Allan Bank, Grasmere

Allan Bank is one of four National Trust properties which are former homes of the celebrated poet William Wordsworth. His birthplace in Cockermouth, Dove Cottage in Grasmere and Rydal Mount near Ambleside being the other three.
Built in 1805  on a rocky hillside above Grasmere village, the house was initially unpopular with Wordsworth who complained it spoilt his previously uninterrupted view from Dove Cottage, across the Easedale Valley. However, when Dove Cottage became too small for his growing family, the Wordsworths became tenants of Allan Bank where they spent several years. Frequent long term visitors were their literary friends Thomas de Quincey and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, amongst others.

Wordsworth took an interest in the planning of the gardens including the  placing of seats at vantage points overlooking the stupendous views.

Winters were perhaps not quite so idyllic, with chimneys that 'blew smoke back into the rooms, covering everything with soot and filling Dorothy with despair'.

The Wordsworths left Allan Bank in 1811, moving briefly to the Rectory near St Oswald's Church, then finally to Rydal Mount.

 Fast forward to 1915 when  Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley, one of the founders of the National Trust, bought the house. He retired there in 1917 and died in 1920, leaving Allan Bank to the Trust. The house was then occupied by tenants, until a fire in 2011 caused severe damage and the Trust came to the decision to open up the house to the public.

Visitors are in for a surprise as the house is unlike any other Trust property being only partially restored and completely informal. Tea and coffee can be enjoyed by a roaring fire in the library or sitting by one of the many windows looking out over Grasmere.

Activities are available in each room for those who wish to take part and visitors are encouraged to put forward their own ideas about how the restoration should proceed.

A small derelict building, possibly a chapel, marks the start of a short woodland walk.

  Steep steps lead to a Victorian viewing tunnel which opens out to a veiw of Helm Crag; a little misty on this particular morning.
The path climbs up the steep slope behind the house, circling through woods which were full of birdsong when we visited. 

  
A stone viewing platform perched at the top of the hill was one of Wordsworth's favourite places to sit and write, according to a very informative NT staff member who was working in the garden!  

 

 Grasmere comes into view once again as the path descends towards the house. There is a walled garden in this area, however on a cold day in February there is not much growing. At the top of the garden a seat provides a peaceful place to enjoy the sound of water tumbling down the rock face into a small pool below.

The path emerges onto a lawned area at the front of the house where visitors can sit and enjoy watching Red Squirrels taking advantage of the free food!

We found the perfect place to sit and watch these wonderful little creatures.

As you can imagine, we spent a long time watching the squirrels scurrying up and down the trees, taking nuts and burying them for later use. However, time was marching on and so we reluctantly left Allan Bank, taking a circular route to the rear of the property which led us back to Grasmere via Goody Bridge (incorporating a river crossing over stepping stones - not my favourite thing to do!) The weather had improved at this point, giving us a clearer view of Helm Crag and the surrounding fells.

 

 Winter visitors, Redwings and Fieldfares giving us the beady eye as we passed under their lookout point.

A final glimpse of Allan Bank as we headed back into Grasmere, and of Helm Crag whose distinctive summit is locally known as "The Lion and the Lamb".

 Thanks for visiting my blog; I hope you've enjoyed the photos.