Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
guided tour introduces visitors to the former drinking room downstairs and the study
and compact bedrooms upstairs. After the tour, spend time in the garden where he
composed “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud.”
In the Wordsworth Museum behind the
cottage, you can see manuscripts, paintings, and memorabilia, and maybe catch a
special exhibition exploring the art and literature of English Romanticism.
On the A591, south of the village of Grasmere on the road to Kendal.
&
01539/435544.
www.
wordsworth.org.uk. Admission to Dove Cottage and the adjoining museum £7.50 adults, £4.50 children
5-16, £17 family ticket. Daily 9:30am-5:30pm. Closed Dec 24-26 and mid-Jan-early Feb.
Rydal Mount
HISTORIC HOME Delve into the world of William Word-
sworth at this Lakeland house, where he lived from 1813 until his death in 1850.
Many of the poet's belongings remain here, including his library and cutlass chair (a
type of chair designed for men wearing swords), as well as his beloved daughter
Dora's bedroom. Don't miss the attic study, which he added onto the original 16th-
century farmer's lake cottage. A descendant of Wordsworth now owns the property,
which also has a spectacular 1.8-hectare (4
1
⁄
2
-acre) garden, landscaped by Word-
sworth. Walk among the rare trees and clamber up the terrace steps to the “summer
house,” where he would sit in contemplation while taking in views of Rydal Water.
Off the A591, 1
1
⁄
2
miles north of Ambleside.
&
01539/433002.
www.rydalmount.co.uk. Admission to
house and gardens £6.50 adults, £5.50 seniors and students, £3 children 5-15, £16 family ticket, free for
children 4 and under. Mar-Oct daily 9:30am-5pm; Nov-Dec and Feb Wed-Sun 11am-4pm; closed Jan.
Wordsworth Graves & St. Oswald's Church
CHURCH William Wordsworth
died in the spring of 1850 and was buried in St. Oswald's Church graveyard. You can
walk here from Dove Cottage, stopping in to see the resting place of the poet, his
wife, Mary, and daughter, Dora, along with other family members. Take a peek in the
church, where there's a memorial to Wordsworth in the 13th-century nave. Named
after a 7th-century Christian king, the church comes to life during the Rushbearing
Festival in July; a procession of parishioners re-enact an age-old custom of strewing
rushes and flowers on what was once an earthen floor. Look out for the
Grasmere
Gingerbread Shop
(
&
01539/435428;
www.grasmeregingerbread.co.uk) by the
church gate, famous for its fresh cookies.
Church Stile, Grasmere. Free admission. Daily 9am-5pm.
Where to Eat & Stay
VERY EXPENSIVE
Moss Grove Organic Hotel
This hotel in the heart of Grasmere focuses
on organic produce (local when possible), sustainability, and being as environmentally
friendly as possible. These days, this doesn't mean “living it rough.” Instead you'll find
spacious, individually furnished guest rooms, some with beds made from reclaimed
wood, and fashionable wallpaper combined with neutral tones. All rooms provide a
relaxing space to get away from it all. You can even arrange for organic chocolates and
wine to be placed in your room.
Grasmere, Cumbria LA22 9RQ. www.mossgrove.com.
&
01539/435619.
11 units. £129-£265 double.
£209-£325 suite. Rates include English breakfast. 2-night minimum stay at weekends. Dogs allowed in
ground-floor superior room and suite for extra £20 per night. MC, V. Free parking.
In room:
TV, hair
dryer; underfloor heating (executive rooms), spa bath, Wi-Fi (free).
Wordsworth Hotel & Spa
Set next to the churchyard where Wordsworth
is buried, this stone Lakeland house was once the Earl of Cadogan's hunting lodge.
Today its refurbished bedrooms are luxurious, combining classical style with modern
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