A trip down Memory Lane: Grasmere.

May 22 is my dear mother Margaret's birthday. Tragically, she passed away in December 2013. A couple of weeks ago, knowing that P would be away sailing in Croatia, I decided that on her birthday I would celebrate her life in one of her very favourite places, one full of very happy memories, where she & my lovely Dad had spent many holidays with us when my now grown-up boys were very little. So I booked myself into The Bridge House Hotel in Grasmere in the heart of the UK's Lake District.

This hotel is literally next door to the cottage we used to spend those wonderful holidays in.

Both hotel and cottage back onto the babbling river, right in the centre of picturesque Grasmere, next to the bridge.

Grasmere is such a pretty place nestled in with the hills and fells all around.......

- and with it's own lake of course.





The village itself has lots to explore: lots of little shops like the very famous Gingerbread Shop,

the only place in the world where you can buy Grasmere Gingerbread, which we have been enjoying for 30 years! Although tiny, quaint and Victorian inside, with servers dressed in traditional costume, Grasmere Gingerbread is BIG business - there is ALWAYS a queue of people waiting to get in and they have now embraced modern technology so you can buy online here.

Grasmere has lots of wonderful walks and a wealth of good places to refill your tank afterwards, from hotel restaurants, bistro-style cafes, good food pubs and, of course, the traditional tea rooms - LOTS of! One of the best is right beside the bridge with an outdoor terrace at the back where you can sit beside the river on fine days.

The weather was great on Wednesday when I set off, beautifully warm & sunny, and I thoroughly enjoyed the scenic route up through the Yorkshire Dales, through Windermere and Ambleside, driving alongside Rydall Water, past Dove Cottage where the poet Wordsworth lived, and finally into Grasmere itself.

Once checked into my quaint little room over-looking the river, I wasted no time in getting out to walk, camera in hand. I followed our favourite route around the village, crossing the bridge and taking the path to St Oswald's Church. I popped inside for a few minutes undisturbed heart chat with my Mum..........

before carrying on through the churchyard where you can see the grave stones of William Wordworth and many of his family. Just beside the church yard is the Wordsworth Daffodil Garden with its pathways of commemorative stones. Prompted by my eldest son,  two years ago I had made the required donation to have a stone laid to honour my parents in their lifetime rather than after, and the whole family had spent a very special weekend together in Grasmere to celebrate Margaret's 80th birthday. Mum and Dad had known nothing about this as we had walked the path together, reading the inscriptions detailing where people were from, until Mum had stopped suddenly, pointing and shouting to Dad 'It's us, we're here!!'

She was thrilled - and that walk now has even more significance for us all.....

So, leaving the Daffodil Walk, I continued on, following the river walk which goes all the way around the village, remembering the very many times we have done it before and missing my lovely Mum and my two wonderful boys who are now all grown up and off doing their own thing.


But the babbling of the river and the singing of the birds kept me company along the way, it's just BEAUTIFUL......

And the rhododendrons all around Grasmere are just spectacular this year.

Having thoroughly enjoyed a sunny evening stroll I settled in to my little room, with the window open to hear the babbling water, for some happy hooking! Inspired by the vibrant colours of the rhododendrons, I set about making more flowers for my Flower Garden blanket....

Lots of happy hooking until tired enough to go to sleep.....

The next day, Mum's birthday, brought a complete change in the weather:  although not nearly as bad as was forecast, it was very gloomy and overcast and rain threatened. But you just can't let the weather stop you in the Lakes, so, undeterred, I donned my walking boots and Musto waterproof coat, backpack of water and snacks and set off to walk in this wonderful countryside.

Just outside the village, behind Dove Cottage I found this wonderful place - I just love it. especially the chimneys! 

Being on my own and with storms forecast, I did not venture up onto the high fells but kept to a fairly low-lying circuit around Grasmere which still had very spectacular views down the valley,

taking me through beautiful woodland

beside the River Rothay

and along the lake shore

where I captured this view of another lovely house framed by this wonderful old tree....

before coming back into the village down a pretty lane lined with yet more GORGEOUS rhododendrons!

What a beautiful garden! 





And below is the house!





This is my idea of just THE most heavenly place to live!

I so thoroughly enjoyed my 3 hour hike, despite the drizzling rain which started towards the end but just served to enhance the freshness and beautiful colours of the landscape. Another uplifting if nostalgic trip down memory lane in Grasmere..........Another one to cherish.......