Round the lake: Rydal Water 2.5 miles, Grasmere 2.75 miles, Together (our route) 6.25 miles
Time taken - whole walk: 3hrs 45 mins (including frequent stops)
"We wandered lonely with the crowds
that swarmed o'er dale and hill.
Quite unlike the Wordsworths,
old Dorothy and Will"
Rydal Water and Grasmere, lie in the heart of tourist Lakeland, in the area forever associated with the late poet laureate,13 miles from Keswick and 8 from Windermere. It was a bright winter Saturday but, we thought, it's January, the place won't be too busy. As we drove south from Dunmail Raise however, it became clear that finding somewhere to park wouldn't be easy and we were right; the lack of spaces forced us to fork out a fiver for four hours of parking at the White Moss car park which lies mid way between the two lakes.
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| White Moss car park - including waterfall
Across from the car park are a number of walks through trees and along a river bank which can lead you to the shore of either lake in just a few minutes. We chose however to walk a hundred yards or so along the roadside towards Rydal before turning left and following a path up a steep climb to join a higher level route above Rydal Water; thus gaining some decent views over the lake to the fells on the other side.
It was a pleasant walk along a good enough path, sometimes among trees and sometimes in the open. At one point there were a number of seats with elderly walkers sitting on them enjoying the view - given the gentle terrain and the number of people around, we already knew this wasn't going to be an intrepid expedition!
Rydal Water looking over the road from the first half mile or so of our walk
After some time the path led us towards the back of a very old looking house with rather well kept gardens. A sign, referring to a teashop which was closed, revealed this to be Rydal Mount, the home of Wordsworth from 1813 until his death in 1850. It was here that he wrote many of his best works including "Daffodils". Fat chance he'd have of walking "lonely as a cloud" these days - ironic, really, that writing of his solitary walk has played a part in making it all but impossible most days of the year.
Rydal Mount
Despite that, our walk was most enjoyable and we meandered merrily down the hill towards the main road, detouring slightly to take a look at Rydal Hall; a fine looking victorian mansion with formal gardens and a stone "grotto" from which you can view a rather impressive, if small, waterfall. After our recent rains, the beck was in full flow, and the waterfall was worth the detour.
Not Niagara, but a nice enough sight on a sunny day.
Crossing the main road, and walking back towards Grasmere for a few yards, we joined another track which led to the eastern end of Rydal Water and round to the opposite side of the lake. It is one of the county's smaller lakes but, nestled among equally diminutive hills, it sits in perfect scale to its surroundings and is a pleasing rather than impressive sight.
Our walk took us along the lake shore for a little while before climbing up behind a stone wall and to a point where we had a choice; turn right and return to White Moss, thus completing the circuit of the lake, or continue to the crest of a hill where we'd look over Grasmere towards Dunmail Raise. It was still early in the afternoon, the sun was shining and we had really not walked far, so we chose the latter.
Rydal Water, looking across to the fell along which we'd walked earlier
The path now took us along Loughrigg, high enough above Grasmere to give a fine view over the lake, Grasmere village and over to Dunmail Raise with the "Lion and the Lamb" rocky outcrop on the left. When I was young, these rocks were said to resemble a lion and lamb from one side and an old woman playing a grand piano from the other! A certain amount of imagination is required to see either. We then decided to follow this path along the fellside to where it enters some trees and eventually joins the road which leads to Grasmere village. An alternative would have been to drop down to the lake and follow the shoreline path; this doesn't go all the way along to Grasmere village, but obliges the walker to leave the shore and walk up to the same road about three quarters of a mile outside the village. 
Grasmere from above
The walk along the road was pleasant enough, late on this January afternoon, but will not be so pleasant on a summer day when it will undoubtedly be busy with traffic - on foot and by car. We continued into Grasmere village, and treated ourselves to a hot chocolate before following the main road back to our car at White Moss. There is a footpath for most of the way (just under a mile and a half) but you do need to walk through the woods where the road turns away from the lake, as you approach the White Moss area and car park. 
Winter sun on Grasmere during the latter part of our walk
All in all, a good, if unadventurous, walk through gentle and beautiful scenery. We walked slowly and stopped often; an hour could be cut from our time, I'm sure. No challenges on this walk greater than finding somewhere to have a pee! If I do it again, it will be very early one morning in June before the majority of visitors have woken up. Only then, I feel, will the landscapes that inspired Wordsworth be properly appreciated. |
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