little bit more. Likewise, the facilities, such as toilets can change, so keep this in mind!
This is a great car park to use if you want to be right in the centre of Buttermere and want to enjoy walking along the Buttermere Lake shore as well as visiting the Infinity Pools. It does of course make the walk to the pools longer. This is also a good starting point to head up to Scale Force waterfall too. In fact, that are a whole range of trails just waiting to be explored here.
It’s decently sized too (130 spaces), so you are more than likely to get a space when some of the other car parks are busy. However, we would recommend that in summer and on days where it’s really sunny to arrive early as this is a pretty central hub and is used by a lot of walkers for a wide variety of trails as well as people visiting the area and staying in the village too.
Free Carpark Near St James’ Chruch, Buttermere Village
Location: St. James’ Church, Buttermere CA13 9UZ what3words: ///initiated.variously.ports
Facilities: None
Cost: Free
The large layby next to St James’ Church, which you’ll pass just before you enter Buttermere Village if you drive in via the Newland’s Valley from Keswick offers limited free parking. Unsurprisingly, this is always the first parking to fill up, but it’s always worth checking as you drive past as you may get lucky and be able to snag a place.
Local Tip: Buttermere is a very popular location, and parking spaces are at a premium. If you don’t arrive early on a good weather day during peak season, it’s possible that all the car parks listed above could be full. Fortunately, enterprising local landowners often open up their fields to provide overflow parking during these times. Prices and locations vary but keep an eye out for signs in the village. They usually charge a flat rate for all-day parking – they generally only accept cash – and can often be cheaper than the permanent car parks (the last time we used one, for example, it was £5 for the full day). If you do use one of these pop-up parking lots, it’s always worth checking if the field gate will be locked at a specific time.
How to Walk to Buttermere Infinity Pool
Getting to the wild swimming pools of Buttermere is pretty easy. Depending on which car park or area you’re starting from (if you’re staying in a Buttermere based hotel, for example) will of course impact the length of the walk.
The most obvious route we take that we’ve outlined below starts from Gatesgarth car park, which is the closest car park to the Buttermere Infinity Pools. However, you can get there and start the route below from other car parks too. Here are some instructions from the various other car parks we’ve listed above, which you can then follow our walk instructions below from once you get to Gatesgarth.
National Trust Honister Pass Car Park: This does make the simple Buttermere Infinity Pool walk a good bit longer (as it adds an extra 7km/4.8 miles to the route, which isn’t to be sniffed at). However, if this is the only parking option, it’s certainly doable. One option is to walk along the road (pretty quiet but keep your senses awake) to the start of the trail from Gatesgarth.
There is a decent amount of uphill on the way back too, around 249m, so if you fancy this option and want to add a bit more even so, you could turn this into a circular by keeping on going on past the Infinity Pool at the end and going down the saddle over the mountain back down to the car park on the other side.
Another option is to walk straight over the back of mountain from the car park as if you are going to Haystacks (you can follow the route below) and then dip down to the waterfalls, before turning round and returning the same way. This does make the route shorter and in our opinion is more scenic (and involves less uphill).
Car parks in Buttermere (National Trust and National Park Authority): Whichever car park you use, they are pretty close together, and take a similar route. From Buttermere, you can follow the route along the left hand shore of the lake as if you’re looking in the direction of travel. There is a path that follows the lake shore and runs the same route as the road (Honister Pass).
This path will take you up to the end of Buttermere on the left hand side until the very last section where you will need to walk on the road for about 100m or so until you reach Gatesgarth where you can start the trail from. This will add 6.4km/3.97miles in total but adds little to nothing in terms of ascent and descent.
Route from Gatesgarth Car Park to Buttermere Infinity Pool
Starting point: Gatesgarth Car Park, CA13 9XA (what3words: ///holdings.scariest.elsewhere)
Distance: 3.6km/2.2miles out and back
Difficulty: Easy to moderate. Relatively flat trail for the start and gently winds up on a good path. Path becomes steeper when you get close to the waterfalls.
Ascent/descent: 77m/252ft. ascent and descent
- From the Gatesgarth Car Park, which is on the left hand side of the road on the Honister Pass, cross over the road and turn left.
- At this point, you’ll walk a very short distance on the road that will take you to the start of the trail.
- A very short distance after walking on the road, you’ll see a sign on the right hand side of the road that says Fleetwith Pike in one direction and Honister Hause via Warnscale Bottom on the other. Take this path that will get you off the road and onto the trail up to the Infinity Pool.
4. At this point the path gently winds around the bottom of Fleetwith Pike and is a pretty flat path. It’s relatively wide and covered in gravel. Ahead of you, you will see a slight saddle in the mountain between Fleetwith Pike and Haystacks, where Blackbeck Tarn sits.
5. The path will keep gaining height very gradually and following around the bottom of Fleetwith Pike, so enjoy the views as you go and be sure to turn around every now and again to enjoy the views out to Buttermere as you gain height.
6. After just over a km from the start of the trail, you’ll come to a junction in the trail. Take the right turn, this will take you to the waterfalls, which at this point are just ahead of you uphill.
7. Shortly after this junction, you’ll then come to a bridge that crosses over the stream. Cross over this and you will see that the path starts to go uphill more and more for the last section.
8. Keep following the path uphill, you can keep exploring up the Warnscale Beck and the upper waterfalls, you’ll need to walk on the slightly narrower trail just off to the waterfalls.
9. You’ll know you’ve reached the Buttermere Infinity Pool when you turn around a look back in the direction of Buttermere and you can see a decent sized pool on your right.
10. You can then get into the pool using the rocks slightly to the right hand side of the infinity ‘lip’ as you’re looking at it. Alternatively, you can enter where the ‘lip’ of the pool is looking out toward Buttermere. Be careful as the rocks can be slippery.
11. Once you’re finished, you can either continue exploring further up the Warnscale Valley, or head up to Haystacks and the mountains above you (more on both of those below). Alternatively, you can head back down to the car park.
12. To do this, you can just retrace your steps back down as you came up. Be sure to stop along the way to take in the view of Buttermere. We would recommend, if you’re into photography, using a long lens to capture some details in the mountains.
How to Visit Buttermere Infinity Pool Safely and Sustainably
We’ve seen a lot of conversation online about Buttermere infinity pool has become more popular on social media, as well as other smaller swimming holes and spots around the Lake District. Whilst a lot of this conversation is focused on trying to prevent more and more people from visiting, through all the work we do, we know that there are solutions that can make visiting the pools mor sustainable and still enjoyable for you.
