Walk lead by Mark Stanford, 6.36 miles, ascent 500ft.
The Coffin Trail, Rydal Hall, St Mary's Church, Rydal Water, Grasmere & St Edmunds Church.
6.36 miles. 500ft of ascent. Terrain: mostly well-made paths and mettled roads, there's one section of rocky path (approx. 200 yards) on the Coffin Trail where we will take care and time.
A C party favourite, we'll enjoy a coffee in Grasmere before heading off at 11am. Care will be needed as we cross the
A591 before heading up to the ancient Coffin Trail, once we've gained the height, we follow the contours to Rydall.
The path offers spectacular views of Grasmere and Rydall Water with Silver How and Loughrigg forming the backdrop. We'll enjoy walking through the formal garden of Rydal Hall before finding respite under the Yew tree at St Mary's where we stop for lunch, making sure to leave time to explore the Church.
We'll hopefully set of around 1.30pm recrossing the A591 with care again. We cross the River Rothay before heading to the shoreline of Rydall Water and then crossing the shoulder of Loughrigg with great views across the lake towards Nab Scar and the Fellfield Range. The route now heads down through woods to a higher stretch of the Rothay flowing from Grasmere. Crossing the bridge, the path takes us towards a second crossing to the bank just below the weir marking the lake's circumference.
The final section follows the wooded shoreline before heading up to the lane for the final mile into Grasmere, we'll stop to look at St Edmund's Church and Wordsworth's grave. We should be back for 3.30pm leaving time to queue for gingerbread and find refreshments. Grasmere, in my opinion, is rather better served by tea shops than decent purveyors of fine ale, although Gwyn tells he knows a place!