Grasmere is our favourite village in the Lake District. It’s a quintessential chocolate box village with a postcard worthy view around every corner. As charming as the village is, Grasmere has a wild side. Beyond the delicious restaurants, tea rooms and boutiques, you’ll find dramatic fells, beautiful waterfalls you can swim under, eerie caves, and plenty of gorgeous woodland which are a stronghold for the rare red squirrels.
The village also has a strong connection to William Wordsworth and you’ll find his cottage, grave, garden and more within the area. As well as all this, there’s even a place where you are almost guaranteed to see a badger in the wild! In short, there’s something for everyone in Grasmere.
Here are 16 of the best things to do in and around Grasmere.
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1: Visit the magical Rydal Grot
2: Step back in time at the 200 year old Dove Cottage
3: Take a dip under a gorgeous waterfall
4: Catch a sunset from Helm Crag
5: Delight in red squirrel spotting at Allan Bank
6: Come face to face with wild badgers
7: Indulge in the best cakes in the Lakes
8: Check out the eerie Rydal Caves
9: Dine at the best restaurant in Grasmere
10: Pay your respects at William Wordsworth grave
11: Taste the Lakes best kept secret recipe
12: Stroll the beautiful Daffodil Garden
13: Walk the easy Grasmere Lake Loop
14: Swim in a natural infinity pool
15: Try the locally made beer and gin
16: Check out some of the tallest tree in England
The best things to do in Grasmere
1. Visit the magical Rydal Grot
Rydal Grot has to be one of the most beautiful rooms in England. Well, perhaps not the room itself - it’s just a stone hut after all - but the outlook is a tough one to beat.
The view from the window seat looking out onto the waterfall and emerald pool is just idyllic.
It’s hard to believe such a lovely spot is both free to visit and a mere five minute easy stroll. From the parking area beside Rydal Mount, you’ll walk through the picturesque garden before making your way down to the river and grot.
If you’re feeling energetic you can continue the walk to several more stunning waterfalls, details of which can be found in this post.
2. Step back in time at the 200 year old Dove Cottage
If you only have the time or inclination for one William Wordsworth related activity, make it a visit to Dove Cottage.
In fact, even if you have absolutely no interest in Wordsworth whatsoever, you should still visit Dove Cottage.
It has been left much as it would have been over 200 years ago, with original pieces and even a fire burning, making it easy to feel like you’ve stepped back in time.
We visited on a guided tour, which was really interesting and the stories brought the cottage to life. Despite the fact we’ve been a few times, it’s changed a little now and you can also wander the gardens and enjoy the Wordsworth museum, which probably makes it time for us to visit again!
You can’t take photos inside the cottage, which is a shame, but you can take a picture of the exterior, which is is about as quintessential a Lakeland cottage as you’re ever likely to find.
3. Take a dip under a gorgeous waterfall
Sour Milk Ghyll is gorgeous at any time of year, but if you’re lucky enough to visit during the warmer months, then it makes for a spectacular place for a wild swim.
The pool gets a lot of sun, so it’s one of the warmer places to swim in the Lakes.
The quickest route to the waterfall is via a well maintained one mile (each way) walking track, which does involve climbing a hill, but the reward is more than worth the effort. The views along the way, and from the waterfall are sublime, with forest and fells as far as the eye can see.
You can continue the walk to create a longer circuit, taking in more stunning scenery and the wonderfully remote feeling Easedale Tarn - another great place for a dip, details of which can be found here.
4. Catch a sunset from Helm Crag
Helm Crag is one of our favourite walks in the Lake District. For relatively little effort you’re rewarded with some truly spectacular views over Grasmere.
The walk is just over two miles (3.3km) return and whilst it does involve a fair amount of uphill, it’s not too challenging and the views throughout are glorious. It’s also the first place we ever saw a red squirrel in the wild, so keep your eyes peeled!
The fact it’s a short walk and has some fantastic views, make it a fabulous choice for sunset. The lake and fells are bathed in an ethereal golden light and it adds a touch of magic to the already beautiful scene.
You can read more about hiking Helm Crag for sunset in this guide.
5. Go red squirrel spotting at Allan Bank
We loved our visit to Allan Bank, but not for the reason we initially went for. We wanted to visit as it was one of William Wordsworth’s former residences, but that was sort of by the by when we got there.
It’s nothing like Dove Cottage, or in fact any National Trust property we’ve been to.
Rather than being full of furniture and set up like a home as you might expect, it’s now full of art exhibitions and lounges where you can sit and look out at the beautiful grounds.
Tea and coffee is self service and free of charge (once you’ve paid your entry fee) and it was an absolute delight to sit on the comfy armchairs and look out over the garden.
