Bucket list experience:
Though Dove Cottage is the most famous of Wordsworth’s Lakeland homes, Rydal Mount is the one where he spent the most time – 37 years, to be precise, from 1813 until his death in 1850.
It makes an interesting companion piece to nearby Dove Cottage; altogether grander in scale, and surrounded by fine gardens, it’s a clear sign of Wordsworth’s increasing fame, wealth and poetic prestige.
Most of the house’s rooms are open to the public, from the family bedrooms to the grand drawing room and the poet’s own attic study. It’s full of interesting details for Wordsworth scholars: portraits of the poet, and possessions including his favourite walking stick, his picnic box, and the well-thumbed family bible.
Outside are the landscaped gardens which William apparently laid out to his own design (he was a passionate gardener).
The gardens are lovely to wander, but most moving of all is the small field that William dedicated to his beloved daughter Dora, who died of tuberculosis in 1847. In spring, it’s a sea of daffodils.
A walk down to Rydal Water is well worth the time. Wordsworth himself often wandered the lake shores in search of inspiration, often declaiming lines of his poetry out loud.
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Destination Guide >Rydal Mount is halfway between Ambleside and Grasmere. There is limited parking, but the 555 and 599 buses stop the end of the lane leading up to the house.
It’s open seven days a week, from March to late December. Closed in January & February.
Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Grasmere, Cumbria, United Kingdom (UK)[2.3 miles]
A large, lakeside hotel not far from Grasmere, with a variety of rooms to suit all kinds of visitors – families, couples, walkers and weekend breakers will all find a happy home here.
Official star rating:
Grasmere, Cumbria, United Kingdom (UK)[2.7 miles]
One of the very best of the Lake District’s boutique hotels, a reinvented country mansion, brimming with wit, style and invention. In prime position for exploring the Lakes..
Official star rating:
Great Langdale, Cumbria, United Kingdom (UK)[4 miles]
The Lakeland version of a deluxe ski lodge, offering supremely plush rooms, a lavish spa and a very private location on a Langdale estate. It’s also adults-only – making this an ideal place for couples looking for a place to pamper themselves.
Official star rating:
Windermere, Cumbria, United Kingdom (UK)[4.3 miles]
A charming, cosy boutique hotel, perched on a private hillside on a 67-acre estate, with an excellent restaurant and grandstand views across Lake Windermere.
Official star rating:
Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Cumbria, United Kingdom (UK)
Imposing mountains, wild landscapes, tranquil lakes and picturesque towns combine to make the Lake District uniquely beautiful, and one of the best places in Britain for walking, climbing, boating and biking.
Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first
Grasmere, Cumbria, United Kingdom (UK)[2.3 miles]
Take a guided tour around Wordsworth’s charming cottage near Grasmere to get a fascinatingly personal insight into the poet’s life and times – and don’t miss the brilliant museum next door.
Best for ages: 180+ | £12
Ambleside, Cumbria, United Kingdom (UK)[10.8 miles]
Beatrix Potter’s cottage is every bit as pretty (and popular) as you’d expect – and, for fans of her books, offers the chance to see some of the places that inspired her illustrations.
Best for ages: 13+ | £15
Wasdale, Cumbria, United Kingdom (UK)[14.9 miles]
Climb up to the highest point in England for a memorable view of the Wasdale fells – and a special sense of achievement. But don’t expect to be on your own if the weather’s fine
Best for ages: 13+ | Free | Full day
Keswick, Cumbria, United Kingdom (UK)[15.7 miles]
Venture underground into the dark mines under Honister Pass to discover the history of Lakeland slate mining – and, if you’re feeling brave, tackle an underground climbing expedition.
Best for ages: 3+ | £18
Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..
Ambleside, Cumbria, United Kingdom (UK)[2.9 miles]
Sarah Nelson’s gingerbread is an institution in Grasmere: it’s been made to the same recipe since 1854. It’s wonderfully quaint – the frilly outfits worn by the shop staff are something from a bygone age.
Best for ages: 4+ | Free | 3 hours
Ambleside, Cumbria, United Kingdom (UK)[3 miles]
The region’s most picturesque and charming village. Grasmere is set on the shores of its eponymous lake and cradled by green fields and fells. William Wordsworth is buried in the churchyard of St Oswald’s – you can see the poet’s tombstone.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free | 3 hours
Troutbeck, Cumbria, United Kingdom (UK)[5.9 miles]
This traditional stone and slate farmhouse was home to local famers the Browne family for over 400 years. The house and family’s possessions have been preserved, showcasing rural life in the Lakes over the past centuries.
Best for ages: 18+ | £9 | 3 hours
Hawkshead, Cumbria, United Kingdom (UK)[8.3 miles]
This small gallery in Hawkshead is located in the old office of Beatrix Potter’s husband, solicitor William Heelis. It holds regular exhibitions of her work, including her beautiful botanical paintings.
Best for ages: 10+ | £7 | 3 hours
