Grasmere Hotels

Grasmere Lake

‘The loveliest spot that man hath ever found' is Wordsworth's famous quote describing Grasmere Lake, just a couple of minutes' walk from the village. At a mile long and half a mile wide, it doesn't take long to walk around. The views are fantastic, with snow-covered peaks visible throughout, and you can see the small island in the middle of the lake, which was one of Wordsworth's favourite places. Canoes and other boats are available to hire every day between March and early November too.

The town

William and his sister, Dorothy, lived in Dove Cottage from 1799-1808. They then moved to Allan Bank and lived in this large house with poet and friend, Coleridge, for two years. They moved to the Old Rectory, opposite St Oswald's Church, in 1811, then moved to Rydal Mount in 1813. Wordsworth died of pleurisy in 1850 and he and his wife have a simple tombstone in the churchyard of St Oswald's Church, now one of the most visited literary shrines in the world.

Hills and mountains

Catbells in Keswick (445m) is a fantastic, easy mini mountain to navigate, and is just a 20-minute drive from Grasmere. Even those as young as four can manage it, and their efforts are swiftly rewarded with amazing views of Derwent Water below. There are many challenging mountains to climb near Catbells too, including Skiddaw at 931m and Scafell Pike at 964m.

Food and drink

For a village, there are almost countless quality eateries in Grasmere.

By the churchyard is a building which was the village school from 1630 AD. This is where Wordsworth, his wife and his sister all taught in the early 19th century. Now it's home to the famous Sarah Nelson's Gingerbread Shop, where you can buy the most delicious, melt-in-the-mouth gingerbread.

The Dining Room at the Oak Bank Hotel, Broadgate, is home to a truly gifted chef and very welcoming owners. Each course is beautifully presented and the ingredients carefully selected, creating flavours both complex and well composed.

Greens Café Bistro offers delicious, locally sourced and usually organic food. They specialise in catering for specific diets, offering multiple gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and vegetarian options, and are the only café in Grasmere providing these alternatives. The family team make you feel welcome while you indulge in the fine array of light meals and cakes on offer.