On Wednesday we traveled north to the absolutely breathtaking Lake District. Once we saw the landscape we understood why it inspired the Romantic poets and caused Pride and Prejudice‘s Lizzy Bennet to exclaim, “What are men to rocks and mountains!”
We took a rainy but gorgeous hike above the village of Grasmere and visited Wordsworth’s home, Dove Cottage. We also stopped at his grave, freshly adorned with the daffodils he made so famous in his poetry. Our hotel tonight is actually in Scotland, just across the border in Greta Green, famous for being a place that young lovers eloped to in order to escape the strict English laws about needing parental consent to get married. We will dine tonight in the Blacksmith, named for the trade that worked in that spot. Blacksmiths also performed the weddings back when Gretna Green was an elopement spot. Tomorrow we head to York and some Bronte-inspired touring!
