382 September Walks from Grasmere 2017

Our next walks venue will be

Grasmere

Cumbria’s most popular village 

on 

Saturday 9th September 2017

0800hrs prompt from the Short Stay Car Park

Grasmere is probably the Cumbria’s most popular village, thanks to William Wordsworth (1770-1850). Today Grasmere is totally given over to the tourist industry, with plenty of gift shops, and places to eat and stay. 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.

Recently the neglected bit of land between the church and the river has been renovated and turned into a place of peace called the Wordsworth Daffodil Garden. Here you can own a share, and have an engraved stone set in the path.

At one of the entrances to the churchyard is this small building, which was the village school for over 220 years, from its opening in 1630 A.D. William Wordsworth, his wife and his sister all taught here in the early 19th Century. It is now home to the famous Sarah Nelson’s Gingerbread Shop.  more.....

more from Grasmere Village web site:  

There will be Three walks;

• A Walk led by: Brian Thorne
• B Walk led by: Beverley Kelly
• C Walk led by: John Adamson

walk details will be added as they become available, but by Sunday 3rd September

'A' Walk from Grasmere 2017

Walk Leader: Brian Thorne
Total Distance:9 miles
Total Ascent: 2000ft

The walk is about 9 miles with approx. 2000 ft of climbing. We begin from Grasmere village and head up the Easdale valley, past the waterfall at Sourmilk Gill to Easdale Tarn. Rounding the tarn, we climb up past Belles Knott (Wainwright's "Matterhorn of the Lakes") until we reach the ridge. At this point,depending on time and conditions, we may detour to Sergeant Man for some great views down into Langdale. Retracing our steps, we descend the ridge past Blea Rigg, the Castle Howes and Lang How, to reach Silver How. Grasmere, gingerbread and liquid refreshment are then a mere 20 minute descent away.

'B' Walk from Grasmere 2017

Walk Leader: Beverley Kelly
Total Distance: 7+ miles app
Total Ascent: 1600ft app

A Silver Treasure and two Castles 

B route in a clockwise direction

The walk starts from the Garden Centre when we head towards the north of the water, turning up a path to Kelbarrow. Already we have wonderfull views of Grasmere Water and the fells surrounding it. It is a short but steep climb to the summit of Silver Howe (1293ft)

After the photo shoots and the oooh's and aah's we head west ward across this broad ridge which starts at High Raise, the central peak of the lakes. Passing Youdell Tarn it is a bit boggy but a wonderful panorama as we pass the peak of Lang How then Swinescar. As we approach little and great Castle How the ground is more rocky and interesting, particularly for geologists. If we have made good time we will head for Blea Rigg which is a pleasant lunch stop, looking over to the Langdales and Crinkles.

After lunch we retrace our steps a bit to descend on an unclear pathway down to Easdale Tarn, a popular venue for many tourists following in the footsteps of Wordsworth. The ascent was popular during the Victorian period, and a refreshment hut was even established in the 19th century by Robert Hayton of Grasmere above the outlet of the tarn to service the thirsty visitors. The hut is long gone, and nettles now grow where the ruins used to be.

Our descent now is on a restored pathway all the way down back to Grasmere, but the delights are not over yet for we are alongside the rushing 'Sourmilk Gill' as it tumbles over waterfalls and we are looking to wards the Fairfield and Helvellyn ridges. 

There will be many a cheerful greeting as we continue on our descent, enjoying the changing colours and the thought of refreshments at one of the many teashops and hostelries in Grasmere. Given the weather this is a lovely Fell Walk  and even in bad weather we are protected and should be below the cloud line

Photographs taken on the Recce - click here

 

'C' Walk from Grasmere 2017

Walk Leader: John Adamson
Total Distance:5.5 Miles app

and an ascent from 180 ft to 450 ft

The C Walk starts with a coffee and tea cake in a local tea shop in Grasmere. We leave the village of Grasmere and walk south along the lake with some beautiful views across the lake. We continue to the weir at the end of the lake where we join the end of Loughrigg Terrace path. We continue along the south side of Rydal Water to the footbridge and to the A591. After crossing the road to Rydal we join the Coffin Route to take us back to Grasmere. From the Coffin Route there are more beautiful views over Rydal Water. This is a lovely walk with no styles along the way but there are a few short walks up and down the dales. Anyone with a National Trust Card is welcome to visit Dove Cottage as we pass it at the end of the walk just before we cross the road to the car park.