One of the key things that has become apparent in recent times is that there is often quite a lot of litter and evidence of fires or BBQ’s having been used on the ground around the pools. This is obviously not great! It is a small, natural area and as such, is fragile.
Aside from that, there are also several other things that contribute such as visiting when it’s ultimately busy and the erosion that is occurring as a consequence. Below, we’ve put together some key advice for getting the most out of your visit, whilst also having the least impact you can.
Getting into Buttermere Infinity Pool
One of the key things that you can do to improve the sustainability and ground conditions around the Buttermere Infinity Pool is to make sure that you enter it in the best way. There are lots of slippery areas around the pool, especially when it’s been raining, so getting in safely should always be your first thought.
You’ll see many people jumping straight in from the rocks behind the pool, but as seasoned outdoor swimmers who swim all year round in the Lake District, we’d advise against this, as your body likely will not be acclimated to the water. You should only really jump into a pool if you have already been in and are used to the temperature of the water.
Likewise, because the rainfall affects the water level, this can vary quite a lot from time to time. This means that something that is quite often deep can sometimes be a lot shallower, and if you land in the wrong place, you could face serious problems!
We find it best to enter from the path so that the Buttermere Infinity Pool is on your left. From here, you will see a number of large rocks that you can use to lower yourself down slowly. You can sit on them and edge in. Likewise, you can use the same method to pull yourself out again once you’ve finished.
Be Prepared for the Cold Water
One thing you’ll notice as soon as you enter the water at the Buttermere Infinity Pool is just how cold the water is! Because it is fast and free flowing along the stream and the waterfalls that make up the whole area, the water doesn’t really have time to heat up as it passes through the pool.
So even on a hot day, it can be quit unnerving how cold the water is. As we swim in our nearby lakes and waterfalls in the Lake District all year round, we are fairly used to the water, but even so, it can be a sharp bite at times!
You can acclimate to the cold water by getting in gradually. We usually enter feet first, then go down to waist height and then lower the rest of our bodies in. Breathing deeply as you do also helps. Remember to always get out before you feel too cold – get out wanting more is a motto we live by.
Be sure to take something warm with you – even if it’s just an extra layer or two in your daypack that you can put on afterwards. This is especially helpful if there is a wind. Bring a towel or changing towel too. You may also benefit from swimming shoes or wetsuit boots which can give you a good grip on the rocks for getting in and out and provide some further insulation.
Wear Biodegradable Suncream
If it’s hot and sunny you’ll naturally be wearing sunscreen, but did you know that anything that isn’t classed as reef safe or biodegrable can release harmful micro plastics or chemicals from UV filters into the water? Here is further information on why biodegradable sunscreen is important if you plan to bathe in natural waters like the Buttermere Infinity Pool.
Don’t Litter
Sadly, in recent times, there has been a lot of litter left at Buttermere Infinity Pools. Some of it is left by people who don’t really seem to have much care for the environment, but other times it can be a little less obvious.
This one might seem like a no brainer, but it isn’t always obvious that you’ve left litter behind. What we mean by this is if you have taken some time to sit somewhere with a picnic or relax a little after your swim, you can end up leaving something. Even if it’s just a small plastic lid from a food tub, this over time has a big impact. The same can be said for swimwear being left, hair elastics or similar.
Before you leave, just do a scan around to make sure you have everything you came with. Whilst you’re in the pool, make sure everything you came with is securely staying on the ground. Things can get dislodged due to wind and other people passing by.
Stick to Paths
There have been some problems with erosion at the site and this usually happens when increased footfall creates unofficial paths. The wearing down of the grass and land creates new paths which are too close to edges or in weakened areas – and this over a prolonged period can cause serious problems with erosion.
We always make sure we stick to the marked paths as much as is humanly possible. Not only is this safer (especially when it’s rained and is slippery) but it’s also better for the environment too.
Visit at Quieter Times and Have a Backup Plan
Whilst it can be tempting to visit the Buttermere Infinity Pools on a stunning, sunny and hot day, we always find it best to visit when it’s not as busy. As, you’ve probably guessed, everyone will have had the same idea.
One of the best ways we can impact places positively is to disperse tourism away from congested sites. So, if it’s looking busy (you will know really from any of the parking areas) you could always come back later, go earlier or visit another day. If you’re visiting the Lake District for a week, try going mid-week for example.
Likewise, there are plenty of other spots, both other hikes and also other swimming spots you can use as a backup if the Buttermere Infinity Pool is really busy. We’ve outlined some of these below, including some suggestions you may not have heard of that we’ve become fond of living around here to keep you busy!
Other Swimming Spots Near Buttermere Infinity Pool
One of the great things about the area around the Buttermere Infinity Pool is that there are plenty of other swimming spots to explore. These are great to have on hand if you find that the car parks are too busy or the trail is too busy up to the Infinity Pool itself.
None of these are forfeits if you don’t get to visit the main pool – they’re all equally great in their own right! Over the years, we’ve spent a lot of time swimming in these spots and can safely say you’ll love them for their own reasons just as much. We also include some of these in our places to swim near me article, which you should check out too.
Equally, they can be good ways to add on more swimming trips around the Buttermere Valley to your time in the Lake District. If like us, you love the idea of spending your summer days just going between different places for a dip, then this list of suggestions below, including detailed guides on how to get there will be right up your street!
Further Up Warnscale Beck
One of the most obvious ways to find more swimming spots near the Buttermere Infinity Pools is to keep heading up Warnscale Beck from where you stop off for the main Infinity Pool. As the waterfalls flow down from the mountains above, there are a number of other spots too.
The beauty of this is that whilst most people may be concentrating on the main pool due to its depth and size, there are at least two more pools worth dipping in further up the valley. This is actually a really great one to visit to see the area sustainably, as you will likely have some of the areas further up to yourself.
Alternatively, you can also go further up Warnscale Beck by coming down this way if you hike up Haystacks or do a big circular including Fleetwith Pike. You will actually reach the higher up pools first on your way down. Here is our walking guide to show you how to get up to the higher pools. For ease, this is the same route that you would use to hike up to Warnscale Bothy.
Directions: Park in Gatesgarth Car Park if possible, CA13 9XA, what3words: ///holdings.scariest.elsewhere
- If coming from the direction of Gatesgarth, follow instructions 1-10 from our first route to get up to the main Buttermere Infinity Pool.
- Once you’ve reached this pool, you can keep going up the steeper path alongside the waterfall as it goes uphill.
3. From here, there are a couple of further pools which will be on your left that are worth checking out.
4. These may not be as deep or wide as the main pool, but they are good for dipping in. You can just keep continuing up the mountain side checking out the various pools. The views get better and better.
