This tour takes you to: • Grasmere Village where William Wordsworth lived. • Church Stile the former inn where William Wordsworth, his brother John and fellow poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge stayed for several days during their Lake District tour in 1797. • Grasmere Gingerbread Shop where Sarah Nelson invented the world famous "Grasmere Gingerbread" in 1854. • The Wordsworth family graves. • St Oswald's Church where the Wordsworth family worshipped. • Dove Cottage where William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy lived from 1799 to 1808. • Views of Grasmere, the beautiful lake the Wordsworths knew so well. • Rydal Mount William Wordsworth's best loved family home from 1813 to his death in 1850. • Rydal Hall Gardens where Wordsworth admired the waterfall from the "grot" viewing house. • Rydal Church built on the site chosen by William Wordsworth which also inspired two of his poems. • Dora's Field bought by William Wordsworth in 1826. • Views of Rydal Water, one of the smaller lakes.
Starting point:
Ambleside LA22, UK
Our tour starts with a drive to Grasmere Village. Here you will see St Oswald's Church and the Wordsworth family graves which are one of the most visited places in the Lake District. Grasmere is also the name of a lake just outside the village itself. 'The loveliest spot that man hath ever found' is how Wordsworth described this most beautiful area of the Lake District. The small island in the middle of the lake was a favourite place which he often visited while he was living at Dove Cottage.
Wordsworth's family quickly expanded, with the arrival of three children in four years, and so they left Dove Cottage in 1808 to seek larger lodgings at Allan Bank on a hill overlooking the village. We will get to see this from the outside.
Next to St Oswalds is the Grasmere Gingerbread Shop. We will take a quick look at it as we pass by.
You will make your own way to the meeting points
We will collect you from the departure point linked to your chosen option. Please do not change to a different departure point without informing us in advance as we don't automatically go to every departure point. If we don't know you have changed your departure point we may not pick you up for the tour! Please ensure that you are at your chosen departure point at least 5 minutes before your pickup time. The minibus will be unable to wait for you if you are not there and you will miss your tour. Due to local traffic conditions the bus may arrive later than expected. Please wait 10 minutes after the quoted departure time before calling. The English Lake District weather can change quickly, even in the summer months. Please bring a waterproof coat with a hood in case of rain or windy weather. As there may be a small amount of walking involved in the tour, some uphill and on uneven or wet terrain, please wear suitable, comfortable shoes. No food or drink is included in the tour price.