Grasmere (lake) Lake

Address: Grasmere, Lake District, Cumbria, England

Hours: Open year-round

Admission: Free (outdoor public lake)

Grasmere is a small lake in the central Lake District in Cumbria, England, and is an integral feature of the village of Grasmere. The lake and village are closely associated with the Romantic poet William Wordsworth and with Lake District tourism.

Grasmere and its village have long been part of the Lake District’s rural and cultural landscape; in the late 18th and early 19th centuries the area became associated with the English Romantic poets and attracted visitors for its scenery.

Grasmere lies in the central Lake District National Park in Cumbria, between the towns of Ambleside and Keswick, with the village of Grasmere positioned on the lake’s shore.

• Wordsworth connection: The village of Grasmere sits on the lake’s shore and is closely associated with the poet William Wordsworth, whose Dove Cottage and grave are local attractions.
• Access and walking: The lake lies within the Lake District National Park and is accessible by a network of short walking routes along its shoreline.

What to See#

• Grasmere village and literary sites: The lakeshore is adjacent to the village of Grasmere, which contains Dove Cottage and St Oswald’s Church where William Wordsworth lived and is buried.

Grasmere (the village and lake) is in the central Lake District (Cumbria). By public transport take a train to Windermere (change at Oxenholme Lake District) then the Stagecoach 555 bus toward Keswick/Ambleside which stops at Grasmere - the bus stop is a short walk from the village and lake (around 5-10 minutes on foot).

By car follow the A591 from Windermere/Ambleside into the central Lakes; Grasmere is roughly a 20-30 minute drive north from Windermere (about 10 miles / ~16 km) via the A591.

• Arrive at dawn for calm water and the best chance of mirrorlike reflections with far fewer people than mid-morning.
• Start your walk from Grasmere village to avoid limited roadside parking and to combine the lakeside stroll with nearby attractions (Dove Cottage, village amenities) without extra travel.
• To escape the busiest sections by the village, continue around to the lake's northern end-the path there is quieter and often rewards with different viewpoints and fewer tourists.