More than just lakes and mountains!
There is more than just Lakes and Mountains! Something I quoted in my introduction to my blog. I haven’t really justified that statement. But then may be ‘just Lakes and Mountains’ is ok.
Then suddenly I have had to have a culture catch up. Prompted by a rerun of Melvin Bragg on ‘In Our Time’, Wordsworth became the pivotal point of a walk. Now that my son is going to study in the US for three years there is a bit of a rush on to catch up on ‘stuff’ he won’t find over there.
Two of Wordsworth’s homes, Rydal Mount and Dove Cottage, are conveniently linked by The Coffin Trail, from Ambleside to Grasmere. Used originally to carry coffins along to church, it is a popular and easy route.
The circle is completed by walking under Loughrigg on the shore of Rydal. It is an easy walk and you can alter the length according to how energetic you feel or how much time you have. Park at White Moss on the edge of Rydal.
The shortest route, which we took this time, is to immediately cross to the far side of Rydal Water, walk south until the southern end of the lake.
At this point cross the road and visit Rydal Mount. The first house of Wordsworth, complete with garden views of the lake, tea room and spring flowers. Can you identify this one?
If you have plenty of time visit Rydal Hall gardens and the pretty Rydal Church too.
Admire the lake views walking north to Dove Cottage on the edge of Grasmere. Dove Cottage is small but the staff there give interesting anecdotal information to life in Wordsworth’s time. Well worth waiting for a tour, which you can catch every half hour.
Plenty of descriptions of the route can be found on the web, but one is here. Length varies depending on whether you decided to take in the villages of Grasmere and or Ambleside, how many houses you take in, how many teas you drink and photos you take. The list of variables is endless.
The third Wordsworth house is in Cockermouth and now owned by the National Trust. Would take a little longer to walk there.
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Hello I am the Curator of Rydal Mount and Google alert has notified me of your article about your visit to the Lake District and I would like to thank you for your positive mention of Wordsworth home.
May I also point out that this was his last home from 1813 to his death in 1850. Also really enjoyed your images.
Best Regards
Peter Elkington
Curator
Rydal Mount & Gardens.
Thank you Peter. Especially for clarifying that it was Wordsworth’s last house. In my description I simply meant that it was the first one you would arrive at on the walk.
Alvina