I am a poetry enthusiast and William Wordsworth the famous poet much read and loved in school! And I was going to places, he had lived. I was filled with curiosity and excitement!!
Along with a few friends, I left on the coach for this tour from Manchester.
Leaving the busy city behind, our first stop was Bowness on the shores of Lake Windermere. It is the most popular visitor destination and has a lot of history that has made it famous. Boating activities are hugely popular here. We took a cruise on Lake Windermere which is the largest lake in England. It was windy and seemed choppy, but it did not deter me from suiting on the open deck to enjoy the view. It is surrounded by villages and beautiful houses belonging to royal families. It was really huge! It has several islands, one of which is well inhabited. It was very interesting.
Once you are on the shore it’s showtime with the birds. I had no idea of their names, of course, till I was told. More than a thousand ducks, geese, and swans live there throughout the year. They are called Canada goose, mallard duck, mute swan among others. They find the reeds convenient, safe shelters to rest.
The beautiful colours of Fall, the undulating greens,the well fed sheep fenced in ,the greenery all around cheered me even when it was cloudy or windy. Our Second stop was Grasmere. The world famous Gingerbread is made here.Victorian cook Sarah Nelson invented Grasmere Gingerbread in 1854 in the English Lake District village from where it gets its name. A unique, spicy-sweet cross between a biscuit and cake, its reputation quickly spread! Today, the business is run by third-generation owners and we were greeted by the wonderful aroma of freshly baked Grasmere Gingerbread hanging in the air. I admit I shopped quite a bit! Everything had ginger, including a variety of Jams and spreads.
Beatrix Potter and the Tale of Peter Rabbit live on here ! It’s fascinating to see the quaint shops selling memorabilia and stuffed toys and books. Childhood memories were revived that day.
As we walked around the village we could see Old Man Coniston as the Hill is known for no particular reason. The colours of fall could not be captured by my cell, even if they do seem good to the untrained eye. Rising above the Conistan waters, the hill. looked majestic.
Another story of the region is tragic. As they say fame even comes through Tragedy.
On 4 January 1967 Donald Campbell’s (fast driver) life was cut short when he was killed in an attempt to take the water speed record over 300mph on Coniston Water. The wreckage of the last Bluebird, and Campbell’s body, were not recovered until 2001. Donald Campbell was laid to rest in the parish churchyard at Coniston.Those waters were flooding and pretty rough even the day I visited.
Chasing Wordsworth
Dove Cottage, a house on the edge of Grasmere in the Lake District of England,is best known as the home of the poet William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy Wordsworth where they spent over eight years. He lived in various places in the village over the years During this period, he wrote much of the poetry for which he is remembered today, including his “Ode to Duty” and “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”,
The daffodils at Glencoyne, on the banks of Ullswater, were almost certainly the inspiration behind Wordsworth’s poem ‘the daffodils’. Dorothy’s Journal mentions them. She probably discovered them and later Wordsworth wrote about them, is how locals put it!
At the heart of the Grasmere village between St Oswald’s churchyard and the River Rothay is the Wordsworth Memorial Daffodil Garden created by the community in his honour. It was not daffodil season, but the garden had a pretty layout and the fall made it look spectacular.
William Wordsworth is buried in the churchyard near the Church along with family members. I had a walk around and was touched at how beautifully maintained it was.
Situated in the quaint Lake District village of Hawkshead, the Hawkshead Grammar School Museum gives insight into school life from 1585 to 1909. After buying a ticket, I was given a warm welcome and a short introductory talk about the school. The small museum on floors, has classrooms and the Principal’s office quite intact !The collection of historic classroom furniture, includes slate boards, quills , and artefacts like Chests, used in the School, some of which date back to the Seventeenth Century.
This is where Wordsworth was in school between 1778 and 1786. Like many schoolchildren, he carved his name into the wooden desks used here, which is still visible to this day. So did many many more children, they were allowed to do it back then! In my day it was unthinkable. Today wood probably has given way to steel so the scribbling and etching do not happen?The school has several other notable alumni, unfortunately I had not heard much about them.
An interesting walk down the lanes of History and literature enriched my knowledge even as I fell in love with the beautiful scenery. These places are well worth the visit for anyone who loves pretty scenery and history too.
SHARED BY : Prabha Raghunandan
Travel and poetry enthusiast
