Wander lonely as a cloud in the Lake District this Spring and see the hosts of golden daffodils fluttering and dancing in the breeze, beside the sparkling waves of Ullswater, just as William and Dorothy Wordsworth did on 15th April 1802, before returning to their home at Dove Cottage, Grasmere.
A trip to Ullswater provides the opportunity to see the sight of the daffodils at Glencoyne Bay, now named Wordsworth Point, as well as at other places along the shore, where they can easily be appreciated by those enjoying a scenic and inspirational cruise with ‘Ullswater Steamers’.
Wordsworth’s poem ‘Daffodils’ is thought to pay homage to sprightly daffodils that he and sister Dorothy encountered when walking back to Grasmere from Pooley Bridge, on Ullswater. These carpeted the ground beneath the trees beside the lake, on a stormy day when flora and stormy waters dramatically demonstrated the power of nature.
Dorothy notes in her Grasmere Journal that they encountered ‘a long belt of them along the shore’ and that whilst some lay their heads on mossy stones, others ‘laughed with the wind’. Even now, the sight of bright, yellow daffodils adorning the lake’s shore is one which many Ullswater ‘Steamers’ passengers never forget.
The dramatic scenery, around what is considered England’s most beautiful lake, adds to the experience, as the heritage ‘Steamer’ travels along three distinct stretches of the Z-shaped lake, with the imposing Helvellyn – England’s third highest mountain – at its head.
Passengers can enjoy encountering various types of wildlife and flora, as well as revelling in the reflections on the water and the clean, mountain air. Two of the four vessels in the fleet date from Victorian times, including Lady of the Lake, launched in 1877 and believed to be the oldest working passenger vessel in the world. A 70-minute return trip from either Glenridding at the foot of the lake, or Pooley Bridge at its top, to Howtown costs £9.00 for an adult, £4.50 for a child, or £24.00 for a family. A family ticket covers two adults and up to three children (aged 5-15) or one adult and three children. Under 5s travel free.
A Round The Lake Pass, from Glenridding or Pooley Bridge, costs £12.30 for an adult, £6.15 for a child and £19.95 for a family, for a 140-minute cruise. This fare also qualifies the passenger for a half-price voucher for travel on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway – Ullswater ‘Steamers’ sister attraction.
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