Having traveled the world filming cars for over 20 years, there's only one place Richard Hammond truly calls home. In this video, he takes us on a tour around Buttermere, his favourite place on the planet. MB01KZBS4PXRHVF
This is why Hammond has always been my favorite presenter. He blends the poetry of May with the excitability of Clarkson. He's very balanced for speaking well about the outdoors.
He's not my favorite, but I get what you mean. When the only difference between the trio's cars was a nebulous "feeling," Hammond usually has been in the right place. Muscle car enthusiasts (I am one) get this. A muscle car can be beaten in any category by cars that are better by the numbers, but we know that numbers aren't everything, and there's something special about classic muscle.
He is also, perhaps, actually the funniest of the three. I saw Clarkson once, when asked about the other two, his first word re: Hammond was "funny". That made me pay attention. And sure enough, during the shows, Hammond has been the one who says a small quip/statement/reaction that makes the others laugh the most frequently.
Right next to the road sign he stood at the start of this video, I parked my car about this time last year. I had just lost my childhood dog, a 12-year old golden retriever named Bailey. This was the first walk I went on, about 2 weeks after his passing and I had his collar attached to my rucksack. I was alone and walking to clear my head and almost take Bailey on “one more adventure”. Likewise, this place will always have a special place in my heart and was amazing to see someone like Hammond speak so fondly of it too.
I'm sorry to hear about the passing of your golden. I too lost my golden, also named Bailey, a few years ago. She was a real lady and never left my side. Funny how they worm their way so deep in your heart. The family pushed hard to get another dog after a couple of years, but I pushed back. Now we have Molly, another "white" golden. Molly is a tomboy, a perpetual puppy, and is never far from my side. I didn't think I could love another dog as much again.
I've actually watched this video 3 times now because I find it so incredibly moving. Richard's honest and genuine love for Buttermere echoes how I feel for the Lakes. My dream is to have a little house somewhere near Coniston but for the moment - visits during the school holidays will have to suffice. Thanks to Richard for making me realise that I'm not the only bloke in the world who has a bizarre love with the hills, fells, villages, fields and lakes of the Lake District.
It rings very true to me. My mum grew up half an hour from here and we went to visit her side of the family all through my youth and it’s forever remained my favourite place in earth. This particular valley my favourite of all too.
@@cosmofoxgaming1268 I'm a big fan of Hawkeshead too but i park up for free in my campervan at the high school in Consiton..no such luck to be had in Hawkeshead!
Story telling is a lost art but these guys (Richard, James, and Jeremy) still have it. Delicate balance of humor, fun, and poetry. None overdone. Look forward to more!
More generally, it's a great piece of film making. Great videography, well presented, well written/told, all the feels. Just a superb bit of work from a very talented and creative team. If you'd asked me "Would you like to see a video about Hammond's favourite place?" I'd have said "Probably not, doesn't sound very interesting", but it was, very.
It's easy to fall in love with the beach and palm trees but it takes a special kind of romantic to be enchanted by a rugged landscape, mists rolling through the meadows at dawn, little rivers making their way through fields of moss overgrown boulders. I totally understand Hammond and how his heart leaps up while spending time in this kinda place. It's magical. 😍
I'm the quite opposite: a tropical beach is the last place in the world (besides the jungle or the desert) I'd ever want to find myself in, let alone love. Cool/cold, rugged mountain environments are what I love most.
What a wonderful insight into a person’s love and connection to a single place. Mine? Southwold in Suffolk, and specifically the river with its boats and ramshackle huts. The calm atmosphere of people fiddling with boats, and the sense of adventure of sailing out the difficult channel to the sea. The east anglian skies. Love it.
