‘The loveliest spot that man hath ever found.’ That’s what William Wordsworth had to say about Grasmere in the Lake District. Despite the low hanging cloud enveloping the hills surrounding the lake, I was inclined to agree when I looked out at my surroundings. It was beautiful. A picturesque village of narrow streets and stone buildings, not too big, not to small. This was the reason we chose Grasmere Village as a hub for our Lake District stay.
We actually stayed at three properties during our Lake District break. Two of these were lakeshore spa hotels, but for the remainder of the stay we wanted to stay in a town or village. When travelling, we enjoy exploring the local area, dining and drinking in a variety of restaurants and bars, so a village hub is ideal. Having researched the more popular towns in the central Lake District – Ambleside and Bowness-on-Windermere, we decided we’d prefer somewhere a little smaller, but with a good range of options.
ABOUT GRASMERE VILLAGE
A village of pretty cottages and winding streets, Grasmere’s charm is enhanced by its setting surrounded by wonderful fells. The River Rothay runs directly through the heart of the village and into Grasmere’s namesake lake, a short distance away. A popular location for walkers and hikers, the village has a number of outdoor clothing and equipment shops. There are pretty cafes and tea rooms, pubs and restaurants, art galleries, gift shops and a number of hotels right in the heart of the village.
There’s a heavy emphasis on the life of William Wordsworth in the village. Wordsworth spend much of his adult, and writing life in Grasmere, living in many properties in the village over the years. He was laid to rest at St. Oswald’s Church in the centre of the village, where people come to visit to pay their respects.
WHERE TO STAY IN GRASMERE VILLAGE
WORDSWORTH HOTEL & SPA
Having decided on Grasmere as our hub for a few days, next it was onto deciding the accommodation. The village has a number of hotels of varying star ratings, along with guest houses, cottages and B&B’s. Something for everyone. We opted for the beautiful WORDSWORTH HOTEL & SPA. A multi gabled, two storey slate fronted building in the centre of the village, the hotel feels more like a country house hotel from the outside. This vibe continues through the public areas and through to the large grounds to the rear with a stunning mountain backdrop.
The Wordsworth Hotel & Spa has 38 en-suite rooms, all individually and stylishly decorated. There are a variety of room types from a Classic Rooms, Garden, Village or Courtyard Rooms as well as Suites. We decided on a Garden View Room, as we thought it would be quieter staying at the rear of the hotel than nearer the road. The room, although on the small side, was beautifully decorated with a comfortable bed and comfy seating. There was a flat screen TV and a desk area with tea and coffee making facilities. The en-suite bathroom, again, was stylishly decorated with complimentary toiletries. Overall, a cosy and comfortable room to spend a few days, with plenty of luggage storage.
EXPLORING THE HOTEL
With a maze of corridors on the ground floor of the Wordsworth Hotel & Spa, there are several public rooms for customer use. The main bar area is a luxurious room with deep red walls and large leather sofas that you sink into. This leads through to a brighter conservatory area with additional seating.
The hotel’s Aqueous Spa features an indoor pool, jacuzzi and sauna which can be used by guests.
There are two dining options at the hotel – the Signature Restaurant and Dove Bistro. The Signature Restaurant has an AA award for culinary excellence and offers a relaxed fine dining service, in a large airy room to the front of the building. The Dove Bistro provides a more casual dining experience. Both restaurants have a fantastic wine list and offer a range of local beers as well familiar favourites.
We stayed during the 2020 pandemic where the restaurant offering was different, to allow for social distancing. Both spaces were used with a choice of both menus, and daily specials. The food was fantastic during our stay and the service throughout the hotel was impeccable. Every staff member we met or interacted with was polite, friendly and helpful and made us feel incredibly welcome.
HEAD TO THE WORDSWORTH HOTEL AND SPA WEBSITE FOR THE BEST DEALS
‘MUST DO’S’ IN GRASMERE VILLAGE
As previously mentioned, there’s a heavy focus on Wordsworth in the village, given the close historical links. That of course provides a number of Wordsworth related attractions that are worth exploring during your stay.
WORDSWORTH GRASMERE & DOVE COTTAGE
First up, there is the WORDSWORTH GRASMERE attraction which is located about five or ten minutes walk from the village centre. Located at Dove Cottage, the attraction provides a tour of the cottage and garden, along with a museum and cafe on site. Dove Cottage was William Wordsworth’s first home in Grasmere, where he lived with his sister Dorothy from 1799. This is where he created much of his best work. It was fascinating to explore the small cottage and learn about his life.
WORDSWORTH DAFFODIL GARDEN
Next to St. Oswald’s Church in the village, Wordsworth Memorial Daffodil Garden was created in 2003 in honour of his poem, The Daffodils. Visit in spring, and the space is full of daffodils, with a circular pathway through the garden. Located next to the river, it’s a lovely space to rest and admire your surroundings.
