Thursday, July 12, 2018

Grasmere (Showing Off a "Small Island" Part 9)

"I wandered lonely as a cloud," mused Spousal Unit (to-be).

"What?" I queried.

"We learned it in school," he replied.  "You know, William Wordsworth?"


"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."

It was 1990, and the first time I had ever been to Grasmere, England.  And my Spousal-Unit-to-be is quoting William Wordsworth.  (Actually, I am not sure he got past the first line.) But ever since, I have been in love with Grasmere, and this is one of the many events that made me fall in love with Spousal Unit.  Of course, it was on the must-see list for my sister and her husband during their visit last summer.  (See (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8) for previous posts.)

William Wordsworth (1770 -1850) was a major English Romantic poet who helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature.  William lived in Grasmere for 14 years and called it "the loveliest spot that man hath ever found."  William and his family are buried in Grasmere, in the cemetery of St. Oswald's Church.






I took advantage of this visit to St. Oswald's to capture more hand-stitched kneelers (see my previous post on this topic).






We 'wandered' on, and the winding road, ever hemmed in by dry stone walls, took us to Keswick, a market town in the Lake District.  We checked in to our B&B, and taking our hostess' advice, walked to George's for an early dinner.

Although we all felt like falling into bed, it was much too early for that. So off we went for a stroll in Keswick on a rainy summer evening.  It may not have been ideal, but for me it brought out some Keswick character worthy of a few photos.



And I found a B&B I am just dying to stay in next time, the next time I am 'wandering lonely as a cloud.'

Linking to:

All Seasons


Mosaic Monday


Our World Tuesday
Our World Tuesday Graphic

Sharon Photo Souvenir Blog Hop






21 comments:

  1. Love the picture with the red 'call box.'
    My husband is getting quite good at building those dry stone walls!!
    England is a beautiful country. We went on a walking vacation in the Lake District some years ago.

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  2. I have always loved that poem. I cannot wait to be wandering amongst my daffodils soon. =) I always love looking at photos of the English countryside. It always looks like the most heavenly place to wander around......verdant countryside, amazing architecture, beautiful gardens. I wonder what tales The Hedgehog Hill B&B could tell, it looks like a lovely place to stay.

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  3. Such a lovely place to be able to visit! :) Kit

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  4. Enchanting old towns of Britain!
    And those vintage phone boxes...

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  5. I love seeing the red phone booth too! And the neat B&B! What a beautiful place to spend time!

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  6. Thanks for adding your link to my new travel Link-up!

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  7. grassmere is one of our favourite places to visit always enjoy reading your blogs and to hear about the places you have been to .luv u mam w.

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  8. I love walking in the rain. I can't remember the last time I did. Goes to show how long it has been since it rained and rained enough for me to go out and jump in puddles. As I read Wadsworth's poem, I realized that I am now mature enough to appreciate his work, to see and hear the beauty of his words. You've got me hooked, Angie, to go read more.

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  9. Whenever I see a little lonely cloud in the sky I always quote William Wordsworth's poem! O also learned it in school. I'm a poetry lover and I think it is because my elementary school teachers made us read poems and prose.
    Grasmere does indeed look idyllic. I'd love to visit it one day along with other areas of countryside.

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  10. Very nice collages! Yes, "lonely as a cloud" is a great metaphor.

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  11. Loved wandering around Grasmere and Keswick with you today, lovely countryside to enjoy even in the rain! We had to learn that poem at school too but I don't suppose I could get past the first line either!

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  12. Hello, I love the Wordsworth poem. England is a beautiful place to wander. Your photos are lovely. Enjoy your day and week ahead!

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  13. Angie, Thanks so much for sharing this post. I love the English country. I watch Escape to the Country where much of it is featured. Have a great week. Sylvia D.

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  14. Wow, i still remember that poem too. We had it in the elementary school. I guess these days, those poets are not taught in school anymore. I am glad to at least have a feel of him through your picture. Thanks for that. I might not be able to reach England, but at least i know some poems past, haha!

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  15. I am so envious of your travels - I've always wanted to wander in the Lake District. The poetry also calls to me; we learned it in elementary school and did a little dance like a cloud of daffodils in a school program.

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  16. You had a beautiful time in Grasmere, a nice place to a walk, and a cool beer.

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  17. wow...what a wonderful story! i also remember that poem, but have not thought about it until this very moment!

    hedgehog hill, it's calling your name!!!

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  18. Enjoy your trip to the North East Angie. And don't forget Phil's Rule of Travel. "Always take your bins and camera. Nothing else matters.

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  19. Keswick looks fascinating ~ lovely post and photos of your adventures!

    Happy Day to you,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  20. What a wonderful wander Angie! loved every minute of it, except as I am sure I told you before on your 'showing off....' posts, I must fight back an acute case of envy. How I would love to go back to England and out of London this time.!!

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