The poet William Wordsworth and his family moved from Dove Cottage to the larger Allan Bank on the opposite side of Grasmere in 1808, when his wife Mary was expecting her fourth child. He’d previously described the house as the “temple of abomination” because he felt it spoiled the view. They lived here until 1811, when they moved to the rectory opposite St Oswald’s Church.
The house, today owned by the National Trust, is a five-minute walk uphill from the village centre. Visitors can make themselves a drink and settle down in one of the easy chairs scattered about the house; there’s no formality here and no period furniture. Trails through the garden and the woods provide superb views of the lake and surrounding fells. Watch for red squirrels among the trees.