I'm Czech with Spanish husband, living 17 years in Edinburgh, Scotland. We traveled the world, over 50 countries, and Lake District is one of our favorite places on Earth. I call it fairytale, it stole our hearts and we try to camp there every year. We were few times in Glenridding campsite, but lately was always full, so thanks to that we discovered more places, including wild camping and just realized that this August we were in Syke campsite ❤️. That area is all so magical 🥰. Next time to Buttermere 😍
What I found really moving was the friendship he formed with an ordinary young guy which has lasted through his life. No matter how rich or famous, his friendship has lasted his whole life and he still goes back to this spot when he could go anywhere in the world. He comes across as a genuine ordinary person who is not swayed by fame
Richard has always had that "every day guy" feel about him, and is the reason many of us can relate to him. I can't count how many times I've said "I'd love to grab a pint (or 4) with him"
I think I'd watch an entire series of this... Hammond in a travel show which looks at the not very "touristy" bits of all sorts of places he's been. I'm sure there are some where he'd be very authoritative on why you shouldn't go to or indeed be anywhere near. And every episode would be as captivating as this one. Thank you.
> not very "touristy" bits Umm, this is one of the most touristy bits of the UK that there is. If you go there in summer the place is absolutely overrun with holidaymakers & tourists. NB. Avoid the place like the plague during school holidays.
That was very powerful Richard and it brought tears to my eyes. I don't think many people in the wider world knew how close we came to loosing you when you were walking to your tree in your mind. We knew from the news reports that you were very severely injured, but not that you were at deaths door. I and many others are very glad you came round after Mindy shouted and no doubt swore like a trooper at you, you tend to cause that reaction sometimes lol. And we are glad that you went from strength to strength, in your career, and now with the Smallest Cog go on to be a leading car restorer along with the fantastic father and son you teamed up with.
Richard Hammond is my age. I understand what he is feeling. LIfe seems to change when the 5th decade of it rolls around. It's a blessing to have had this much and a curse to know the days ahead are shorter than those behind. We love you Richard Hammond. You have brought joy to the world through your love of cars and travel. Onward.
The ranch I grew up on is in northern Tom Green County TX. It sits in the hills that make the divide between the Concho and the Colorado rivers. I’m an avid Indian artifact hunter/enthusiast, and that ranch is covered in artifacts that are sometimes as old as 10,000 bp (before present). Many cairns (burials) there too. There are many natural springs that come out of the hillsides when it rains enough. This is why it was such a special place for five millennia to the ancient Texans and myself.
I feel exactly the same, my ranch is about 30 miles south of the border into Mexico from Laredo, Tx. As soon as you arrive it feels rich in history. i have also recovered around 500 arrow heads and cave paintings are nearby. But it is the only place in the world where i can go for 10 days or 10 hours and be completely reset. I remember no matter what I’m going through that it will all be alright and i feel my heart qnd my brain heal.
Can we do more about Buttermere? More of Richard just... being. It's so pure and right. And I love how he points with the cane when he talks. It just seems so right.
Im from Salt Lake City, Utah. When I was 10 years old I spent the summer in Volmerz, Germany. The fields and cobblestone roads, the mountains, the churches, cafes made me never want to leave. Unfortunately I'm 49 now and have never been back. I still dream of that place. I pray someday I will return. The Lake District reminds me of my time in Volmerz and it makes my heart ache. Thank you ever so much Richard for sharing your special place. Cheers 🍻
I´m from Germany, but lucky me, I got a Yorkshire girl. She showed me that wonderful place on Earth and there`s no better place to be. I totally agree with Richard and I will explore more of the Lake District in 24 with my motorbike. Looking forward to it
I don't usually comment on channels owned by famous people. It's usually like shouting down a well. But, this journey with Richard Hammond, really touched something deep inside me. Charming, emotional, Hammond's sense of humor, all combined with the wonderful footage of this gorgeous place and really spoke to me. Thank you Richard Hammond for sharing something so deeply personal, simple and honest.
I love the Lake District too , and holiday there every couple of years , bit strange as I stay in the Highlands and most people want a change of scenery on holiday. I find the towns and villages and people very friendly, that’s enough for me.
Because of this my girlfriend and I visited Buttermere last week and it’s as brilliant and beautiful as Richard describes. We fell in love with it too and his words do it justice.
