It’s hard to think of a more idyllic way to spend an afternoon than dipping in and out of these shimmering turquoise plunge pools, high on the cliffside overlooking Buttermere Lake and the surrounding fells. It’s a magical spot which feels hidden away from the rest of the world. You can watch all the tiny people heading along the lakeshore below and marvel that you have this even more special spot to yourself.
The pools are tiny, so this is not about swimming, but on a warm sunny day they make for the perfect plunge pool. Oh and did I mention they are infinity pools too?
Here’s how to find them.
Keep them wild
Before we get started, it’s really important that we remember to keep these beautiful spots wild.
Please remember to take all rubbish with you and keep these places wild and pristine - as with anywhere in the outdoors. It’s important to leave them exactly as you found them so they will remain beautiful for generations to come.
Litter tends to breed litter, so if you do spot any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it in the nearest bin, it will go a long way to keeping the area clean.
The walk to the Buttermere infinity plunge pools
The stats
Distance: 0.9 miles (1.5km) each way
Elevation gain: 150m
Difficulty: Easy - moderate
Summary: The walk to the pools does have a bit of a climb, but only the very first section is steep. Once you’re on the cliffside, the path is stony and narrow, with some sections where you are walking on broken slate.
When dry it’s not slippery, but it likely would be when wet. Small sections of the path do run along quite a drop, so you want to go very carefully if the terrain is in any way slippery.
Starting the trail
From the Gatesgarth Car Park (details below), head over the road, and through the gate, taking the trail that runs alongside the creek (opposite the car park and to the right).
It’s a level stony path and you’ll pass through another wooden gate after 300m. Continue on straight, the path is completely flat and the views to the surrounding fells are lovely from the very beginning.
After another 250m you’ll pass through another gate - watch out for the rusty nails sticking out on the lower part of the gate here!
Instead of turning right to head along the lakeshore path, you’ll take the trail heading steeply uphill, alongside the small patch of trees. It’s a mix of gravel track and a few uneven stairs.
After a 200m climb you’ll come to a junction with three paths (left goes to one of our favourite walks in the Lake District, Haystacks). You want to take the path that heads uphill and to the right.
The lower path on the right takes you downhill and back towards the lake.
Along the cliff side
The path is a mix of stones and slate and is very narrow. You’ll have dense bracken on either side and ever more beautiful views of Buttermere Lake.
When dry the path is not slippery, but I think it could be very slick when wet.
The terrain is not difficult, but it’s very uneven underfoot. The first 50m are somewhat steep, but then it slackens off and though still slightly uphill, it almost feels flat.
The rock wall to the left, bracken that is trying to reclaim the path, and jaw dropping views to the right, make this part of the track a joy to walk.
After another 150m the track gets a bit rockier and a touch steeper, but it lasts for less than 200m.
Arriving at the pools
The path does have a couple of short sections where it is very narrow and close to the edge.
The cliff side is covered in bracken which stops it feeling like a vertigo inducing drop, but you want to tread carefully here, especially if the path is wet.
I lost count of the amount of times I stopped to take in the view, the lake looked as still as a millpond and the rugged fells make for a seriously stunning backdrop.
After you’ve been walking for just over 1.3km you’ll come to a rock slab. There are two paths here, take the left path heading uphill. You will arrive at the pools 150m later (1.45km from the car park).
The co-ordinates to aim for are: 54.5243864, -3.2649390 (or you can click here to find it on Google Maps).
The path takes you close to the water itself, but you’ll need to veer off onto the grassy verge when you see the waterfall.
The Buttemere infinity plunge pools
The plunge pools are located along Comb Beck and though they are very small, they’re absolutely stunning. On a sunny day the water shines a brilliant turquoise and the views are second to none.
Although the waterfall extends above and below where the trail will drop you off, the best pools are the two you’ll see straight away.
The track brings you to the biggest one and then there is a tiny one just below and it’s below this one that you’ll see another slightly larger pool.
The waterfall that runs into the pool is impressive and the water is crystal clear.
Both pools require negotiating a few rocks to get into, but are not difficult. The lower pool’s rocks are very slippery though, so edge your way in carefully.
It’s much more shallow than the first one, more for sitting than being fully immersed in, so it’s likely the first one is where you’ll want to spend most of your time.
Even the larger pool isn’t big enough to swim, but it’s deep and good for a bracing dip. Because you can’t swim to warm up, these pools are best on hot days, otherwise the water is going to feel icy cold. Alternatively think of them as ice baths and you won’t be disappointed!
If you’re looking for slightly larger pools, you can check out the nearby Buttermere Infinity Pool, although it’s still not quite big enough for swimming.
The grassy verge that runs alongside the pools is the perfect place to lie out in the sunshine between dips and enjoy those exquisite views.
Heading back
Although there are plenty of longer walks you can do from here, including one which takes in the incredible Scale Force waterfall if you only want to visit the plunge pools you would just retrace your steps back to the car park.
It’s all downhill or flat and when dry the descent is easy.
Keep them wild
Please remember to take all rubbish with you and keep these places wild and pristine - as with anywhere in the outdoors. It’s important to leave them exactly as you found them so they will remain beautiful for generations to come.
Litter tends to breed litter, so if you do spot any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the park, it will go a long way to keeping the area clean.
Getting to the trailhead
By car and parking details
The closest car park to the trailhead is Gatesgarth Farm, postcode CA13 9XA. There’s a flat rate of £4 to park for 24 hours. You could try and park near Buttermere village for free, but you have to walk further and it’s hard to get a spot on weekends and during the school holidays.
There are no facilities at the car park, and that includes toilets.
Buttermere is a 30 minute drive from Keswick, 30 minutes from Cockermouth and 1 hour from Ambleside.
By public transport
The best way to get to the trailhead at Gatesgarth by bus is to hop on the Borrowdale Bus (77A) from Keswick. This departs every 30 minutes from the bus stop by Booths and takes approximately 45 minutes.
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