We were lucky enough to spot one of the gorgeous red squirrels - only my second sighting ever - and it’s happily very common to see them here. We heard they are more active in the mornings, and there are benches outside in the garden where you can sit quietly and wait to see if they stop by.
There’s also a really lovely 20 minute woodland walk onsite. There’s one little hill, but it’s generally an easy walk and the mossy forest was beautiful.
There’s no public parking up at the house, but it’s less than a 10 minute walk from Grasmere village.
6. Come face to face with wild badgers
We had always wanted to see a badger in the wild, so I couldn’t believe it when I heard there was a hotel (The Glen Rothay Hotel) just 2.5 miles from Grasmere that backed onto woodland with a healthy population of resident badgers.
I never imagined my first wild badger sighting would come complete with G&T in hand, but it was certainly memorable!
The badgers tend to come out a little after dusk and the woodland is right beside the hotel - just a few steps from the main bar. We’d recommend coming a little after dusk, grabbing a drink and sitting on the wooden bench beside the feeding area (there’s a sign so you know where to go).
Wait quietly and you’re almost guaranteed to be treated to a close up sighting. We saw three in summer, but apparently you can see up to 10 in winter when food in the woodland is more scarce.
You don’t have to pay to see the badgers and there’s no one from the hotel monitoring it, so please respect the signs about not getting too close and staying quiet - it’s also polite to buy a drink if you’re not a guest of the hotel.
It’s worth noting that the badgers are fed scraps, so although they are 100% wild and not interacted with in any other way, there’s always a debate about whether feeding wild animals is ethical, so you’d have to make your own decision about that.
7. Indulge in the best cakes in the Lakes
Baldrys tearoom offers some of the best cakes of any tearoom we’ve been to in England. The savoury food is good, but it’s the cakes we dream of every time we come back to the area. Each one we’ve tried has been delicious, but the malteaser cake is probably my favourite!
If you’re opting for something savoury, make sure you ask for tomato sauce.
Rather than the usual jar of Heinz, you’ll be treated to a delicious locally made relish, which is so good we always buy some to take home.
The prices are quite high at Baldrys and the queues can be long at times, but we always think it’s worth it!
8. Check out the eerie Rydal Caves
The gaping mouth of Rydal Cave has a layer of jagged rocks which look like a set of sharp teeth. An eerie sight, particularly if you visit on a dark and gloomy day! If you’re lucky enough to get the cave to yourself, all you’ll hear is the dripping of water on rock, which combined with the darkness gives it a mysterious air.
Located just three miles from Grasmere you can walk to the cave from the village, but the quickest route is from a car park which is an 8 minute drive away, followed by a 15 minute walk.
It’s an easy trail which is mostly level and passes by another less visited cave, which has slightly trickier access, but is aided by a rope.
You can read about the full trail, including both caves in our detailed guide.
9. Dine at the best restaurant in Grasmere
The Jumble Room has some of the best reviews of any restaurant I’ve seen in the Lakes, so I knew we had to try it. Luckily for us we managed to snag a cancellation because it does book out early over summer.
The decor is fun and slightly eclectic and the welcome is very warm, but it’s definitely the food that will blow you away. Every single dish was full of flavour and it ended up being one of our favourite restaurants in the Lakes.
The menu looks quite small online, but they had lots of different specials when we got there. The beetroot and goats cheese gnocchi is definitely a dish I won’t forget, but everything we tried was delicious.
The Jumble Room is not open daily, so it does require advanced booking in peak season unless you get lucky. You can see the current opening hours here.
10. Pay your respects at William Wordsworth grave
St Oswalds church is the final resting place of William Wordsworth and you can pay your respects at his gravestone in the churchyard.
The grave is signposted, which is helpful as it’s not ostentatious in any way and blends in perfectly with the rest of the cemetery.
It’s also worth popping inside the pretty 14th century church, with its beautiful stone floor and abundant beams. It appears unchanged for the most part until you look to the left and see something I’ve actually never seen in a church before - some very comfy looking sofas!
They may look slightly out of place, but I love how welcoming it makes it feel.
If you’re visiting in autumn my personal favourite view of the church is actually from a few steps away, in the Grasmere Garden Village. There are a row of maples which turn a vibrant array of reds, purples and orange, and you can see the top of St Oswalds peeking out from behind.
11. Taste the Lakes best kept secret recipe
I am not sure if anyone visits Grasmere for the first time and doesn’t sample a piece of Sarah Nelson’s gingerbread.
It’s synonymous with Grasmere and even if you hadn’t heard of it before visiting, you’d soon notice the queue that is almost permanently snaking out the doorway.