My wife and I couldn't believe it when this popped up. This also out favourite place in the Lakes. We've stayed at that campsite loads of time, pitching our tent on the flat spot in front of Hammond's special pitch. Walking round the lake we came up with the plan that allowed us to buy our own home and set off on a whole host of adventures. It's a magical spot and it's been too long since we went there. Time for a trip.
This really touched my heart. I can feel your passion. I was born in the Lake District in the 60's in a convent to a young, Irish mum. This place is my sanctuary and the only place in the world, I feel home. I could watch this all day. Thank you
The Lake District is just so beautiful. Hard to explain until you've been there. It's magical. It enchants you. It's beautiful and intimate in a way few places are.
As a Yank who's been fond of the UK, but never lucky enough to visit, the Lake District is breathtaking and one of the places I very much want to see myself. About the closest we have here in the US is Lake Champlain between upper Vermont and New York and the Canadian border. Some of the most beautiful landscape you'll find, matched with small Colonial-era towns that have kept a lot of their heritage and luster. Been there many times and get a lot of the same feelings Hammond has on every trip.
You owe it to yourself to visit the Lake District Devin. It can get busy in all the major towns though, as they are very commercialised now. But if you get off the beaten track like Richard Hammond did here here, you'll see a side of the Lakes the almost 20 million visitors who come here each year, don't see. Go on, promise yourself you'll do it. Life is full of "if only's"
For some reason I almost cried when he spoke about meeting his best mate! Such a beautiful touching moment! I’m so happy they are still friends after all these years!
Stumbled upon this video and this channel and it's like a breath of fresh air. Just someone talking passionately about somewhere that's important to them. It's not indulgent, it's genuinely heartwarming and a very enjoyable watch. I hope there's more content like this to follow/content that I haven't yet seen from this channel.
Know how he feels, the lakes are incredible. The closer to the centre of the lakes you get the more incredible it gets. Though the Highlands of Scotland hold that special place for me.
As someone who lives in the Lake District, but has visited the Scottish Highlands many times, the greatest difference for me, was the awesome ruggedness of the scenery. It really does take your breath away, along with the sheer remoteness.
I always have the Beatles song ‘four seasons in one day’ running through my head whenever I walk through the lakes. The only place I’ve had to take my jacket off became it was so warm only to have to put it back on an hour later to keep the sleet off!! Breathtaking.
You know you have lived when you can look back and tell stories, to friends and strangers, of friends and strangers. Everyone needs those stories. Love it.
From watching you on Top Gear to watching you show us your favourite place in your heart is truly amazing. I cannot express this in words how touching, sincere and a joy it was to watch.
The Lakes are as incredible a place as there is…. next to Yorkshire, that is. 😉 On a more serious note, these grounding early life experiences do tend to form our view of just about everything - especially for those of us who have them early into life. Richard’s life lessons are always entertaining and enjoyable. Greatly appreciated.
@@waynedl99 by name but technically a lake is a body of water in a basin surrounded by land and not connected to an ocean. So although not actually lakes they are tech ideally lakes. Hence why its the 'Lake District' Much better than Yorkshire though.
I have a place like this. Sadly I haven't been able to go there for years. It's place in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina called Pensacola. It's a valley with a river that runs through the middle. The flatness of the valley in contrast to the mountains that surround it is awe inspiring.
Richard, you’re a storyteller par excellence. The warmth and genuineness of everything you do shines through and warms the soul of this crusty 54-yo Aussie. Thank you for creating this. It brought a tear to my eye.
Can't believe I've not seen this until just now - surprises me to say how I find this so incredibly moving!! You are so naturally sincere, thank you so much for sharing this, I could watch this all day
What a beautiful piece of cinematography, incredible visuals, heartfelt narration coming from a place of self. And all done with lots of emotion and meaning. Utterly incredible
Fantastic, Richard! My wife and I toured 1,600 miles around England and Scotland in 2019, and the Lake District was our absolute favorite part. It reminded me a bit of my home town/region in America in some ways, rugged and rural, but dotted with picturesque lakes and rivers everywhere (and of course, with that old English charm). We stayed in Kendal and journeyed all around that area, but sadly, didn't find Buttermere. Guess we'll have to go back!
