Grasmere Travel Guide

  Grasmere Lake, Lake District National...
by spidermiss
 
  • Grasmere Lake, Lake District National Park
      Grasmere Lake, Lake District National...
    by spidermiss
  • Landscapes near Grasmere
      Landscapes near Grasmere
    by spidermiss
  • Landscapes near Grasmere
      Landscapes near Grasmere
    by spidermiss
  • Grasmere Gingerbread Shop
      Grasmere Gingerbread Shop
    by vichatherly
  • View of the waterfall
      View of the waterfall
    by northeast80
 

Explore Grasmere

Things to Do  

Buy some Gingerbread

Buy some Gingerbread, Grasmere

 vichatherly Says:  We visited the The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop specifically for Sarah Nelson’s Grasmere Gingerbread. We tasted and bought enough for ourselves and other family and friends, some of whom may have received the yummy gifts and some not.If your on a hiking holiday in the Lake... 

Walk around a lake

Walk around a lake, Grasmere

 northeast80 Says:  I did this last year, end March 2010, and it snowed. The hill-tops were dusted with snow and it was beautiful. We parked at White Moss Common, to the South of the Lake, which is a lovely picnic spot in itself. We had our lunch here watching the ducks, there are loos here... 

See some daffodils

See some daffodils, Grasmere

 northeast80 Says:  Luckily my visit was at the end of March 2011 (warmer and wetter) and the daffodils were in full bloom, I went the year before at the same time and they were not out yet (very cold then). It really does depend on the weather. The Wordsworth Daffodil garden is beautiful, just... 

Visit a graveyard

Visit a graveyard, Grasmere

 northeast80 Says:  To see the Wordsworth family graves in the graveyard of St.Oswald's church.The church has its roots in the 7th century when it is said that St Oswald preached on the site but the actual church there today dates from the 13th century. The major draw here are the graves and... 

Walk up a tarn

Walk up a tarn, Grasmere

 northeast80 Says:  A trip to the Lakes is not complete without the odd walk or two. We bought some walking leaflets in a visitor centre and the woman at the desk said this was the best one. This one is called Easedale Tarn. We parked in the main Grasmere car park (there is a public loo here... 

Dove Cottage - Home of William Wordsworth

Dove Cottage - Home of William Wordsworth, Grasmere

 chizz Says:  We decided to take a tour of Dove Cottage which was the poet William Wordsworth's home from 1799-1808. Here he wrote some of his best poetry such as "Daffodils" and his sister Dorothy wrote her "Grasmere Journals". Wordsworth had fallen in love with the Lake District and in... 

Sarah Nelson's Gingerbread Shop

Sarah Nelson's Gingerbread Shop, Grasmere

 chizz Says:  It is well worth a visit to buy some of Sarah Nelson's famous gingerbread which sells for around £2 per small pack. The shop opens from 9.15am - 5.30pm Mon-Sat and 12.30pm-5.30pm on Sundays but times may vary in the winter months.Sarah Nelson was a cook to Lady Marie... 

Continuing The Walk

Continuing The Walk, Grasmere

 steventilly Says:  Back at "ground level" you continue on the way to Rydal Water by following the river Rothay and staying on the right hand bank. The bridge over the river is quite picturesque and on the other side is a nice bit of woodland walk and some other picnic spots that you can find... 

A Walk Around The Lake

A Walk Around The Lake, Grasmere

 steventilly Says:  There's a very pleasant and easy walk that you can do, either around Grasmere lake or around Grasmere and Rydal Water. In both cases you can do either a full circuit or take the bus back after completeing half of the trip (the "half of the trip" is the nicest part).To get to... 

St Oswald's Church

St Oswald's Church, Grasmere

 steventilly Says:  St Oswald's is (in my mind) a quite unattractive church, with it's discoloured pebble-dashing and plain lines. It's churchyard is worth a visit though, especially for those interested in the poet William Wordsworth. Not only are he and his wife Mary buried here, but also his... 

Dove Cottage

Dove Cottage, Grasmere

 steventilly Says:  However you get back to Grasmere, stop off at Dove Cottage on the way. This is by the main A591 road near one of the turn-offs to Grasmere village. The location of Dove Cottage is actually the hamlet of Town End.The famous English poet William Wordsworth lived here for about... 

