Grasmere & the Central Lake District

GRASMERE & THE CENTRAL LAKE DISTRICT walking as well as one of the country’s most historic hiking inns. aswellone ofthecountry’smosthistorichiking walking valleys ofGreat andLittleLangdale,hometosomeofthecut-and-dried classicsofLakeland it’s notsolelyaplaceforbookworms:Grasmere is also thegateway tothehallowedhiking well asboastingthenation’sforemost museumdevoted totheRomanticmovement. But the area isdotted withliterary landmarksconnected tothepoetandhiscontemporaries, as spentcountlesshourswandering thehillsandtrailsaroundvalley, Crag. Wordsworth stunning circletoffells includingLoughrigg,Silver Howeandthesculptured summitofHelm with oakwoodsandglittering carpeted lakes, withflower-filled meadows,andringedbya of England.Grasmere valleys,studded isoneofthemostnaturallyalluringLakeland transformed thevalleyintospiritualhubofRomanticmovement. and chums,whocollectively setuphomeinGrasmere duringthelate 18thcenturyand geological centre ofWilliamWordsworth –it’saliterary onetoothankstothepoeticefforts the gentlehummocksandopendalesofeastern fells. ButGrasmere ismore thanjusta sandwichedbetweentherumpledpeaksofLangdalePikesDistrict, tothewestand The broadgreen bowlof fortheLake ofgeographicaljunction Grasmere asakind acts District Lake Central Grasmere &the 84 © LonelyPlanetPublications „ It’s nottoohardtoseewhatdrew somanypoets,painters tothisidylliccorner andthinkers

„ „ „ „ „ „ HIGHLIGHTS Area oflargest lake (Grasmere): 0.24sqmiles Stopofffor aslabofBritain’sbestginger- Tackle the stunningascentsof Sunday Sinkyourteeth intoastonking Banishthosecampingbluesbysnuggling BoneupontheRomantics’backstory Getupcloseandpersonalwiththe grounds ofRydalHall Shop bread at the or ( p92) Bridge Skelwith or lunch atElterwater’s down inaluxurious Museum at Grasmere’s fascinating and at Wordsworths Chesters Cafe bytheRiver Rydal Mount ( p89 ) inGrasmere Sarah Nelson’sGingerbreadSarah (p89) Langdale Pikes Dove Cottage (p91) yurt Britannia Inn ( p96 ) inthe Wordsworth ( p86 ) „ 9 in (p96) Helm Crag (p87) Numberofvisitors to Dove Cottage in 2007:61,870 (p97)

Pikes Langdale „ Highest fell Highest inGreat Langdale (High Raise): 2500ft Raise): (High Elterwater Helm Crag Cottage Dove Skelwith Grasmere Bridge Rydal Mount GRASMERE & THE CENTRAL LAKE DISTRICT 85 lB Ryda eck Hall Pelter Bridge Rydal Stones Stepping Rydal ( p91 ). p91 ( Rydal Mount . To Ambleside To St Oswald’s Church A591 00 500m 0.3 miles Rydal Mount Isle Little Nab Scar Heron Island Rydal Cave , or plump for the higher trail trail , or plump for the higher

in Trail Nab Cave Rydal Cottage

Old Coff 3.5 miles/2 hours/Grasmere centre 3.5 miles/2 hours/Grasmere Rydal Water Horseshoe To Fairfield To Rydal Water on your left; eventually you’ll reach a paved a paved you’ll reach on your left; eventually To Loughrigg Fell ( p93 ), passing beneath the face of Nab Scar on your on your ), passing beneath the face of Nab Scar p93 ( Common White Moss

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u A591 o L Grasmere & THE CENTRAL LAKE DISTRICT GRASMERE •• Itinerary 1 END Wood START Grasmere Redbank Faeryland Garden Tea Continue walking east towards Pelter Bridge, from where, if you wish, you can link up with with if you wish, you can link up from where, Bridge, Continue walking east towards Pelter Start out in Grasmere, and follow Red Bank Rd past the tea garden. Look out for a left-hand out for a left-hand garden. Look Start Rd past the tea and follow Red Bank out in Grasmere, Up behind the house is a path (signed ‘Public Bridleway Grasmere’) that leads into open that leads into open Grasmere’) Bridleway a path (signed ‘Public Up behind the house is Allan Bank turn over a stile and onto a bridleway about 10 minutes’ walk from Grasmere, and follow the trail and follow the trail walk from Grasmere, about 10 minutes’ a stile and onto a bridleway turn over and Dunmail Raise. views up to Helm Crag fantastic are there where from lakeshore, down to the the next At of the lake, past a weir and a small footbridge. Keep far shore heading east to the junction Loughrigg Terrace. west along the upper trail to the viewpoint from you could backtrack of the shores follow the trail east along Alternatively You don’t always have to slog your guts out for scenic views. This popular lakeside trail tracks lakeside popular tracks trail This for scenic views. to slog your guts out don’t always have You making before easy loop back behind Rydal an Lake Water, and Rydal Grasmere of the shores to St Oswald’s Church. route the old pallbearer’s Mount along of quarries and the gaping maw slate that leads up to the disused a small stick to the path, cross over ) into Ambleside; otherwise, p57 ( the Underloughrigg trail turn up to A591 and then takefootbridge onto the main the left-hand ITINERARY 1 1 ITINERARY WALK LOOP & OLD COFFIN TRAIL GRASMERE right-hand side. Carry on past Carry side. right-hand ( p89 ) back in Grasmere; look out for the stone slabs along the route that once allowed coffin coffin that once allowed the route look out for the stone slabs along ) back in Grasmere; p89 ( lovely path offers The burdens without having to lay them on the ground. their carriers to rest and Rydal Water views over fields. This is the beginning of the old coffin trail that leads all the way to to of the old coffin trail that leads all the way the beginning is This fields. road where you can turn right back towards Dove Cottage and Grasmere. turn right back towards Dove you can road where To Elterwater To lonelyplanet.com