Grasmere and Area

"The loveliest spot that man hath ever found" - William Wordsworth

Grasmere is a charming village right in the heart of the Lake District National Park in Cumbria, England. Within easy reach are the honeypot towns of Ambleside, Keswick, Hawkshead, Coniston, Bowness and Windermere.

Grasmere lake (see photograph) lies to the south of the village, around which there are some gentle walks for those that prefer the lower ground. For those that prefer a greater challenge, in Grasmere you're centrally situated for taking on the craggy peaks of the Scafell Pikes, Helvellyn, Skiddaw and the Langdale Pikes.

Grasmere was once the home of the famous poet William Wordsworth; today you can visit two of his former homes - Dove Cottage and Rydal Mount. Also in the centre of Grasmere is St. Oswalds Church, the churchyard of which contains the Wordsworth family graves.

Grasmere is probably the Cumbria's most popular village, thanks to William Wordsworth (1770-1850). Most of the buildings date from the 19th or early 20th Century, though the farms around Grasmere are much older. The Church dates from the 13th Century.

William and his sister Dorothy moved into Dove Cottage, in 1799 and they stayed here until 1808 as the cottage had became inadequate. They moved to Allan Bank, a large house that William had condemned as an eyesore when it was being built. They lived here for two years, with poet and friend Coleridge. They then moved to the Old Rectory, opposite St Oswald's Church, a cold and damp house where his two youngest children died. In 1813 they moved to Rydal Mount.

In 1850 William died while out walking. He and his wife Mary, who died 9 years later, have a simple tombstone in the churchyard of St Oswald's Church, now one of the most visited literary shrines in the world. The Church stands on the bank of the River Rothay, along whose banks pleasant walks can be made.

Just across the road from the Church is Church Stile, a row of 17th Century cottages, which now house the National Trust shop. The earliest authenticated occupant was a Richard Harrison, who died in 1662. By the 18th Century it had become Robert Newton's Inn, and William Wordsworth, his brother John, and Coleridge stayed here for several days during their Lake District tour in 1797.

It is only a short walk to the Lake, which can be superb, especially early morning in the summer, with the mist rising. Rowing boats are available for hire, 7 days per week between March and early November. There is a little island in the middle of the Lake, where William and Dorothy used to picnic. The island is now privately owned, and visitors should not land there tempting though it is. There is a walk around the lake, though part of it is on the main A591 road which runs along the east side.

In the village is the Heaton Cooper Studio, where there is a permanent display of work of the artists W. Heaton Cooper (1903-1995) and A. Heaton Cooper (1863-1929), both of whom are recognised as foremost watercolour artists of the area.

Every year on the Saturday nearest St Oswald's Day (5 Aug), Grasmere celebrates its Rushbearing Festival. This custom dates back to the days when the earthen floor of the church was strewn with rushes for warmth and cleanliness.

Each year from the end of July to the beginning of September at Grasmere Village Hall is the Lake Artists Society Summer Exhibition, where some 300 exhibits by local artists and sculptors are on display. There is also an exhibition at Easter.

Grasmere Sports Day is one of the oldest and most popular traditional events in the Lake District. It is held in late August.