I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and
hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
When we recollect these lines, our mind
floats to the distant place in the earth where the yellow flowers bloomed in
the green carpet along the undulated terrain. The misty morning, drizzling at
times, cool breeze touching our hair, and a sleepy village where laziness rolls
us towards the afternoon without any haste.
It was not a fantasy, but a hard reality,
that I witnessed, when I visited the village of Grasmere in England. It was the
village where from one of the greatest poets of all times gifted us with his
incredible composition that astonished the entire world.
It was the place where William Wordsworth and
his sister Dorothy Wordsworth spent eight years from 1799 to 1808 in Dove
Cottage, Grasmere in the lake district of England with the motto of “plain living
and high thinking”.
How to Reach
The village is located in the center of Lake
District National Park. The distance from Edinburgh and London to Grasmere is
143 and 287 miles towards south and north respectively. The nearest railway
station, Windermere is around 9 miles. Stagecoaches are available from
Windermere, Kendal, and Keswick.
Where to Stay
There are hotels, some of which are
overseeing the lake, Airbnb, hostels, and private accommodation in the village
itself. A huge number of tourists visit the place round the year and the beauty
of the place compels tourists to stay back in Grasmere for a couple of days,
not only being attracted to the legendary poet but also the nature trails of
the village itself.
The meandering road, keeping the lake on one side
and lush green hilly terrains across the lake from Windermere to Grasmere
beholds the spectacular beauty of the entire Lake District. The weather remains
misty with monsoon clouds floating at the lowest level along the hills, often
light rain makes the entire area feel like a heavenly abode.
There is an arrangement for boating, angling,
and water sports in the lakes of Windermere and Grasmere. But strolling on the
side of the lake, or laying back in a cafeteria, on the bank of the lake, with
a hot cup of cappuccino make life more comfortable.
The major attraction is Dove Cottage, built
in the early seventeenth century as an inn, later converted to a dwelling house
is situated beside the main road at a slight elevation. The stone-paved path
along the trimmed bushes leads to the main building constructed with local
stone, lime-washed walls, and slated roof.
The building has been converted to a heritage
building in 1891 after being taken over by Wordsworth Trust in the year 1890.
The house has been kept unchanged since the period of stay of the poet and is
being maintained with proper care to avoid any damage to the assets used by the
composer. A separate Wordsworth Museum was opened in 1943 by the trust.
There are eight rooms, four on each floor
connected by wooden staircases. The sizes of the rooms are not so big but can
accommodate a couple with an optimum number of furniture.
The lower floor was occupied by Dorothy
Wordsworth, beloved sister of William Wordsworth with reception, kitchen, and
her bedroom. The upper floor was used by William Wordsworth, where he used to
stay with his wife Mary and three children.
The furniture used by the poet and his family
were kept intact and even some of the clothes were kept in the museum.
A trained guide was employed by the trust to
explain the locations and history in detail which would help the visitors to
get enriched with the background and life of the poet.
The study of the poet overlooked the lake and
meadows and it was presumed that the poet used to stare through the window of
his study for hours together enjoying the breathtaking view of nature. A
secondary dining parlor was constructed adjacent to the study of the poet to
enjoy light meals. The cottage did not have any water connection inside the
premises but had to fetch water from outside.
A small orchard around the cottage was
maintained by William and Dorothy, which enhanced the beauty of the cottage
many folds. The blooming flowers, neatly trimmed bushes, and trees, stone-paved
paths and a toilet at the end of the garden still existed. A little mound or a
miniature replica of mountains constructed by them showed their love for nature
and natural beauties.
The museum in the cottage itself depicted
photographs of eminent literary personalities like Robert Southey, Coleridge,
Walter Scott, Humphrey Davy, Charles and Mary Lamb, Thomas De Quincy, who were
regular visitors of the place and participated in the discussion on literature.
My Experience
My first impression of the place was that the entire environment of the place was extremely conducive for the composer to
exploit the maximum of his capability as a poet. The lush green meadows across
the lake, mountains hidden in the clouds, and droplets of rainwater shining on
the fresh leaves of the trees and plants were definitely a catalyst to extract
the stock of words from the heart of the composer. Though we could not see ten
thousand daffodils, the yellow spots on the green carpet certainly added flavor
to the taste of eternal beauty.
Since my visit was during the day, I could
not enjoy nature under the dark sky and shining stars, but I could
visualize the lake in the dark, whispering meadows and the Milky Way, that
carried the poet to a different world.
It was a place, where the serenity and tranquility
of nature in the midst of solitude, the dancing daffodils would definitely
remove the pensive mood and would fill the mind with joy.
And then my heart with pleasure fills
And dances with the daffodils
Backlink
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXE6htrzCZw
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