Wordsworth Country
The village of Rydal, two miles north of Ambleside is famous for being the home of the poet William Wordsworth (1770–1850). He is most famous for his lyrical ballad The Prelude, as well as the poem I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, inspired when Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy came across an abundance of daffodils while wandering in Gowbarrow Park, Ullswater. He was also Poet Laureate from 1843 until his death.
The house he lived in for 37 years, Rydal Mount, is open to the public, and stands at the top of the little road leading up through the village of Rydal. The house is well-preserved, and filled with many mementos of the poet. There is also a substantial garden around the house with lovely views of the surrounding hills.
Below the house is Dora’s Field; this strip of woodland was owned by Wordsworth and named after his daughter; it is an excellent place to see daffodils in the spring. Dora’s Field is now owned by the National Trust, and can be accessed by walking through the grounds of Rydal Church. The church dates to the 1820s with Wordsworth helping to choose the site.
Like Rydal, Grasmere is famous for its connections with William Wordsworth. He lived at Dove Cottage for just eight years (from 1799 to 1808), quite a short period of a long life, but it was here that he wrote much of his famous poetry, including I wandered lonely as a cloud. Dove Cottage stands at the south end of the valley, and is also an excellent example of cottage architecture from the 18th Century. Behind the cottage Wordsworth had a steep, little garden, a ‘… little nook of mountain-ground..’; it was a spot he dearly loved, declaring it to be ‘… the loveliest spot that man hath ever found…’. Nearby, the excellent Wordsworth Museum houses almost all of his manuscripts and tells the story of his remarkable life and times.
Wordsworth has connections to other places in the Lake District. Wordsworth House in Cockermouth, was the birthplace of William Wordsworth in 1770, and is now owned by the National Trust and open to the public.
Wordsworth attended Grammar School at Hawkshead from 1778 to 1787. Perhaps more than anywhere else, it was during his time at Hawkshead that he discovered his love of nature, often walking around Esthwaite Water before school started. The school building can be found tucked in below the church; the building is well-preserved and is open to visitors.
Just north of Rydal is the lake and village of Grasmere. Grasmere is also one of the smaller lakes, and like Rydal is famous for its connections with the poet William Wordsworth. He lived at Dove Cottage from 1799 to 1808.
Grasmere
The village of Grasmere is at the north end of the lake, and is a bustling little centre, with shops, cafes, hotels and guesthouses. Standing at the south end of the village is St. Oswald’s Church; this imposing building dates back to the 13th Century, and once served the neighbouring valley of Rydal, as well as all of the Langdale valley across the hills to the west. At the northern entrance to the churchyard is a tiny shop which sells one Lakeland’s tastiest treats: Grasmere Gingerbread. The recipe is a closely-guarded secret, and the gingerbread is made on-site; on baking days the aroma outside is wonderful (and irresistible).
Being close to the centre of the National Park, Grasmere is one of the best starting-points for walking, and with hills on all sides of the valley, there is plenty of choice. Perhaps the hill with the most striking outlines is the pyramid-shaped Helm Crag (405m) which stands to the north of the village. The pyramid shape is something of an illusion as Helm Crag is really just the end of a steep-sided ridge, but its rocky summit does not disappoint; the distinctive rocks at the south end of Helm Crag’s summit are known as The Lion and The Lamb.
One of the most popular walks from Grasmere leads up into the hills north-west of the village to the mountain lake of Easedale Tarn. On the way to the tarn, the path passes by the attractive waterfalls of Sourmilk Gill, which are particularly impressive after a spell of heavy rain. Above the waterfalls the path takes a left-hand turn up to the tarn, which although just two miles from the village, has a real sense of wilderness. This walk has been popular since Victorian times, so much so that there was once even a refreshments hut here.
One of the easiest paths for novice hill-walkers is on the eastern side of the valley, where an old cart-track zig-zags up to Alcock Tarn. The tarn stands at the height of about 360m, and is actually a small reservoir, but the views over Grasmere are stunning.
