UK2015- Walking Tour II

We passed cozy villages;

And slept in comfortable inns;

While catching up on news from home.

We enjoyed delicious meals, like this Plowmans Lunch at a pub in Boot!

With equally congenial conversations!

And sometimes viewing a spectacular sunset!

We visited historical sights, such as the Hawkshead Grammar School where Wordsworth learned his ABCs....

Kevin liked finding this document as he is an old Johnian as was Wordsworth.

We visited Brantwood, John Ruskin's fascinating home full of his collections, teaching materials, art as well as personal items.

Wall paper design

A poster he designed for a botany class

We visited ancient Roman Forts;

Hardknott overlooks the vast Eskdale Valley

And close to the Irish Sea,


 Ravenglass

We walked through Muncaster Castle where we saw magnificent birds!

We visited a quaint old corn mill


And learned how it worked.

We saw Beatrix Potter's Bee Hive at Hill Top Farm.

We walked over Loughrigg Terrace,

And looked down at Rydal Mount




We toured the grand Rydal Mount, Wordsworth's last home when he was poet laureate


Still owned by Wordsworth family

And then walked along Coffin Road to Grasmere


Where we saw Dove Cottage, the early home of Wordsworth and Dorothy, which was small and dark inside.


But we could look out into the lovely garden

I loved seeing the old news papered on the upstairs walls.

We found fascinating objects in the museum;

And  an exhibit about 19th Century Wars

And somewhere we saw this nice pub sign resonant of WW's (and Dorothy's) early "Daffodil" Poem
For the inside scoop of these intriguing people, I read Kathleen Jones' A Passionate Sisterhood.

Of course there was much, much more, always up and down, enjoying spectacular views.

Rambling, ambling, bimbling-- in this glorious landscape with such nice companions was a wonderful time!