@@stephenlooker607, Kendal was lovely! We stayed there a few days, right near Castle Street and the Kendal Castle. I can't think of the precise address, but it was easy walking distance over the river and into the center of Kendal, with all the shops, restaurants, etc. I'd go back there in a heartbeat!
You missed the best part of Britain, which is Wales. I know as I've been all over the UK and Wales is best. You don't get the amazing coastline and beaches in the Lake District you get in Wales. Also it is greener and more beautiful in Wales too.
Something I love is that this is Richard's "special place". And every one of us can probably remember a similar place. A place with so many memories you could sit and reminisce for hours.
Thank you Richard. As someone who grew up in the lakes, but now lives on the other side of the world, any coverage of the Lake District, like this video, truly warms my heart. Keep up the story telling and the videos and, like others here, I hope you feel moved to do similar videos on other parts of beautiful Britain. Love your work brother
This is the best video you've ever made Richard, wistful, sentimental, beautiful, poignant, brilliant! I think that's one of the things that happens to all of us past 50, we start to want to reconnect with the people and places that formed us and savour them all over again. I spent my youth climbing the Lakeland fells - happy days indeed...
When Richard said about being Earthed, I totally get what he means. I have my own special place that I spent every holiday as a child and brought my kids here and now they are bringing my Grandchildren there. I'm 50 now and I still have the same feeling, everytime I go there. Grandparents took my dad there, and I'm so pleased that my special place has been a special place for 5 generations of my family. The place is West Wittering and especially the coastal walk from East Head to Ichenor Harbour. My dog loved it when he was alive. Thank you again Richard for such a touching video.
I've never felt so connected to Mr Hammond. As a nature lover (and environmental science student), it's wonderful to see such a prominent, unrelated-to-nature figure speak so fondly of our natural world here in England.
I’ve seen many hours of your videos, Richard…but this one is by far the best. It’s so heartwarming and genuine and makes me miss the UK. I lived there for four years while on active service and loved every second of it. I still have mates there and my wife and I talk of visiting often. This makes me want to move back and live out my days in the English countryside. Who knows, maybe when I retire we may just do that. See you around the pub one day…
The Hope Valley in the Peak District captured my heart the second I popped out of the tunnel at Grindleford and travelled through it to get to Hope. From that second I decided it was where I wanted to retire to and be buried when I die. Its the place I told my wife I loved her for the first time, up on Winn Hill, we have walked or ridden every trail along the valley several times. If there was ever a place that can make you fall deeply for it that it makes you feel like you are dancing on the doorstep to Heaven itself, its the Great Ridge of the Hope Valley. Even the allure of Cumbria hasn't managed to sway my eye and take it as a mistress. But Cumbria is stunning and I can see why Richard has fallen for her!
I am absolutely with you on this Richard Hammond. The Lake District is simply stunning. We’ve camped at sea tollerfarm and rented a cottage in High Lorton. Walking around Buttermere with our dogs was a wonderful experience. Wading out to the big rock near the “beach” to entice the dogs for a swim… what a place. We too have friends in the lakes, and we can’t visit them without at least riding along the edge of Buttermere. I don’t like the lakes in the summer though. Not because it’s busy etc but I think it looks it’s best on grey autumn/ winters days. It just doesn’t suit sunshine.
I've been recovering from an accident that's left me bed-bound for over a year and a half to date. The thought of once again setting foot around Buttermere, and the Lakes in general, under my own steam is my motivation to endure the pain of recovery. From my first visit to the lake district, I found a place where I can reset my body and mind, where I feel I'm a part of the landscape and at total peace. I yearn to return, Grasmere Gingerbread in hand, walking though that majestic scenery!!
