Most of the UK went back to work today so, thankfully, the crowds thinned out a bit in Windermere. We took the cruise boat from Bowness to Ambleside this morning. The sun shined all day today which made for a beautiful experience. Sitting out in the middle of Lake Windermere was spectacular. We took a stroll through Ambleside village which is as pretty as all the villages in this area.
This afternoon Clare decided on a rest while Ian and I drove to Grasmere to see Dove Cottage, the home (for a time) for William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy. I really, really enjoyed this visit. The cottage is preserved as it was in their time but the real highlight is the garden and woodland behind the cottage. You are encouraged to stop, be quiet and tap into the appreciation of nature that was so important to Wordsworth. It was delightful and it was a real reminder of the importance of the natural environment in this part of the world. Would you believe that Wordsworth was concerned about the impact of tourism back in the early 1800s? What would he think if he saw what the Lake District has become today?
I also really enjoyed getting back in touch with Wordsworth and Coleridge and the poets and authors I learned about in my undergraduate degree. I feel a little bit inspired to read some of their poetry.
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