5. Once you’ve finished checking out the upper pools and smaller sections around Warnscale Beck, you just retrace your steps back downhill from where you started at the car park.
6. Alternatively, you could also head up to the Warnscale Bothy, which is just a bit further on. You could also continue up to Haystacks and then return the same way back down from the very top.
Hassness Crag Wood
Hassness Crag Wood is another really lovely swimming spot to head to on the shore of Buttermere and is especially good as you can start the walk to it from the Gatesgarth Car Park. So, it’s a great option as an alternative to the Buttermere Infinity Pool if you turn up and it’s too busy.
You can do this walk from Buttermere too if you find parking too busy at Gatesgarth Car Park, and this is actually a really lovely walk where you get to spend more time along the shore of Buttermere, it just makes it a bit longer. Follow our route below around Buttermere shore for this.
This is a really lovely sheltered section of Buttermere that we’d really recommend and it gives a really nice view out over the lake that you don’t normally see. We think this area is well worth checking out, even if you do it as an extra to the pools walk too.
Starting point: Gatesgarth Car Park, CA13 9XA, what3words: ///holdings.scariest.elsewhere
- From Gatesgarth Car Park, take a right out of there and walk down the road. This road is used (as it’s the Honister Pass) but it is pretty quiet, so keep aware of your surroundings and stay visible and you’ll be fine – people don’t drive so fast along here.
- As you walk, you’ll start to see lovely views of Butterere opening up in front of you.
3. After about 300m or so of walking down the road in the direction of Buttermere Lake, which you’ll be able to see in front of you, you’ll see a path to the left. Take this as it will take you down to the lakeshore path.
4. This will immediately take you down to the lakeshore and you will follow this path around a small wooded area which is Harness Crag Wood.
5. The shore around here is a really lovely entry point to Buttermere Lake, and unlike the North shore, gets deep very quickly, but still good for a gentle swim!
6. Once you’ve finished, you can just return on the path you came out on and retrace your steps. Equally, if you wanted a longer walk, you could keep following the path along Buttermere and go round the whole lake. We’ve outlined this below in our walk around Buttermere Lake section.
Buttermere’s North Shore
The North Shore of Buttermere is one of the most stunning places you can visit in the whole area and if you park in one of the car parks at Buttermere village itself, or arrive here by bus, we would recommend you walk down to the shore anyway, even if nothing else! It’s truly stunning and we have so many happy memories of spending time here.
If you visit in summer, you will likely see endless people out on paddle boards, especially children. The lake at this point is quite shallow and you can stand up a good way out. In fact, we’ve tried to swim as far as we can across the lake and can’t recall a time when we couldn’t touch the bottom with our feet! So it’s a good place for kids as well.
If you visit in the evening and on a still day with some sunshine, you may also be treated to an amazing, mirror-like view out over the lake with the mountains in the background being reflected. The walk is relatively short and flat and not something you can see from the road so we would really recommend coming to do it – it’s well worth it!
Starting Point: Any of the car parks in Buttermere, what3words: ///almost.headrest.decrease
- From any of the carparks in Buttermere that we’ve listed above, you can follow the signs in the village to the lakeshore.
- We think the best parking and most direct access for the North lakeshore is to park in the National Park Authority Car Park. From here you will see a sign to take you to the lakeshore.
3. Once you’ve passed through the gate, you will be on a flat path with rolling hillside views out to the side.
4. The path is pretty flat all the way to the lake and is well graded, so is very much suited to wheelchairs, trampers and also buggies.
5. After about 600m from the car park down this trail, you will come out directly at the gravel lakeshore. From here you can enter the lake easily, being mindful of some of the big rocks under the surface. It doesn’t get deep for a long way out, so this is a great part of the lake to build up your confidence, if you need it.
6. From here, you can just backtrack the way you came. Alternatively, if you want more of a swim walk, you can follow the lakeside shore path to the left to take you along to Hassness Crag Wood, the route we’ve listed above. You can also walk around the other side of the lake too.
Crummock Water
Being next to Buttermere Lake, Crummock Water is another great option for swimming in and around this area. There are a few spots on Crummock Water that we think are really good, but one of our favourites is just past the parking spot for the Rannerdale Knotts walk (which is also well worth doing). Some people say that Nether How is a good spot, but personally we find it has too many reeds and can not always be the easiest entry.
This spot (Crummock South Beach) has really limited parking (for about 6 cars) and is free, so you may need to be opportunistic with parking. There isn’t so much a walking route to get there as it’s super accessible from the road. From the parking area, which is on the left hand side of the road, you will see a small path that cuts down the side of the hill down to the lakeshore.
From here, you can have a wonderful swim with amazing views out in front of you, to the left there is a small island that you can go out to as well, as it is not far. We would really recommend this spot and Crummock Water is often a lot less busy than Buttermere. The spot we love can be located at what3words: ///posting.hack.carriage.
Ways to Extend Your Visit to Buttermere Infinity Pool
The Buttermere valley has a lot to explore and has some of the most interesting views, mountains and pools around. There’s also a lot to do outside of just the outdoorsy stuff too – there’s plenty of restaurants, traditional pubs and plenty of fun to be had too.
Likewise, there’s also plenty to do in nearby Keswick, and no visit to Keswick in our opinion would be complete without a visit to one of the award-winning fish and chip shops. The Old Keswickian is worth checking out, but whilst this place always has a queue of people outside, The Lakes fish and chip shop is also equally as good. We also love Little Saigon too – a Vietnamese place pretty much next door to The Lakes that serves hearty and fresh food made with love.
If you’re also going to be in the Lake District for a while and want to see some of the most picturesque spots and also do some more swimming, you should check out our Rydal Cave hike article, alongside the Tarn Hows walk (a personal favourite) and even the Malham Cove walk if you really want to check out the breadth of what we have to offer in this area of the UK.
Continue Up Warnscale Beck and Over Fleetwith Pike
One of our favourite ways to extend your infinity pool and Lake District walk is to go up to Fleetwith Pike, and this is one we’d highly recommend. It is pretty steep on the way up, and we’re always amazed how out of breath we feel (though this may be because we’ve usually stopped for breakfast at LRB in Keswick first).
Though it’s steep, you will be glad you got to the top as the views out from this little mountain (though doesn’t feel it on the way up) are breathtaking. We love to spend some time at the top just taking it all in, and no matter how many times we’ve photographed it, it always looks different (thank you Lake District weather).
It is possible to continue up the main path to Fleetwith Pike directly from the infinity pools, however if you know you’ll definitely be hiking Fleetwith Pike too, we’d actually recommend going up Fleetwith Pike first and then down past the pools on your way back. We personally find the path up Fleetwith Pike from Honister Pass is very steep for coming down, so the route down past the pools is more welcome and plus you get to go for a soak at the end – bonus!
