Things to do in Grasmere
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Dove Cottage
Originally an inn called The Dove and Olive, this tiny cottage just outside Grasmere is the most famous former home of William Wordsworth. He arrived here with his sister Dorothy in 1799 before being joined in 1802 by his new wife, Mary, and soon after, three children – John, Dora and Thomas – who were born here in 1803, 1804 and 1806.
The tiny cottage was a cramped but happy home for the growing family – a time memorably recounted in Dorothy's diary, later published as the Grasmere Journal – and after they were eventually forced to seek more space at nearby Allan House in 1808, the cottage was leased by Wordsworth's young friend Thomas de Quincey (author of Conf…
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The Jumble Room
Hidden away on the edge of the village, this boho bistro recently scooped a top national award from Les Routiers, and it's hard not to be swept up in the sheer energy and enthusiasm of the place. Letter-print tablecloths, porcelain knick-knacks and spotty seats are packed into the tiny dining room, and the menu wanders at will from England to the Far East.
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Sarah Nelson's Gingerbread Shop
It's practically impossible to visit Grasmere without picking up something sweet and sticky from this classic cake shop, where the ladies still dress in frilly pinnies and the gingerbread has been made to the same recipe since 1854.
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Travellers Rest Inn
This sturdy 16th-century pub on the A591 road from Grasmere has all the trappings of a quintessential Lakeland inn, including slate-fronted fireplaces, oak-beamed ceilings and a bevy of real ales.
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Wordsworth Museum
Next door to Dove Cottage, the new Wordsworth Museum houses a fascinating collection of letters, portraits and manuscripts relating to the Romantic movement.
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The Rowan Tree
This peach-coloured riverside café does a mean cream tea by day, with a more extensive menu of pizzas, fish and veggie-friendly mains by night.
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Traveller's Rest
With its sputtering fires, deep seats and inglenook bar, Grasmere's 16th-century coaching inn still makes a fine place for a steak pie or a hotpot, accompanied (of course) by a pint of Jennings Bitter or Cockerhoop.
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St Oswald's Church
Parts of Grasmere's delightful village church date back to the 13th century. The Wordsworth family regularly came here to worship: inside you'll see a memorial to the poet alongside his own prayer book, and in the churchyard you'll find the graves of William, Mary and Dorothy; the Wordsworth children Dora, Catherine and Thomas; and Samuel Taylor Coleridge's son Hartley.
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Sara's Bistro
Hearty homespun cooking is Sarah's raison d'être – big portions of roast chicken, lamb shanks and apple crumble, served without the faintest hint of fuss.
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Sarah Nelson's Gingerbread Shop
Don't think about leaving Grasmere without sampling Sarah Nelson's legendary gingerbread, produced to the same secret recipe for the last 150 years and still served by ladies in frilly pinnies and starched bonnets.
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Rowan Tree
Riverside cafe good for lunchtime ciabattas, fish dishes and veggie plates.
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Jumble Room
Husband-and-wife team Andy and Crissy Hill have turned this tiny boho bistro into a real gastronomic heavy-hitter. Mixing quality Lakeland produce with Mediterranean influences (particularly from Spain and Italy), it attracts diners from far and wide, and the decor oozes oddball appeal, from the jumble-shop-chic furniture and polka dot plates to the colourful cow pictures on the downstairs walls. Reserve ahead.
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Heidi's of Grasmere
Yummy little sandwich shop and cafe beneath the Harwood Hotel. Pull up a pine table for some piping-hot soup, a toasted sandwich or the house special, 'cheese smokey'.
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