Somewhere sunny and warm isn't really for everyone. We are, of course, all individuals and some of us just want to be somewhere that is of spectacular natural beauty or maybe has deep meaningful memories. The one thing I would definitely say about a place like Buttermere is that there's a purity to be had. And obviously you can bring along man's best friend (the dog).
Just beautiful, Richard. I think I can call you Richard because it is how you make me feel, as a buddy with whom you've never met, but someone who will be there in the local pub waiting for you to share a pint with. Thanks for the wonderful work. It simply can't be any better👏👏👏 My favourite place. Well in Fiesole(Italy) in the Roman amphitheatre. I had just found that there was a local street named after my family, which already linked me to the town. I then walked to the amphitheatre, it was a beautiful morning of May and while in there, that feeling of belonging took over. I saw myself alone with the spirits of my ancestors coming to greet me. I then laid face down on the warm grass and cried tears of joy, completely overwhelmed with emotion. And your video got me back to that happy place and time. Thanks again
Who needs sunny and warm, when we have places like this in our country.. I’ve only had the pleasure of visiting the lakes a couple of times, but those moments spent in this peaceful and picturesque part of the world have stuck with me. I will return as I want my young daughters to experience the beauty this place holds and to share and enjoy the memories that I hold dear. Great stuff Mr Hammond.
Definitely a splendid, pure, peaceful and pristine location. The scenery is simply amazing and awe inspiring! A location to remember for a lifetime. Thank you Richard Hammond for sharing! 🙂👍
Very nice story, and video, Richard! I loved it, and if I should ever get over to the UK - Buttermere is now at the top of the list for a visit. My happy place here in the states is Hatteras Island, and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I like it all, but much prefer south on Hatteras or Ocracoke Island. Thank you for sharing with us, Richard!
My wife is American and I moved over LA to live with her. I took her home (the Wirral) last Christmas and we went up to the lakes for a long weekend. She instantly fell in love with the place. It really is one of the most beautiful places on earth!
I never comment on videos (I can’t remember the last time I did) but this video really touched me. It really is nice to see such passion for a place and the memories that came flowing back with it. Really love it and would love to see more of the Lake District and Hammond speaking about it even more!
This is exactly why we moved back to Cumbria 10 years ago, after a 54 year absence. There is an indescribable 'wildness' about this place which just hits you with wonderment. We're lucky enough to live between the Lakeland fells, the Howgills and the Yorkshire Dales and TBH you just can't beat it.
Beautifully filmed and wonderfully presented, perfect viewing. Loved the point that the peaks are conquerable, living in the Highlands that made absolute sense, and reinforced what a special place the Lake District is.
Such an emotional video from Hammond. Amazing to see him in his element here, must be lovely to come back to such a nostalgic place and re-live his past experiences.
Memories are what helps define us and can be passed on to others through stories , it was such a cool experience to be able to share and reminisce in Hammonds memories! Thank you so much for all the amazing shows and all the entertainment you have brought us! Hopefully more to come!
Great to hear someone else put into words the way the lakes makes them feel and for it to match the feelings it has endowed on me since my late teens. If you read these comments Richard, spot on.
Thank you, Mr. Hammond, for sharing this wonderful part of your life with us. Thanks to your team as well, for transforming your story into it an invigorating and inspiring tale; the magic you do with anecdotes and cars, they do it with cameras and editing. So simply, thank you to DriveTribe for showing us this wonderful part of the UK. Being Colombian 🇨🇴, I’m especially fond of the capital city, Bogota. Despite its size and chaos, it’s the place that saw me leave as a kid, and come back to become an adult, a grown man with hopes and dreams to achieve. However, there is one particular city that always makes me feel at home, and that’s Medellin. Every time my family and I go to visit my grandmother there, and go down from the airport in the mountains and gaze upon the vast city in that valley… that moment always brings a smile to my face. I close my eyes, breath in and say with reassurance: “I’m home 🏠 🥹”