Whilst Fleetwick Pike in not a tall mountain – the summit is at 648m – the ascent from Gatesgarth is steep and includes sections where you will need to use your hands to scramble over rocks. The path is also very exposed with sheer and dizzying drops in places where a fall would certainly be fatal. If the weather turns bad – or even if the wind picks up – the route can quickly feel very treacherous.
Our route below also includes a river crossing. There’s no bridge here and the stepping stones are usually submerged by fast-flowing water very close to the edge of a small waterfall. Waterproof hiking boots are a must if you want to keep your feet dry and a set of hiking poles are also very useful to help you keep your balance on the crossing.
Whilst we believe our route is absolutely achievable by most experienced hikers, if you don’t have a good head for heights or are not confident in your ability to successfully and safely complete the route, then we would recommend you pass on this one and instead enjoy one of the many other trails in the area.
You can complete route this in about 3 hours if you’re just up and down quickly, but this is something we’d say you’ll want to give yourself most of the day for, especially if you plan on visiting the infinity pool too. Here’s a hiking map of the route we’d take – this also take you past Warnscale Bothy:
Here’s a stop motion video we shot of hiking up Fleetwith Pike from Gatesgarth Car Park the last time we did this route:
Admire the View from Warnscale Bothy
If you’re already heading up to the Buttermere Infinity Pools from Gatesgarth car park, or tackling Fleetwith Pike, then Warnscale Bothy is a worthy addition. It’s become very popular for heading up to around sunset or on sunnier days as the light, especially in summer is sublime from here, as you will see the sun set over Buttermere and Crummock Water in the distance.
It’s also been well photographed too – but it doesn’t matter how many times we’ve been up to Warnscale Bothy, there is something we just love about the framing that the window inside the bothy offers for the perfect picture and the quant slate structure from outside. We’re sure you’ll love it too – and if you’re already heading up that way, well it would be rude not to visit.
Even on a misty or foggy or less than perfect weather day, the views from up here are lovely and we sometimes find that we actually love these kinds of days more. Sure, a sunset is great, but you are more likely to have it to yourself on a less than perfect day.
The hike is 5.4km up to the bothy and back with 319m of ascent and descent. If you’re visiting the Buttermere Infinity Pool, you can either head up to Warnscale Bothy after or go do the climb first and then visit the pool after. The pool is on the way, and just before the right to go up Warnscale Beck to the bothy. Likewise, if you’re hiking Fleetwith Pike, you can add in a stop at the bothy on your way down to the waterfall.
There are various routes you can take – and it can be reached from the various different car parks we’ve mentioned above. However, this is the route we prefer from Gatesgarth Car Park. Here is our hiking map for the Warnscale Bothy which is the route we take:
Hike the Haystacks
If you want to make a full day of your hike to the Buttermere Infinity Pools, we’d really recommend adding in a detour over to Haystacks peak. Especially if you are already going over Fleetwith Pike or to the Warnscale Bothy.
What we love about Haystacks in addition is it gives you so many incredible, remote, high mountain Lake District views, and it also allows you to see a couple of other tarns along the way (Blackbeck Tarn and Innominate Tarn). The route we take is kind of a whistle stop tour of Fleetwith Pike, Warnscale Bothy, the Buttermere Infinity Pools and Warnscale Beck.
It’s pretty full on – at just under 10km with 755m of climbing, but if you’re feeling up for it, we really feel you won’t regret it. In our opinion, this lake district walk has some of the most stunning views around and always leaves us saying wow countless times – it never gets old.
We’d consider this to be an advanced route suitable for more experienced hikers. Not only is it physically demanding, involving a river crossing where the stepping stones are generally submerged, and some technical terrain where scrambling is necessary, but there are also steep, exposed sections on both the ascent of Fleetwith Pike and Haystacks where a fall could easily prove fatal.
If the weather turns bad or the wind picks up – both of which are a real possibility year-round in The Lake District, then there are parts of this route that could get very dangerous indeed.
Waterproof hiking boots, a rain jacket and waterproof trousers are a must on this route and hiking poles will also prove handy not just on the trail, but also for helping you to keep your balance on the river crossing.
Whilst we do think this route is achievable for experienced hikers, if you have any doubt about your ability to complete this route safely, or are worried that the weather might turn, remember there are plenty of other spectacular routes in the area.
There are of course other ways you can hike Haystacks, for example you can take a shorter route from the National Trust Honister Pass Car Park (listed above) and hike up directly from there, cutting out the Infinity Pool entirely. This is a there and back route instead.
Likewise, you can also cut out Fleetwith Pike, and just follow our directions for the first route for getting to Buttermere Infinity Pool from Gatesgath Car Park up to Warnscale Bothy and then take a right and keep going uphill until you reach Haystacks.
However, this is the route we much prefer as we think it offers you a truly amazing day out in the Lakes:
Walk Around Buttermere Lake
We’ve repeatedly said that Buttermere Lake is one of our favourite lakes in the Lake District, it was one of the first lakes we swam in when we started visiting the area years ago and has held a special place for us ever since. Every time we’re back in the area and spend some time at Buttermere Lake, we just can’t stop being in awe of the scenery all around. It always looks stunning from any angle.
A great addition to the Buttermere Infinity Pool Walk is to walk a loop around Buttermere Lake. In our hiking map below, we’ve started the walk from the other end of the lake to Gatesgarth, where we usually recommend as a first choice for starting the Infinity Pool hike from. You can of course do this loop of the lake from Gatesgarth as well, but if you are walking the lake loop only, then we would recommend starting from the other end.
The reason for this is because there is more parking available at this end of the shore, that sits between Buttermere Lake and Crummock Water. If we are only doing the Buttermere Lake walk, we generally like to try and leave the Gatesgarth Parking free for people who are planning to hike Fleetwith Pike, the Infinity Pools and Haystacks.
This is a really idyllic walk and a great one if you don’t want to gain much height throughout – it has 139m of ascent over 7.3km so it is very gentle. It’s one we love to do time and time again, and especially like the views from Lower Gatesgarth, not far into the walk.
On the return route, you should be mindful that there is a section of road to walk on between Gatesgarth Farm and where the trail joins back onto the lake. There is traffic, but it is a country road which is often very quiet, just be sure to pay attention and make yourself as visible as possible. Cars don’t tend to drive around there very quickly and we’ve never had any problems!
