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. 

 

Grasmere - Rydal

A nice easy circular walk, taking in Rydal Water and Grasmere

 

Parking at Stock Lane and crossing the A591 you immediately come to Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Trust Museum.

Dove Cottage, once the family home of William Wordsworth.

He lived here from 1799 - 1808, moving into the former pub initially with his sister.

A little glimpse of Grasmere near Dove Cottage

  

 Before St Mary's church in Ambleside was consecrated, coffins had to be transported along the corpse road from Ambleside. Along the 4km route to St Oswald's church in Grasmere are several resting stones, where bearers could set down the coffin for a short while, before continuing the journey for the burial. 

A view from the "Coffin Route"

Rhododendrons near White Moss Tarn

White Moss Tarn

White Moss Tarn, also nicknamed Skater's Tarn; although it's difficult to believe that anyone could skate on it nowadays, overgrown as it seems to be. Allegedly though, Wordsworth did used to skate here in winter and referred to the tarn in one of his poems, Resolution & Independence.

High Wood



Rydal Water



One of many boathouses

Herdwick Sheep

Harrison Stickle from Rydal

Bluebells and White Campion carpet the hillside

Suddenly you come upon a view of Grasmere

 Bluebells in one direction...

 

Barns & boat houses in the other.  

A carrion crow keeps a beady eye on things

Dunmail Raise in the distance

Eventually you come full circle, and the footpath brings you out on Rydal Mount, where you can visit another Wordsworth family home, or pay a visit to nearby Rydal Hall tea shop.

http://www.rydalmount.co.uk/ 

http://www.rydalhall.org/tea-shop/ 

On the way down Rydal Mount are a number of interesting old houses.

Undermount Cottage

Parish Church of St. Mary, Rydal

Church House, Rydal

A gentle stroll through the village via the river will bring you back to the car park..

Pink Campion and wild yellow Poppies

Finishing off with a surprise sight!

Thanks for visiting my blog, I hope you enjoyed the photos.