Day 5: Grasmere

If ever a body needed a rest day, this was it. Therese woke up feeling light-headed and depleted (Peter fared better but still needed a recovery day). We think it was a combination of a bit of sunstroke and a bit of dehydration from yesterday's grueling walk to Grasmere from Stonethwaite---- posting of that Day 4 adventure to come).

We had made plans to do a few day hikes where Wordsworth trod, but scrapped those plans and just took it easy.

The hotel we stayed in was in the hamlet of Lancrigg, just a half-mile from Grasmere.

The Lancrigg Country House Hotel was the former home of Elizabeth Fletcher, a good friend of William and Dorothy Wordsworth, who actually found her the house and came here often to walk the terraced paths in the forest behind. Notable guests included Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, Tennyson, and Robert Southey (only English majors will know that last one). The eventual owner (son-in-law of Elizabeth) was Sir John Richardson, who, with John Franklin, explored the Arctic to discover the Northwest Passage. Richardson was friends with Darwin and he used the property of Lancrigg Manor to plant unusual horticulture species. A terrific place to feel the history of Grasmere.

Lancrigg Hotel today hosts an amazing vegetarian restaurant. We ended up eating here both nights because the food was so interesting and tasty, as good as or better than anything we have had in New York. And the views from the terrace were nothing short of humbling (the beer certainly helped).

After a delicious breakfast that included Peter eating a vegetarian version of a "Complete English Breakfast," we strolled the 10 minute walk into town, passing mind-blissing scenery.

We did little in Grasmere itself, which is extremely touristy. We were so glad we were not staying in town. We did of course, go to Wordsworth's home, Dove Cottage, and take a tour.

Before the tour, we sat in the garden and read a few of his poems to each other. Peter has newly discovered Wordsworth and has taken to him with a vengeance. He'll tell you that he thinks that Wordsworth is the father of beat poetry! Come to our house for dinner sometime and he'll wax eloquent on the subject, maybe even read some Wordsworth with beat inflections.

Lunch at the hotel on Grasmere Lake (where we had an interesting conversation with our waiter from Spain about Brexit; "I'm not leaving; what are they going to do? Make me?"), a little bit of business in town (pharmacy, bookstore), then back to our hotel for another world-class meal, then to bed for a final rest before we climb yet again out of one Lake District valley and over to another valley, though this one is actually outside the Lakes National Park so it will be posted!