Here’s our preferred walking route around Buttermere Lake:
Visit Moss Force Waterfall
If you drive over to the Buttermere Infinity Pool from Keswick there is a pretty strong chance you will drive over Newlands Pass, which will take you past Moss Force Waterfall. We’ve highlighted more about driving over Newlands Pass below, and even if you don’t drive in from Keswick, we would really recommend it as this pass is so picturesque and Moss Force is stunning!
Moss Force Waterfall is at the top of the Newlands Pass when coming from Keswick and sits just to the left of where the car parking is that looks down into the Buttermere valley. If you park up here, the walk there is really quick (you can be there and back in 15 minutes). The path is really obvious and we really feel like it’s worth doing.
Even if you don’t fancy going over to the waterfall (as some of the rocks can be slippery underfoot), you can still see it from the road. We think it’s just as powerful from wherever you see it, but there’s something hypnotic about hearing the sound of the water close up that has you feeling in awe of nature!
The location of Moss Force Waterfall can be found here, and the what3words location is ///goes.poses.sizzled. Here’s a video we shot of Moss Force Waterfall the last time we explored it whilst driving over Newlands Pass:
Admire Scale Force Waterfall
Scale Force Waterfall is an absolutely brilliant hike that we’d highly recommend adding to your time around Buttermere. It is a relatively short hike at 6.8km with 144m of ascent and descent, so it can easily be fitted into a morning or afternoon.
Sitting above and in-between Buttermere Lake and on the side of Crummock Water, not only do you get to visit the all-encompassing Scale Force Waterfall, you also get to see some pretty mesmerising views out over Crummock Water. The views along the path as you gain height along Crummock Water show you some great scenes and if you’re anything like us, will be stopping every two minutes to take a photo.
We’ve done this walk a couple of times now up to Scale Force Waterfall and find it particularly pretty as autumn sets in. In summer, especially around August, we found that the bracken and ferns on the way up the path really get in the way as they can be very overgrown at this time of year. This is equally a great walk for wintertime too.
As you get close to the waterfall, the views just become sublime and whilst there is no swimming hole here, you can sit and enjoy the peace as the sound of the water takes over. Naturally, the areas around the waterfall can be quite wet, so we would recommend wearing waterproof hiking boots and having a rain jacket with you just in case (but that should be an essential for anyone walking in the Lakes to be honest!).
Here’s our hiking map going from the carparks next to Buttermere Lake and heading up to Scale Force Waterfall, in the Fells behind Crummock Water:
Try the Pies and Cakes in the Syke Tea Rooms
Location: Syke Farm Campsite, Cockermouth CA13 9XA, UK
What3words: ///brownish.spout.rare
Opening Hours: 9am-5pm daily (check online before visiting)
Syke Tea Rooms or Syke Farm Tea Rooms as it’s also sometimes referred to is a must stop place when going through Buttermere on the way to the Infinity Pools and the other things to do in the area. Located in Syke Farm, this little tea room/café is a really lovely, warm place to stop for a coffee, some cake and also one of their speciality pies.
If you park up near Buttermere Lake, then walk into the village and near the church, you’ll find Syke Farm. Given that it’s one of only a few options for cafés in the area, it can get quite busy, but from our experience you won’t be waiting long and you can also get things to take away – they also do packed lunches which are delicious!
You’re in for a treat if you like ice cream too (who doesn’t) as they serve their own, homemade ice cream and also serve one of the heartiest full English breakfasts you can get. We also love that they have a number of vegetarian options and they’re always happy to make adjustments where they can. We think Syke Tea Rooms are well worth a visit!
Grab a Sandwich and Coffee from Croft House Farm Café
Location: Croft House Farm Café, Buttermere, Cockermouth CA13 9XA
What3words: ///busters.probe.laugh
Opening Hours: 10am-5pm daily (check online before visiting)
The portions in Croft House Farm Café in Buttermere village are certainly aimed at people who are coming back from a big walk in the fells – the portion sizes are pretty huge (most sandwiches come as three, for example). They’re also ideal if you’re looking for something to take with you to eat on the trail.
This café is warm and welcoming and aside from sandwiches serves so hot food at lunch time, such as soups and jacket potatoes. They also have specials which change all the time, so there is likely to be something for everyone and they’re really good at catering to your needs if you have special requests.
We would really recommend the toasted teacake with a flat white – it’s the perfect sweet treat with a caffeine boost. If it’s a nice day, there are also a few benches outside where you can sit and look out at the views – perfect!
Have a Pint of a Local Cumbrian Cask Beer at The Bridge Inn
Location: Bridge Hotel, Buttermere, Cockermouth CA13 9UZ
What3words: ///basin.verifying.moods
Opening Hours: Bar opens from 12pm-11pm Monday – Saturday, 12pm – 10pm Sunday (check online before visiting)
The Bridge Inn is one of the most cosy pubs we’ve visited in the Lake District, and no matter what time of year you visit, it just always feels perfect. In winter, you can sit inside in the cosy Walker’s Bar which has a lot of old Cumbrian charm to it.
In summer, you can sit out in the garden/terrace area which wonderful views of the surrounding fells. We think it’s the perfect place to relax after spending time out hiking in the Buttermere area, plus the staff are friendly too. They also have a small selection of rooms as an option if you want to stay in the Buttermere area and make the most of things being right on your doorstep.
Aside from having a good food menu using local produce which accommodates those with special diets, we think one of the nicest things about this pub is that it still serves traditional cask ale. This is a tradition that they’ve kept going from their roots in the 1700’s (and not to mention, incredibly refreshing).
Stay at the Buttermere Court Hotel
Address: The Buttermere Court Hotel, Buttermere, Cockermouth CA13 9XA
What3words: ///tablet.happier.splashes
If you fancy staying in the Buttermere valley, then a really great option for this is the Buttermere Court Hotel. Set in Buttermere village, this hotel puts you right in the centre of everything and you can either walk to any of the locations from the hotel door or drive a really short distance to some of the more direct car parks.
The hotel has some stunning, modern decorated rooms and has a sense of Cumbrian charm and warmth to it – it’s traditional without being stuffy or dated. It’s a super short walk from Buttermere village itself, so perfect for walks down to the lake shores of Buttermere Lake and Crummock Water too.
One of the best things about the Buttermere Court Hotel as well is that is offers pretty reasonable rates – at the time of publishing, an ensuite double room is £125 a night. Please do obviously check on the hotel’s website for up to date pricing. When you consider the cost of quite a lot of other hotels in the Lake District, this is really well priced!
