(Above: the southern tip of Grasmere Lake, one of Wordsworth’s favourite places. The February colours will change, dramatically, soon…)
It’s February; cold and wet, now… But in a few month’s time, It will be glorious May, and the landscape around the celebrated village of Grasmere, in the heart of the Lake District, will be transformed into one of the beautiful locations in Britain.
Grasmere is to be our base for the Silent Eye’s Spring weekend for 2024, 10-12 May.
(Above: the location of Grasmere, a short drive north of the town of Ambleside, on the Keswick road)
Grasmere’s most famous resident was William Wordsworth, and the village hosts the world-famous Wordsworth Museum and Dove Cottage. Dorothy and William Wordsworth’s grave is located between the church and the river.
(Above: Grasmere in all its beauty)
Our weekends are gentle affairs, but we do some serious walking and talking, too. We choose a landscape of beauty around which we can base three walks: A longer one for the Saturday and two shorter ones for the Friday afternoon and the Sunday morning prior to departure after lunch.
(Above: a vast variety of flora and fauna)
The main walk is taken on the Saturday, often in some circular fashion – and combining walking with other forms of transport. Last year, a number of well-exercised walkers were surprised and delighted to find an unexpected boat arriving at the jetty of Wray Castle, on Windermere, to ferry them across Lake Windermere and back to our base in Bowness.
(Above: the ‘Lion and the Lamb’ on Helm Crag is a well-known rock formation on the ridge above the village of Grasmere)
Our spiritual theme, discussed at various points on our walks is based on one of Wordsworth’s most famous works: the Ode to Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood.
We will explore the idea of ‘Clouds of Glory’ and what that might mean in modern terms. Those joining the event will be welcome to bring their own readings and quotations.
“Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:
The Soul that rises with us, our life’s Star,
Hath had elsewhere its setting,
And cometh from afar:
Not in entire forgetfulness,
And not in utter nakedness,
But trailing clouds of glory do we come
From God, who is our home”William Wordsworth. Extract from Poetry Foundationwebsite
Grasmere is justly famous for its surrounding hills, including Helm Crag’s Lion and the Lamb and the landscape of the River Rothay, which snakes through its centre (close to the grave of William and Mary Wordsworth), before flowing out into Grasmere lake and eventually, through Rydal Water and on into the vast waters of Lake Windermere.
(Above: looking back down to Grasmere from Helm Crag’s “Lion and the Lamb’ rocks)
(Above: A circular walk around Grasmere will be one of the weekend’s attractions)
A circular walk around Grasmere lake, taking in the beauty of the village, with refreshments back in the town, will be part of our planning.
Come and join us! Friday lunch to Sunday lunch 10-12th May, 2024.
To register your interest and receive updates on the plans, contact us at rivingtide@gmail.com.
———-
©Stephen Tanham 2024
———-
All photos taken and processed on an iPhone 12 ProMax.
Stephen Tanham is a writer-photographer and mystical teacher. He is the founding Director of the Silent Eye, which offers a journey of the soul guided by lessons, inner guidance and outer companionship.
There are two blog streams:
(mystically-oriented writing)
and
(general interest, poetry, humour and travel)
It may be winter, but it’s still beautiful, Steve.
Thank you, Noelle. I think so, too – but wanted to stress how much more ‘alive’ it will be in May.