For about three weeks every year, the slopes of Rannerdale turn blue. This short, steep loop above Crummock Water is our favorite walk in the Lakes in May, and one of the easiest to reach.
Why the valley turns blue
Bluebells usually grow in woods, flowering before the trees above them come into leaf. At Rannerdale they cover open fellside, which is rare. The usual explanation is that a wood grew here once, and the bluebells stayed after the trees were cut down.
Local legend has a better story: that the valley saw a battle between Norman soldiers and the local people, and the flowers grow where the fallen lay. Nobody has proved it, and nobody in the valley minds.
Whichever you believe, the flowers are fragile. Stay on the paths and never pick them: a trampled bluebell can take years to recover.
When to go
The bluebells usually peak in the first two weeks of May, a little later after a cold spring. From mid-April we post a short update with a photo from the valley every Monday.
Go early in the day, or on a weekday if you can. By late morning on a sunny Saturday the valley is busy, and the narrow path through the flowers becomes a line. An evening walk is just as good: the low light comes across the fellside and turns the whole slope violet.
The route
- Start from the small parking area on the shore of Crummock Water, below the valley mouth. It fills by half past nine on May weekends, so come early or take the bus to Buttermere.
- Follow the beck east on a clear path into Rannerdale. Within ten minutes you are among the bluebells.
- At the head of the valley, turn left at the low pass and climb the short, steep path to the top of Rannerdale Knotts. Allow twenty minutes; it is rocky near the summit.
- From the top you can see Crummock Water, Buttermere and the fells around them. Follow the ridge north-west and drop back down to the road and the start.
What to bring
Wear boots, or trail shoes with a good grip, and pack a waterproof even on a bright morning. There are no restrooms or cafés on the route; the nearest are in Buttermere village, about a mile south.
Dogs are welcome on a lead. In May there are often ewes with young lambs on the fellside, so keep dogs close.