Base Yourself at Hassness Country House
Address: Hassness Country House, Cockermouth CA13 9XA
What3words: ///dozens.starred.cheeses
Set on the side of Buttermere Lake on the Honister Pass is Hassness Country House, another incredible hotel in the area that’s perfect for basing yourself right in the thick of it. Hassness Country House is actually pretty much the closest accommodation you can stay in to the start of the Buttermere Infinity Pools walk from Gatesgarth, with it only being a few minutes walk to the start.
This also opens up the opportunity for Fleetwith Pike and Haystacks to be doable from your front door too. What’s even more stunning is the views you’ll have out onto the Fells from the hotel – they’re simply stunning. We actually stayed here on a previous visit before we moved and agreed it was one of the nicest places we’d stayed in the Lakes.
It’s a pretty small hotel, having just 11 bedrooms, and some have en suite whereas a small amount have bathroom facilities just across the hall from the room, so you can choose what suits you best. The hotel also serves warm and inviting Cumbrian food, using locally sourced ingredients – what’s not to love?
Camp at Syke Farm Campsite
Location: Syke Farm Campsite, Cockermouth CA13 9XA, UK
What3words: ///brownish.spout.rare
Whilst the Skye Tea Rooms mentioned above are a great spot to go and get some delicious refreshments, the Skye Farm also offers a variety of accommodation options. They have camping, where you can bring your own gear, yurts and a shepherd hut which can be rented out – depending on how much luxury you feel you need from your stay.
Being right in Buttermere, the Skye Farm Campsite puts you right in the thick of it again. Whilst it is a longer walk to the Buttermere Infinity Pool from here, it is still very much doable, or just a short car journey to the Gatesgarth car park.
The campsite has space for about 50 tents with parking spaces available for around 40 cars. They do accept walk-ins, but its always best to book in advance as they can become very busy in the summer months, and especially in nice weather!
The Skye Farm Campsite charges per night, per person, but it’s very reasonably priced. As this is subject to change, it’s best to look on their website first (linked here) so you can check prices before booking your camping spot.
Book into the Buttermere Youth Hostel
Location: YHA Buttermere, Buttermere, Cockermouth CA13 9XA
What3words: ///overhead.shadowing.eyelashes
The Buttermere Youth Hostel is a great, budget option if you want to save money but don’t want to camp whilst staying around Buttermere. As there are rooms often available on things like booking.com for around £30 a night.
The YHA in Buttermere is a pretty impressive building too – traditional slate on the frontage with some really beautiful front mouldings. What’s great as well as being in Buttermere, this again puts you right in the thick of things, and is a relatively short walk or car ride to the Buttermere Infinity Pool from the front door.
You can choose shared rooms, private rooms and they also have camping and cabins available too. Rooms generally come with a sink, but toilet and shower facilities are shared much like all hostels. There’s a really friendly bar inside, as well as a cosy lounge area where you can hang out in the evenings. There’s also a pretty big, shared kitchen where you can prepare food.
Tour Honister Slate Mine
A great option if you want something to do when it rains around Buttermere is to visit the Honister Slate Mine for a tour (in fact it doesn’t need to be raining, but because it’s inside, it does make a good option for those days). It’s just a couple of miles up the road from the Gatesgarth Car Park where you’ll likely start the Buttermere Infinity Pool walk from, so it’s well worth stopping by to check out some local working history that has carved the landscape you’re enjoying to be the way it is.
What’s especially interesting is that if you’ve hiked Fleetwith Pike, then when you do a tour of the Honister Slate Mine, you will actually be underground in the tunnels and areas that are under it and surround it – pretty cool huh? The tours are fascinating and give so much information, in a non-stuffy and interactive way as you explore the underground mines.
The tours run daily at 10:30, 12:30 and 14:30 and there is some up and down hill within the tour which lasts for about 90 minutes. If you’re interested in visiting and have accessibility needs, we’d advise calling them in advance and discussing to see if the tour would be suitable. It is pretty pricy at £17.50 (at time of writing) per adult, but we think it’s well worth it. You can visit their website here.
Climb the Via Ferrata
At Honister Slate Mine, there isn’t just a mine tour, there is also lots of other things you can do – obviously hiking is possible, but another activity available is via ferrata. If you’re not familiar with via ferrata, it’s a route that comes with fixed ladders and cables, as well as bridges that can be used in extreme environments to access areas that might otherwise not be possible.
They generally involve some pretty vertiginous climbs and involve specialist equipment. This is very popular in the alps, but Honister Slate Mine has its own course and offers guided tours to experience it and get your heart pumping.
If you have a fear of heights, then this may not be for you, but if you want to test yourself, then this is a pretty memorable experience. It’s currently £65 per person (check in advance for up to date prices) which is pretty pricey, but when you consider that involves a 3 hour activity with a fully qualified guide and checked and tested safety gear, we think it offers really good value for money.
You don’t need any experience to do the via ferrata course, and it truly is a pretty big bucket list tick off for a lot of people – as the course has won awards and was one of the first in the UK to offer something like this. You finish up with pretty next level panoramic views out over the National Park too – so if you’re on the fence, we’d say you should definitely do it and the perfect addition to your Buttermere Infinity Pool hike.
Drive Over Newlands Pass
One of our favourite things to do when visiting the Buttermere area is to drive from Keswick along the Newlands Pass. It’s absolutely stunning, less busy than some of the other mountain passes in the Lake District and gives you a really different feel to what’s around here!
We think that driving over Newlands Pass is one of the prettiest ways to get to everything that Buttermere, the Infinity Pool, the surrounding mountains and all the beautiful lakes lake Buttermere and Crummock Water have to offer.
Driving from Keswick to around Buttermere takes about 30 minutes over the Newlands Pass and is just over 9 miles/14km. The great thing is that if you’re new to mountain passes, it’s a really good one to get some confidence as there are no really steep drop offs. Here’s a map to show you the route from Keswick:
There are some areas where passing places are needed to be used if you meet other cars, but it’s easy enough! Be sure to stop at the top of Newlands Pass to look out at the view down into the valley. If you pull in at this parking, to the left you’ll also see a Moss Force Waterfall to the left with a short trail that you can go up to. We think this is well worth adding on to your day exploring the wild swimming pools of the Lake District.
Here’s a video from one of our drives over of what you can expect when you drive the Newlands Pass. As you can see, it’s extremely beautiful!
What to Take with You for a Visit to Buttermere Infinity Pool
Depending on which variation of the Buttermere Infinity Pool walk you decide to do, there are a few things you can take with you to make your experience as good as it can be. Most of these will likely be obvious, but it’s always good to just check you’ve got everything you’re likely to need.
As Lake District locals, we’ve become pretty confident and comfortable in what you really need to bring and what’s overkill whilst out in the Fells here. One thing you really do need more than anything else is good waterproof gear. We certainly get our fair share of rain here!