GRASMERE GINGERBREAD
The best Gingerbread in the world. That’s what they say. A bold statement, and a successful one given the long queue of people waiting outside of GRASMERE GINGERBREAD during every day of our visit. Invented by Sarah Nelson in 1854, the Grasmere Gingerbread is something of a cross between a biscuit and cake. Softer than what I would expect from Gingerbread, but sweet with a nice spicy kick to it. The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop is located in the former Church Cottage, and can easily be found by the queue of people outside. Get in the queue and get yourself some gingerbread during your visit.
FAERYLAND GRASMERE
Located on the lakeshore, FAERYLAND GRASMERE is a pretty little place to visit during your stay. With a line of pastel coloured rowing boats docked at the lakeside, boat hire is available as well as a lovely little Tea & Coffee Garden where you can relax and look out onto the lake.
EXPLORING FURTHER AFIELD IN THE LAKES? READ A FIVE DAY LAKE DISTRICT BREAK: TOP TIPS FOR YOUR VISIT
HIKES FROM GRASMERE
Grasmere Village is a great start for many relatively easy hikes where you can explore the surrounding fells and lake, without needing to take the car. Having spent some time exploring the Lake District, we had found that parking was sometimes an issue in the popular spots, especially as the area was quite busy when we visited. It was nice to have one day where we left the car at the hotel.
LAKESHORE LOOP
A simple walk for all the family, the loop around Grasmere lake is about four miles in total, on mostly flat terrain. Starting from the centre of the village, follow Red Bank down towards the water. This narrow lane offers lovely views of the lake, before arriving at a gateway signposted National Trust Grasmere Lakeshore. From here the pathway follows the perimeter of Grasmere with a bridge crossing the River Rothay and then onwards toward the main A591 road, before heading back towards the village.
LOUGHRIGG FELL
A popular spot for hikers in the Lake District, a walk to the top of Loughrigg Fell is another which can be taken from Grasmere Village. It’s certainly harder work than the lakeshore loop, however the summit of Loughrigg provides 360 degree views of Grasmere and Windermere. Following the same route along Red Bank but without turning off for the lakeshore pathway, the road heads into the woodland where hiking paths can be found to the summit. There are several options and pathways to choose from.
EASEDALE TARN
Another slightly longer hike, with some steep and strenuous sections, is the hike to Easedale Tarn. Following Easedale Road to the north west of Grasmere Village, a pathway crosses the River Rothay via a small stone bridge. The walking trail follows the river before climbing past spectacular waterfalls and through some beautiful heathland before arriving at Easedale Tarn. It’s a lovely walk, with fantastic views back down towards the village.
EATING AND DRINKING IN GRASMERE
Staying in Grasmere provided a great opportunity to explore the village’s best eating and drinking establishments. We had decided to dine at the Wordsworth Hotel & Spa’s Signature Restaurant on our first evening, as we wanted to experience the hotel offering. As we had a three days and two nights in the village, we had plenty of time to explore some other options too. Here are some recommendations.
BREAKFAST
Start your day with a good breakfast if you’re exploring outdoors, as you’ll need your energy reserves. My top breakfast recommendation in Grasmere is HEIDI’S GRASMERE LODGE AND CAFE. Located in the centre of the village, this cute café serves great breakfasts and lunches, along with coffee and cakes. There are great vegan and vegetarian options, and it’s dog friendly which is always a bonus in my book.
COFFEE & CAKE
For a traditional British tearoom vibe, BALDRY’S GRASMERE ticks all the boxes. With a huge menu of mouth watering cakes and desserts, it was mammoth task making a choice. Regardless of what choice you make, you won’t be disappointed.
A PRE-DINNER BEER (OR TWO)
Always keen to sample local beers, we were delighted to find that Grasmere Brewery had a taproom right in the centre of the village. THE GOOD SPORT is a lovely spot next to the river with a large outdoor seating area. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner in a relaxed setting, the pub also serves a selection of awesome Grasmere Brewery offerings including Helles Lager, Pale Ale, IPA and a range of fruity ciders. You’ll probably stay for more than one drink.
DINNER
We ate at LEWIS’S on the second evening of our stay in Grasmere Village. A café by day and bistro by night, there was a superb and varied menu offering some fantastic dishes using fresh local produce.
We stayed in Grasmere in September of 2020. Whilst there are a huge variety of drinking and dining options in the village, we did notice that many were either closed or only offering take out due to the effects of the pandemic.
ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION IN THE LAKES: READ MY REVIEW OF THE BEECH HILL HOTEL & SPA ON WINDERMERE
ALTERNATIVE LAKE SIDE STAYS
I’m a huge fan of lakeside settings and am often drawn to booking accommodation with lake views. Check out some of my other lakeside stays.
A beautiful stay in Mid Wales at the LAKE VYRNWY HOTEL & SPA.
The stunning Lago di Braies and Lago di Misurina in the ITALIAN DOLOMITES.
Glacier views from a guesthouse on the shores of LAKE GOSAU in Austria.
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