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The Lake District is indelibly linked with the ‘Romantic Movement’, the generation of 18th-century poets who drew inspiration from nature and the world around them.
Chief among them was William Wordsworth, who was born in the Lake District and spent much of his childhood and adult life here.
Several sites associated with the poet can be visited, including three of his former homes and his childhood school, as well as his last resting place in the peaceful churchyard of St Oswald’s in Grasmere.
For a general overview of Wordsworth and the Romantic Movement, head for the Wordsworth Museum, next to Dove Cottage.
Grasmere, Cumbria, United Kingdom (UK)
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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.
Adult price: £12
Best for ages 18+
Ambleside, Cumbria, United Kingdom (UK)
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+
Duration: 3 hours
Hawkshead, Cumbria, United Kingdom (UK)
Wordsworth attended the little village school in Hawkshead. Learn about the poet’s early life and education on a guided tour, and also look out for the school desk where he mischievously carved his name.
Adult price: £4
Best for ages 18+
Duration: 3 hours
Rydal, Cumbria, United Kingdom (UK)
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Wordsworth’s grand family home between Ambleside and Grasmere is an essential stop: it’s full of memorabilia, and offers an intriguing glimpse of the Wordsworth family’s daily life in the Lakes.
Adult price: £5
Best for ages 18+
Cockermouth, Cumbria, United Kingdom (UK)
Wordsworth’s childhood home in Cockermouth is now owned by the National Trust, and offers an absorbing glimpse of the poet’s early life, with costumed guides on hand to help illustrate the story.
Adult price: £8
Best for ages 18+
Duration: 3 hours
Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity
Windermere
Price: £89
Min age: 0
Rating 5 / 5 [7 ratings]
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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.