Likewise, you may also find it useful to use our what to wear on a hike and day hiking checklist to help you plan what you should bring with you. These guides cover all the basics as well as a few advanced things and the best way to pack your daypack so you feel the most comfortable. They’re based on season too.
Good Waterproof Hiking Shoes or Boots
The Lake District is always wet, there, we said it. We don’t actually mean it rains all the time – in fact, far from it (that said, we are writing this whilst it’s pouring with rain in August). What we mean is that you will likely always find wet patches and patches of mud at any time of year.
When hiking in the mountains in the Lakes, there is often run off from small streams and these can also form puddles that can be quite deep. If it has been raining, it can be slippery and it can also be very muddy.
So, with this in mind, we would always recommend getting the best waterproof hiking shoes or the best hiking boots you can for your budget. Obviously, hiking boots do offer more in terms of rigidity around the ankle, but if you want something more lightweight, just make sure it’s waterproof.
Pretty much every hike we head out on in the Lake District now, we always wear waterproof boots, and we have not one time regretted it. Our guides on hiking boots, shoes and waterproof hiking shoes cover a whole range of options including buying advice and what to look out for.
Wild Swimming Gear
Naturally, if you’re going to enjoy the Buttermere Infinity Pool or any of the other swimming spots in the Buttermere valley, you’ll want to make sure you have a few things with you for your swim. You’ll likely see some people just going in wearing their legging shorts and a sports bra or similar, but you should always bring a completely different set of clothing. It can get quite cold, and you want to make sure you can get warm again straight away.
We would recommend at a minimum that you bring a changing towel, swimwear and also some swimming shoes or wetsuit boots with you. The wetsuit boots or shoes make a real difference when it comes to navigating over the rocks. For some recommendations, we’d recommend checking out our gear for cold water swimming guide, which includes lots of our tried and tested gear we use 3-4 times a week!
We usually put our swimming stuff inside a plastic bag and knot it inside a daypack, which one of us will carry, whilst the other carries stuff that we don’t want to get wet. You can also use a drybag inside your daypack too.
Towel
We can’t iterate this enough, but a towel is really important if you’re going to swim in any of the spots in the Buttermere valley. This can of course be a normal towel – you don’t really need to buy anything special for this.
However, if you can, we would really recommend getting hold of a changing towel designed specifically for the beach and swimming. These are usually made of a microfibre, quick drying material and are a lot more lightweight than a traditional towel, so they weigh a lot less in your bag – especially when wet.
They are great for getting you dry and mean you can get dressed much more easily than having to hold up a towel. Our guide to gear for cold water swimming covers changing towels in more detail including our recommendations based on what we use regularly.
Waterproof Coat
As you may have guessed from talking in great length about waterproof shoes above, a waterproof coat is also a pretty essential item to have with you in the Lake District. The Buttermere valley is especially a little bit more remote than some of the other areas you might visit, and the weather can change pretty quickly.
We always carry lightweight rain jackets with us, even if they spend the whole hike in our daypacks, it’s better to be prepared than caught out. We have a whole guide on the best waterproof rain jackets for hiking which cover tried and tested options for all budgets.
Daypack
A daypack is an essential item if you want to spend a day out in the mountains, but if you plan to go swimming, will give you a good place to store all the items you need as well as your swimming gear, food, water etc.
We always recommend carrying a daypack that is around 18-23 litres depending on how much stuff you need to bring. You may even want something a little bigger if you plan on bringing lots of photography gear with you (we typically use a full suspension frame pack of about 24-26 litres when going out on a photo hike).
Our guide to the best daypacks for hiking covers 12 of the best options out there which we have tried and tested thoroughly to make solid recommendations to you. Whichever you choose, you would also be wise looking at our buying advice to make sure you get something that will work with you for time to come.
Long Trousers
If you’re visiting the Lakes in summer, it’s a really good idea to wear longer trousers, particularly if you’re visiting in July and August. This is because there can be a lot of bracken and ferns on the trails and these can get quite bristly at times. Wearing longer trousers will protect your legs from scratches.
Wearing longer trousers also helps to protect you more so from ticks, as if a tick lands on you and you’re wearing longer trousers, you can easily brush off. We’d recommend a lightweight pair that has plenty of stretch and movement. Likewise, it’s also handy to carry a pair of waterproof rain pants in your daypack too, should the weather take a turn.
Map
There is little to no phone reception in the Buttermere valley so it’s a really good idea to make sure that you have your map saved for offline use. Whatever route you decide to do of ours above, make sure that you have this downloaded to your phone and that it works before you set off.
It’s a smart idea to take a portable charger with you too and this can just slot into your daypack. Likewise, it never hurts to have a paper map in your bag if you can + knowing how to read it and just means you have a backup if you need it!
Compass
Likewise, it’s a good idea just to have a backup when it comes to your map and if you’re going to bring a paper one just to be on the safe side, you should bring a compass too. We have a whole guide which covers the best hiking compasses and includes eight well priced options which won’t break the bank.
Learning to use a compass and having this in your day pack is a great security measure and can make you feel more confident on your hikes. What’s more, they are usually pretty small and lightweight, so don’t add much to your daypack.
Hiking Poles
Some of the trails, especially up to Fleetwith Pike and some of the trail to Haystacks can be really steep at points. So, a pair of trekking poles can make all the difference to how your knees and hips recover after your hike.
We personally love trekking poles and find they make all the difference the day after. They also provide an extra layer of stability if you need it and can really take the pressure off when going up or downhill.
We think the best trekking poles are foldable as they can pack down into the side of your daypack really easily and this means you can take them out when you need them without any worries of them bashing into anything. Especially great if getting public transport.
Tips on How to Take Great Buttermere Infinity Pool Photos
As photographers, we always have a camera with us on a hike, in fact, it’s one of the reasons we moved to the Lake District in the first place – so we could spend more time taking photographs in the places we love. So, it’s safe to say we’ve photographed the Buttermere Infinity Pool a few times!
However, when you visit, you might actually find that it isn’t all ‘that’ easy to get that shot. If you want to get a shot of you in the pool looking over the edge at the view out over to Buttermere Lake, then you have a few options that we’ve tried and tested.
Shoot from in the Pool
If you have someone with you, then that’s really helpful, especially if they’re happy to get in the pool too. One of the best shots you can get is from in the pool looking straight out at the view. This gives you the option to get a really straight on shot of the pool with the infinity line being obvious.
Shoot from straight behind the subject and go as far back as possible. Though do keep in mind that it’s quite deep (likely won’t be able to stand) where you’ll want to take a photo from. So you will need to expect to swim a bit to take it and keep moving back.