Sold from the teeny tiny cottage shop, it feels a bit like stepping back in time, and the smell even from outside is divine.
The gingerbread itself was invented in 1854 and the recipe is still a closely guarded secret. It was tasty, but after finishing it I saw that you could also pop it in the oven and have it warm, which I think would definitely have been my preference.
12. Stroll the beautiful Daffodil Garden
The absolute best time to visit the William Wordsworth’s Daffodil Garden is in March, when the daffodils are in full bloom.
We have visited countless times over the years, but still never been lucky enough to visit at the right time, however it is a lovely spot year round.
It’s a very small garden originally planted to raise vital funds for the church. In tribute to Wordsworth and his most famous poem ‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’ (more commonly referred to as ‘Daffodils’) thousands of daffodils were planted.
If you love this garden and are visiting in season, then it’s worth also going to see nearby Dora's Field, less than three miles from the village, planted by William Wordsworth and his wife in loving memory of their daughter who tragically passed away.
Even if you aren’t lucky enough to visit the daffodil garden when the flowers are in bloom, it’s still worth a visit. There’s a lovely maple by the entry gate if visiting in autumn.
13. Walk the easy Grasmere Lake Loop
If you’re looking for a gorgeous easy walk in the Lake District, then head for the Grasmere Lake Loop. This flat walk (a rarity in the Lakes!) takes you right the way around the lake, with gorgeous views throughout.
You can even take a dip if you’re lucky enough to be walking on a hot day and want to cool off.
If you’d prefer to get out on the water, then you can also rent canoes and paddle on the calm waters. At one mile long, there’s plenty of great scenery to take in.
14. Swim in a natural infinity pool
Although the Thirlmere infinity pool is seven miles outside of Grasmere, we had to include it because it really is a spectacular spot, and takes less than 15 minutes to drive to from the village!
If you’re a lover of wild swimming it’s a hard spot to beat, with simply sensational views and a picture perfect swimming hole.
It only takes around 30 minutes to reach on foot, but it’s uphill most of the way. Your reward is a swimming hole to remember, especially if you go at sunset when the light is mesmerising.
It can get busy and there are no directions, so we have you covered on everything you need to know to plan the perfect visit in this guide.
15. Try the locally made beer and gin
Whilst you can’t take a tour of the Grasmere Brewery, you can visit the taproom for some locally brewed craft beer. They also serve locally distilled gin, which is great if you want to sample something that’s Grasmere made, but aren’t a beer drinker.
The taproom (The Good Sport) is a 19th century farmhouse with all the pretty stonework and charm that you’d expect. It’s also located right on the river, with a small terrace overlooking the water, which is perfect for a hot day.
Joe tried the IPA which was light and easy drinking and I opted for the elderflower gin. I couldn’t taste that much elderflower, but it was fresh and possibly a little too easy to drink!
I think next time I’d go for the regular gin and add an elderflower tonic instead.
16. Check out some of the tallest trees in England
Tree lovers can’t miss the High Close Tree Trail where you’ll find some of the tallest trees in England - including some real giants like the mighty redwood.
It’s a wonderfully peaceful 1.6 mile walk, which takes you around a variety of native and non native trees in one easy circuit.
We initially picked the trail in hopes of seeing some autumn colour and whilst there were some lovely yellows and browns, it was the trees themselves which really stood out - so it’s very much worth a visit year round.
The first part of the walk is all on a well maintained path, however if you enter the woodland section it’s a little more rustic. It’s still by no means a difficult path, just not so manicured, and with a few undulations.
Parking for the walk is at the National Trust car park next to the YHA Langdale, which has limited space. However, it’s not an overly well known track, so you shouldn’t have trouble parking.
Where to stay in Grasmere
Raise View House
Raise View House blends style, luxury and incredible scenery to create the quintessential Lake District stay. The views from the rooms take in the spectacular fells, and we couldn’t think of anything better than soaking in a bath looking out at Helm Crag!
Lancrigg Hotel & Kitchen
The Lancrigg Hotel is set in beautiful grounds at the foot of Helm Crag and on the path to Easedale Tarn and Sour Milk Ghyll. It’s the kind of place you could happily spend several days wandering the grounds and local trails, dining in the restaurant and simply resting up.
The views are beautiful and the rooms are cosy and modern.
YHA Grasmere Butharlyp Howe
The YHA’s in the Lake District are often in grand houses that look like 5* hotels from the outside, and the one in Grasmere is no different. The rooms are pretty simple - as you’d expect from a hostel - but have everything you need and are perfect for when you’re on a budget, but still want to stay in a great location. The biggest problem is securing a room, as it’s incredibly popular, so you’ll need to book far in advance for peak season stays.
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