• St. Oswald’s Church - The tour begins with a drive to Grasmere Village, where visitors can explore St Oswald’s Church and the Wordsworth family graves, a popular attraction in the Lake District.

Grasmere is also the name of a nearby lake. Wordsworth described this picturesque area of the Lake District as ‘The loveliest spot that man hath ever found.’ The small island in the lake was a favorite retreat for Wordsworth during his time at Dove Cottage.

• Allan Bank - As Wordsworth’s family grew, with three children born in four years, they moved from Dove Cottage in 1808 to the larger Allan Bank, situated on a hill overlooking the village. The tour includes an exterior view of this location.
• The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop - Adjacent to St Oswald’s is the Grasmere Gingerbread Shop, which will be briefly viewed during the tour.
• Wordsworth Grasmere - The tour proceeds to Dove Cottage on the outskirts of Grasmere village, where Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy settled in 1799. The Wordsworth Museum is undergoing significant changes, and access to Dove Cottage will be inconsistent in 2019, with occasional virtual tours. The museum will remain closed throughout the year. Entry to Dove Cottage is not included in the tour price.
• Lake Grasmere - The tour includes a drive along the shore of Grasmere.
• Rydal Mount & Gardens - Following the loss of two children, the Wordsworth family relocated from Grasmere Rectory in 1813 to Rydal Mount, which became William Wordsworth’s cherished family home until his passing in 1850 at age 80. The house and its beautiful gardens, a hub for romantic literature, remain in the Wordsworth family and retain a homely atmosphere. Dating back to the 16th century, the house was expanded over the years, including by Wordsworth himself, and houses family treasures and portraits. Wordsworth, an avid landscape gardener, designed the five-acre garden, featuring terraces, rock pools, and an ancient mound. Entry to Rydal Mount is included in the tour price.
• Rydal Hall Gardens - Visitors can explore the serene Rydal Hall Gardens. Built in the 16th century, Rydal Hall was home to the le Fleming family, Wordsworth’s landlords at Rydal Mount. The house has undergone significant changes, including a Victorian south range addition. The formal garden, designed in 1909 by Arts and Crafts garden architect Thomas Mawson, is a prime example of his renowned work. The garden is historically significant for its early use of exposed aggregate precast concrete instead of stone. The Carlisle Diocese, in collaboration with The Cumbria Gardens Trust and English Heritage, is restoring this beautiful garden. It features mosses, native flora, and a 500-year-old Sweet Chestnut tree with a 36-foot girth. The sound of rushing water from high waterfalls can be heard from the formal garden, cascading through a wooded garden. The oldest ‘viewing house’ in the country, built in 1669, is located below the lower fall.
• Dora’s Field - Near Rydal Mount is Rydal Church, with the chapel of St Mary built by Lady le Fleming of Rydal Hall in 1824. William Wordsworth helped select the site, originally an orchard. The Wordsworth family and the family of poet Matthew Arnold from nearby Fox How worshipped here, with family pews at the front of the church. Wordsworth served as church warden from 1833-1834, and a memorial plaque honors him.

The Rash field next to the churchyard was purchased by Wordsworth, who initially planned to build on it. After his daughter Dora’s death in 1847, Wordsworth, his wife, and gardener planted hundreds of daffodils as a tribute to Dora.

• Rydal Water - The tour continues south towards Ambleside, passing Rydal Water and Nab Cottage, once home to Thomas de Quincey and later Hartley Coleridge, son of Wordsworth’s friend Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who rented the house from 1840 until his death in 1849.
• Windermere - This is one of the pickup points.
• Bowness-on-Windermere - This is one of the pickup points.
• Ambleside - This is one of the pickup points.

• Relaxed and friendly small-group tour of no more than 7 guests
• Comfortable minivans with air-conditioning, WiFi and charging points for most mobile devices
• Regular photo / comfort stops
• Entry into Dove Cottage is included in the price
• Professional Guides share their expertise of all the fascinating facts and stories in English
• Departure and return to convenient, centrally located meeting points

• Food and drinks

This tour includes visits to:
• Grasmere Village.
• Church Stile, the former inn where William Wordsworth, his brother John, and fellow Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge stayed for several days during their Lake District tour in 1797.
• Grasmere Gingerbread Shop, where Sarah Nelson created 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 stunning lake the Wordsworths knew so well.
• Rydal Mount, William Wordsworth’s most cherished family home from 1813 until 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, purchased by William Wordsworth in 1826.
• Views of Rydal Water, one of the smaller lakes.

• 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 is a little walking involved on the tour, some uphill and on uneven or wet terrain, please wear suitable, comfortable shoes
• Children under the age of 5 can travel on this tour but we do not recommend it
• Children must be accompanied by an adult
• All passengers, including children of any age, must have a seat purchased for them
• 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!

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.