Literary Lakeland

At the weekend we had a lovely trip around the Lakes, visiting some of our favourite places associated with writers and poets.

Our first stop, after a walk through a very autumnal Grizedale Forest, was Hawkshead, where we had lunch at the Minstrels' Gallery, which is almost opposite Anne Tyson's Cottage. This is where William Wordsworth lodged whilst he was a student at Hawkshead Grammar School.

In his poetry he refers to Anne Tyson as a "kind, motherly old dame"and in The Prelude he writes:


                                 While my heart
Can beat I never will forget thy name.
.....Great joy was mine to see thee once again,
Thee and thy dwelling, and a throng of things
About it's narrow precincts, all beloved
And many of them seeming yet my own!

Leaving Hawkshead, we continued on to Coniston over Tarn Hows. This journey took us past High Arnside Farm which features in all three of Marjorie Lloyd's Fell Farm novels. The Fell Farm books are wonderful, full of expeditions on the Lakeland fells and adventures.

Our final destination was Brantwood, John Ruskin's home for twenty eight years. The house is set in such a beautiful location, next to Coniston Water and with wonderful gardens. We enjoyed afternoon coffee and cake on the terrace overlooking the lake, before strolling through the beautiful gardens down to the shore, and jetty for the Gondola.

What a lovely day which reminds us how the Lake District has inspired so many different types of writers and poets.