The Local Area
Thorney How is located in the village of Grasmere, a popular tourist destination right in the very heart of the English Lake District. It’s the perfect location from which to explore everything Lakeland has to offer.
Whether you’re looking for adventure or relaxation, Grasmere is the ideal place from which to access all of the delights on offer in the Lakes.
You’re spoilt for choice for walks amongst the fells. From the village you can start an ascent of the popular route up Helm Crag — known locally as The Lion and the Lamb, due to the shape of rock formations on the summit — to the Northwest, or take a longer trek up onto Fairfield to the East.
And due to it’s central location, Grasmere gives you access to a whole host of popular walks — from low-level hikes around the Cumbria’s stunning lakes, to some of the most stunning mountain routes in the UK.
For details of many other walks in the Lake District try Happy Hiker – a walkers website with free simple to follow directions and GPS downloads.
Grasmere is also on the route of Alfred Wainwright’s popular Coast to Coast walk, and one of the alternative Coast to Coast mountain bike routes also passes through the village. In fact, if travelling on two wheels is your preference, there are hundreds of miles of track and bridleway for you to explore, with some rewarding — and challenging! — high level routes throughout the region.
Feel like taking it easier and exploring some of the Lakes cultural hotspots? Grasmere itself has plenty of places to explore, including Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Museum, and the Heaton Cooper Gallery.
If you’re looking for some tasty morsels, there’s a whole host of places to eat in the village, including some fine restaurants and some cosy, traditional pubs serving up fine local ales. And don’t forget to visit the famous Grasmere Gingerbread shop.
Since it’s so close to the village, it’s worth taking a stroll down to the lake. You can while away the hours on the shore taking in the stunning scenery with a picnic, or in the shoreside tea shop. You can even get out on the tranquility of the lake by hiring a rowing boat.
And with other main towns like Ambleside and Keswick not too far, there’s so much more of the Lake District to explore. A regular bus service connects Grasmere with nearby towns and villages, so getting around is easy.
Activities & Attractions
There’s plenty to explore during your stay in Grasmere and the surrounding area. We’ve picked out a selection of some the most popular local attractions and activities.
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Summitreks
Adventure Activities, Outdoor Courses, Activity Breaks and Outdoor Skills Training in the Lake District, Cumbria.
Summitreks provides adventure activities for Groups, Schools and Colleges, Stag and Hen parties, and Children and Families. Summitreks programme’s include: kayaking, Canadian canoeing, raft building, gorge scrambling, canyoning, aquaseiling, rock climbing, abseiling and adventure treks. Summitreks Adventure Activities offer the perfect blend of fun and excitement plus the opportunity to learn new skills.
www.summitreks.co.uk
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Dove Cottage & The Wordsworth Museum
Dove Cottage was the home of William Wordsworth from December 1799 to May 1808, the years of his supreme work as a poet. Take a fascinating guided tour of the cottage and explore everything the museum has to offer.
www.wordsworth.org.uk
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The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop
Tucked away at the corner of the churchyard of St. Oswald’s Church, sits this quaint little shop. Each day visitors to the shop are greeted by the wonderful aroma of freshly baked gingerbread and an atmosphere that’s bursting with tradition.
www.grasmeregingerbread.co.uk
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Heaton Cooper Studio
In 1937 William Heaton Cooper bought a piece of land just off the village green in Grasmere. It was here he intended to build his Gallery and home. By 1938 the project was complete, funded by the success of his first book, Hills of Lakeland. Today, the Studio is composed of three galleries exhibiting the work of the Heaton Cooper family of artists.
www.heatoncooper.co.uk
If you’re looking for inspiration or advice on what to do during your stay with us, feel free to ask us for help. We’ll be happy to have a chat and give you some pointers on where to go and what to do — we want you to make the most of your time with us!
Find out more
We’ve also gathered together a list of useful links to websites which provide a wealth of information on the Lake District and things to do here.
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Go Lakes
www.golakes.co.uk
To help you plan and make the most of your visit Go Lakes have an extensive and user friendly information network in place. Whether you require details on how to get here or how to get around, advice on what to see and do, or even what the weather is going to be like, you will find the information here at your fingertips.
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Lakes Festival Calendar
The Lake District Show and Festival Calendar
Courtesy of lakes-breaks.com
www.lakes-breaks.com
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National Trust
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
The National Trust have some useful information on the Grasmere area, including detailed info on facilities and plenty of ideas of things to do and places to go.
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Visit Cumbria
www.visitcumbria.com
Visit Cumbria is an independent guide to Cumbria and the Lake District, with a wealth of useful information on things to do around the whole county. They even have a guide for activities aimed at children and things to do on a rainy day.
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Trip Advisor - things to do
www.tripadvisor.co.uk
Choose your own preferences and see what others think – lots of choice here.
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iknow-uk Things to do
Things to do in the centre of the Lake District:
www.iknow-lakedistrict.co.uk
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Lake District & Cumbria Tourist Guide
With so many things to see & do:
spectacular scenery, beautiful lakes, walking, cycling, climbing and fell running.
Plus a whole host of activities, attractions, things to do and places to visit, to suit all needs and all pockets.
Plan your visit here Lake District Things to Do
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Practical Needs
Do you need to know where to find a Taxi or to buy some Healthy Food?
Try the Business Directory – MisterWhat!
Please note that we are not affiliated with any of these websites, nor do we endorse them — we provide this information in good faith as a way to help you find useful, relevant information for your visit to the Lakes.
