We have visitors from Switzerland . . . Jill is from the States and Alex from the UK but they are currently living in Lausanne

They've not been to The Lakes very often before and would like a morning or afternoon walk to enjoy the area with their new 3 month old son (no summits then !).

Over supper at The Kirkstile we decide that the weather would be perfect for a stroll around Buttermere the following day.

Loes and Jill, with young Constantine, on his first trip abroad.

The Kirkstile even offers a photography service to capture a photo of everyone . . . Constantine holds a Loweswater Gold beer mat to mark the occasion.

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Wednesday dawned bright and sunny, perfect weather for a Buttermere walk.

It's reasonably quiet and we found a space at the Trust car park on the outskirts of Buttermere village, then walked down towards The Bridge Hotel.

The first of several group photos, this one outside the Bridge, looking across to The Fish, sorry the Buttermere Court Hotel !

The visibility today is superb and the fells are looking their best.

The recent dry weather and limited rain has not really increased the water in Sour Milk Gill either.

First stop was at the old boat landing at the side of the lake.

Dougal prefers a dip rather than feature centrally in the group photo.

Alex's mum is Loes's best friend in Yorkshire and Loes spent many hours looking after Alex and his brother and sister when young, so he is like a grandson to her.

Time to head off around the lake . . . anti-clockwise today.

That's Fleetwith Pike at the far end of the lake, seen below the canopy of summer leaves that now colours the valley.

Walking through the first part of Burtness Woods.

A great place to sit and enjoy the view of Grasmoor, Whiteless Pike and the north western fells.

Across the way is High Snokrigg and Robinson Fell, seen above the Hassness Woods.

A forestry tractor reminds us that this is still a managed woodland environment.

Recent Larch disease has had meant that many trees have had to be cut down and cleared. The tractor would return later with a full load.

Spot the difference . . .

Constantine has woken up and wanted to see the view, so now he's facing forward.

He's quickly learnt the art of looking at the camera !

Across the lake is Hassness House, a Holiday Fellowship Adventure Centre, pictured across the lake with the dramatic Goat Crags behind.

Closer to the top of the lake now and the view of Gatesgarth and Fleetwith Pike catch the eye.

Dale Head forms the backdrop to the Gatesgarthdale Valley, which leads up to Honister Pass.

The yellow on the grass in the foreground is dried out vegetation that floated in on the high waters of winter.

Midweek and its quiet at Gatesgarth Farm . . . no crowds today.

I'd repeat this same walk the following Saturday with other friends. There was a '10 in 10' mountain walk with a checkpoint in Buttermere Village where

they had numerous fell walkers taking part, plus a sponsored walk starting here, organised by 'Max out in the Lakes' with 200 participants . . . it was a lot more crowded !

Add to that the fine Saturday weather forecast and the place was absolutely full of bustling crowds, noises and colour.

The Gatesgarth Farm House, across the stream from the earlier farm buildings.

This section does involve a little road walking away from the lake,

but it'll not be long till the path returns to walk beside the blue water once again.

The dark one year old Herdwick sheep are sheltering under the pines, to stay out of the hot midday sun.

The damaged ash tree on the beach is sporting a good covering of leaves this year.

This old trunk has a holly bush growing out of its roots . . .

a foreground for the photo, as I look across at the Buttermere Pines and the distinctive, craggy outline of Haystacks on the far side.

As we leave the road we look back at Fleetwith and Haystacks.

A young voice implies that it's been a long time since breakfast . . . so we leave the track at this point

and head up to the Sanderson slate seat up on the top of the flower covered bank.

A quick feed was all that was required.

. . . and what a nice view to look at while we are stopped.

Another, more distant view of The Buttermere Pines . . . one can never have too many of these trees (or can you ?).

A photo to keep a 'log' of the walk.

The northern side of the lake is characterised by the steep wooded crags that drop directly into the lake.

In the olden days the path used to have to climb up and over this section . . . but an alternative tunnel was constructed in the 1930's.

[ My understanding is that this provided paid work for Honister Miners during the lean years of the depression.]

We emerge at the other end into equally beautiful sunshine.

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That all sounds perfectly logical but on the following Saturday, when the weather was not quite so good, there was a forecast for possible of thundery squalls.

We entered the tunnel in bright sunshine and exited into pouring rain just 80 yards later, as a hidden rain shower raced down the valley to surprise us

Most surreal and something that has never happened to me before !

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On past Hassness meadows . . . through the strangely named Pike Rigg Woods.

Climbing the steps around the rock bluff.

The higher path brought us out at Sykes Farm Cafe.

It was now lunch time and although Constantine's tummy was full, ours were not, so the walk ended with an excellent lunch 'al-fresco' at the Buttermere Café.