And Then...

And Then..., Grasmere

 steventilly Says:  You have three choices:Walk back to Grasmere via the path by the road; Walk back via an elevated route on the hill above the road (get to this path by going up past Rydal Mount and then go left);Get the bus back.We usually take option 1, though it's possibly the least... 

The End Is Nigh

The End Is Nigh, Grasmere

 steventilly Says:  Whichever route you take you'll eventually round the head of Rydal Water and cross the river that runs out of it eventually come to the road.Just over the road is a hotel & bar - "The Badger Bar", a welcome sight after the long walk, most likely more for the fact that it has... 

Hotels  

Oak Bank Hotel

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Restaurants  

Potted Out Cafe: Sit outside by the river

Potted Out Cafe: Sit outside by the river, Grasmere

 northeast80 Says:  This is the sister cafe of the Potting Shed a little further away, this one is on the main high street opposite a mini arcade (where we bought some gingerbread to eat with our coffee).We only got a coffee here, service was good; they brought our order out to us quickly and... 

The Rowan Tree: Great Veggie Restaurant

The Rowan Tree: Great Veggie Restaurant, Grasmere

 steventilly Says:  Absolutely wonderful veggie restaurant, set by the river overlooking the church in the centre of Grasmere. There's a nice outdoor area, and a pleasant "rustic" interior.The food is 100% veggie, and more in the keeping of "wholefood" too - good, no-nonsense home cooking. For... 

By The Lake: Picnic

By The Lake: Picnic, Grasmere

 steventilly Says:  A great place for a picnic - just look at the views! And the gently sloping grassy bank is just great for sitting & lying on too, And it's a natural time for a break , as it's about 1/2 way into the walk to Rydal.Just bear in mind that there's still some walking to be done,... 

Nightlife  

Badger Bar: Only Pub At Rydal
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steventilly 3248 reviews
Badger Bar

At the end of the Grasmere & Rydal walk is The Badger Bar. This is the bar of The Glen Rothay Hotel (which sounds rather Scottish, but isn't). It's quite a nice hotel, and The Badger Bar is lovely, and especially the large beer garden at the side. The beers are "real ales" with a changing selection. Coniston Bluebird is regularly available, and a selection of Jennings.

Dress Code: Anything

Written Sep 22, 2003

Website: http://www.theglenrothay.co.uk/

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Shopping  

Grasmere Gingerbread Shop: Grasmere Gingerbread

Grasmere Gingerbread Shop: Grasmere Gingerbread, Grasmere

 northeast80 Says:  You can smell the shop before you see it, it's delicious. The building (built 1630) was aparently used by William Wordsworth to teach in as it used to be the village school; it's tiny! I don't know how they managed it but it's now their shop and factory.You walk in and there... 

Swarbrick & Dean: Kendal (!) Mint Cake in Grasmere

Swarbrick & Dean: Kendal (!) Mint Cake in Grasmere, Grasmere

 northeast80 Says:  This Kendal mint cake is made in Grasmere, a large bar (170g) costs £1.20 (2011). I brought a pack back with me to give to the people on my office and ended up eating most of it myself! The shop is in a mini-arcade and also sells Grasmere ginger bread (the rival to the... 

Local Customs  

Poetry
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2.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

northeast80 224 reviews

Where would Grasmere be without Wordsworth? Well it is a beaufitul town anyway so I'm sure it would survive :-)

The Daffodils
by William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the tree,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the starts that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of the bay;
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

Visit Dove Cottage where he and his wife lived from 1799 to 1808, it is grade 1 listed and was built in the early 17th century. In the ticket price you gain entry and a guided tour to Dove Cottage (restored to how it was when they lived there) and the Wordsworth Museum.
Please check their webite for up-to-date opening times and admission prices.
You can also visit their graves and the daffodil garden at St Oswald's churchyard.

Updated Apr 19, 2011

Website: http://www.wordsworth.org.uk/

Related to:
 Historical Travel
 Museum Visits
 Arts and Culture

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Map of Grasmere