We’d ideally say shoot this on your phone in a waterproof housing just in case you drop it. There isn’t really anywhere to stand, and we certainly wouldn’t suggest you take an SLR camera or mirrorless system into the pool!
Shoot Higher up from the Left Hand Side of the Pool Looking Down Toward Buttermere
We’d say this is personally our favourite option for shooting some really great shots which look down on the pool, down on the person you’re shooting in the pool and also get those big expansive views out in front of you toward Buttermere Lake and Crummock Water.
The best place for this is to walk slightly above the pool to the left of it if you’re looking down toward Crummock Water and Buttermere Lake. (Likewise right if you’re looking toward Haystacks and Fleetwith Pike). We’d also suggest a wide angle for this will give you the best shot, as it’ll capture more of what’s around and look all the more atmospheric!
Conclusion = Is the Buttermere Infinity Pool Worth Visiting?
The Buttermere Infinity Pool has certainly become really popular in recent years and if you go on a hot and sunny weekend, you will certainly not have this spot to yourself! We think that the Infinity Pool is a really great spot to go, and one we’ve visited many times.
If you’re new to the Lake District, or just looking for something different, it’s a great one as the crystal clear, bluey-green colour of the water is mesmerising. It’s such a wonderful experience and if you are lucky to get it all to yourself, you really will feel quite smug with yourself as you look out at Buttermere and Crummock Water in the distance.
However, if you can manage it, and feel like the extra, we would say that what makes the Buttermere Infinity Pool really worth visiting, is if you combine it in with a longer hiking route. We love the Fleetwith and Haystacks route that takes in Warnscale Bothy and the Buttermere Infinity Pool on the way down.
This is just such a fantastic day out and one we always look forward to. The views are stunning at any time of the year and always looks different depending on the seasons. We’re sure you will enjoy it just as much as we do!
FAQ
What is the Buttermere Infinity Pool?
The Buttermere Infinity Pool is a relatively small waterfall pool sat in the mountains above Buttermere Lake in the Buttermere valley. The reason it is called an Infinity Pool is because when you’re in the waterfall pool or swimming hole, the way the rocks are positioned and the water flows over the edge makes it look like there is no end to it. Much the same way you see on pools with the same name in resort hotels, but this one is much better because it’s all natural.
Where is the infinity pool in Buttermere?
The pool is located up the Warnscale Beck from Gatesgarth. This is located just beyond Buttermere Lake. You need to walk up from Gatesgarth Car Park to get to it. Our first walking route earlier on in this article covers everything you need to know about this.
What is the postcode for the Buttermere Infinity Pool?
There is no specific postcode for the Buttermere Infinity Pool, only the postcode for the Gatesgarth Car Park nearby, which is CA13 9XA. An approximate location for the pool on what3words is ///verb.officer.inflating.
How long does it take to walk to Buttermere Infinity Pool?
There are several places you can start the walk to the Buttermere Infinity Pool, from that will affect how long it takes. However, if you start from the Gatesgarth Car Park, which has the most direct access you can expect it to take roughly 40 minutes or so to get there.
Where do you park to visit Buttermere Infinity Pool?
The most direct and quickest access car park to the Buttermere Infinity Pool is the Gatesgarth Car Park (postcode CA13 9XA). There are also a number of other parking locations you can use for the Buttermere Infinity Pool too which give you some good options if the most direct parking is busy or you want a longer walk. These are listed further up in this article, with different walk suggestions.
Is Buttermere Infinity Pool free?
The Buttermere Infinity Pool itself is free to visit. However, you will need to pay for parking or public transport, so this of course needs to be taken into consideration. Parking prices are listed above in our best places to park section, but you should always check these in advance as they can change.
Can you swim in Buttermere?
Yes, you can swim in Buttermere Lake and it’s a really lovely lake to swim in if you’re just getting into outdoor swimming as it never gets really that deep from the North shore. It’s also free from heavy boats, so you can be safe and secure swimming here.
The best places to swim from are from the entrance near Buttermere village (what3words: ///everybody.lions.clashes), around to the right of the lake from Buttermere village (what3words: ///uncouth.yappy.acre) and at Hasness Crag Wood along the Honister Pass near Gatesgarth Car Park (what3words: ///tilt.saves.messaging). This last spot gets deeper much quicker but is still a safe swim.
How much is the car park at the Buttermere Infinity Pool?
The most direct car park to the Infinity Pool is Gatesgarth Car Park at CA13 9XA. This, at present is a cash car park only and is currently £4 for the day. Please check this in advance as it is subject to change. We recommend taking more cash than you need, and having coins available.
How deep is the water in Buttermere Infinity Pool?
The depth of the water in the Buttermere Infinity Pool varies due to the rocks that sit under the surface. Some areas, as you enter the pool are shallow enough to stand up in at about waist to chest height. The more you get into the centre of the pool, you’ll find that it’s pretty much always too deep to stand up and can get a couple of metres deep. This can depend as well on how much it’s been raining! If you plan to jump in, always do a depth check by entering the water first.
What is the best time to visit the Buttermere Infinity Pool?
We think that the Buttermere Infinity Pool can be visited at all times of year, and if you love cold water then you will love this treat all year round. However, if you want to experience it at it’s best, we’d recommend a calm weather day between May – October. Though this can depend completely on the weather in any given year!
Is it safe to swim in the Buttermere Infinity Pool?
It is safe to swim in the Buttermere Infinity Pool, provided you are a confident swimmer and know you have the strength to pull yourself out of the pool over the slippery rocks. This can be a little bit difficult at times, so always swim within your limits. Likewise, if you plan to jump in, make sure you acclimate first and do a depth check to check the conditions when you’re there first.
Is the Buttermere Infinity Pool suitable for children?
This really depends on you and your children and their experience with swimming. We have been to the infinity pool where some kids and their parents have loved it and seemed very experienced. We’ve also visited when some parents and their kids have been quite freaked out by it. From what we’ve seen, if you do want to try with your kids, you likely need to have one adult who can get out first and give your children a hand out of the pool. However, it might be one to miss if you’re not confident.
Can I bring my dog to the Buttermere Infinity Pool?
There is nothing to stop you bringing your dog with you, but we wouldn’t recommend it. We don’t think it’s a great idea to bring your dog into the pool with you – as this could be difficult getting your dog out again. Likewise, on the grassy area surrounding the pool, there is nowhere to keep your dog tied up. If you do want to bring your dog, we’d suggest not going alone and taking it in turns to stay with your dog whilst your hiking buddy goes for a swim in the pool.
