The wonderful village of Grasmere is exactly what I pictured when imagining the Lake District and 18th-century Romantic poet William Wordsworth wasn't wrong when he described it as: "the loveliest spot that man hath ever found."

Despite the village being extremely beautiful and full of charm, I couldn’t help but feel how tourism had enveloped the area. With the history of Grasmere entwined with Wordsworth, several of the attractions in the area link back to him. Two of the three properties he lived in, Dove Cottage and Allan Bank, are open to the public to view alongside the Wordsworth Museum. Lining the streets are also a wide variety of cafes, pubs, hotels and gift shops, the most famous of which is Sarah Nelson’s Gingerbread Shop.

My recommendation would be to stop by the delectable Lucia Bakehouse. The quaint little hatch serves a wide variety of home-baked pastries, sweet snacks and barista-style coffee. The real showstoppers are the chilli jam and honey mustard sausage rolls which were quite simply the best I have ever tasted. In fact, they were so good that I went back and ordered several more.

With a belly full of sausage rolls, I then decided to take the short hike up to Easedale Tarn. Situated in a hanging valley surrounded by an amphitheatre of craggy rockfaces, the peaceful lake is a perfect low-level hike for a family.

The well-signposted route begins in Grasmere and follows a well-maintained path for 3.3km up the tarn. En route, you will pass through farmland, cross several stone bridges and walk alongside the plunging falls of Sour Milk Gill, an impressive waterfall with several cascades.

Upon reaching the tarn, you have the option of extending your walk by taking the 2km stroll around the lake’s shoreline. To get back to Grasmere, simply retrace your steps following the route below.

Rydal Gardens

From Grasmere, I made the brief 5-minute drive across to Rydal Mount and Gardens, a Tudor cottage which was the home of William Wordsworth from 1813 until his death in 1850.

There is plenty to see and do here, parking within the grounds is free and there is no charge to wander through its maze of Edwardian gardens.

The area has undergone major restoration over the past two decades and is now home to a tearoom and residential arts programme which has created an unusual sculpture path situated within its woodland. For those with interest, you are able to book a tour of the house but, due to Covid-19 restrictions, viewing times are limited.

I would recommend making a brief stop at the gardens to see Rydal Falls and visit the Grott. Originally built in 1669, the small wooden hut is regarded as the oldest viewing house in the country. Recently given a makeover, the Grott has a large glass panelled side which looks directly towards Rydal Falls. Like the gardens, the Grott is free to visit but is only unlocked between 8am and 4pm.

Rydal Caves

From the gardens, I made the short journey across to one of the Lake District’s hidden gems, Rydal Caves. Nestled into the side of Loughrigg Fell, the abandoned caves are a result of the area’s 19th-century slate mining past. 

The closest available parking is at Pelter Bridge Car Park situated just off the A591. The car park is quite small with two hours’ parking costing £3.70. If there is a lack of space, consider leaving your car at Rydal Gardens, situated on the other side of the A591.

From Pelter Bridge, the walk to the cave is a gentle 1.2km stroll up a well-maintained path past the picturesque Rydal Water.

The first cave is somewhat underwhelming and difficult to get into, however, do not let this put you off as the second cave is a sight to behold. Its colossal entrance has a series of stepping stones leading over a small body of water which apparently contains several fish. The cavern is well lit by the huge opening and you can explore the back of the caves on dry land with ease.

The hike up to the caves should take between 1-2 hours, however, you can expand the walk by either starting from the village of Grasmere, looping around the shores of Rydal Water or continuing to climb up to the summit of Loughrigg Fell.

I ended up extending the walk and visiting the summit of Loughrigg. From the caves, the path climbs a further 180m, with some surprisingly steep sections, over 1.2km.

Despite the summit only sitting at 355m, you will have panoramic views for very little effort. In the words of the famous Lakeland author Alfred Wainwright:

“No ascent is more repaying for the small labour involved in visiting its many cairns, for Loughrigg has delightful grassy paths, a series of pleasant surprises along the traverse of the summits, several charming vistas and magnificent views.” 

I ended up heading up for sunset and, although I didn’t get the conditions I had hoped for, I still had those magnificent views that Wainwright wrote about.

In total, the loop is 5km, involves 300m of ascent and should take around 3 hours.