The Henson Journals

[162]

Friday, April 17th, 1914.

Again the weather was propitious. Bright sun & cloudless sky from start to finish. Canon Rawnsley left immediately after breakfast. He said that the larks would not mount & sing about Keswick through fear of the raptores [sic] from the mountains. Here they sing freely.

We motored to Keswick, & there went at once to Lodore. There was scarcely any water in the Fall, but the scene is romantic, & after heavy rains, it is easy to imagine a mighty cataract. Here we lunched, & strolled about the lake–side. Derwentwater is beautiful with islands, & curious on account of the 'floating island' which appears in it at intervals. We returned as far as Grasmere, & there stopped in order to visit the quaint church, & the tomb of Wordsworth, & Dove Cottage. The last is kept as far as possible in its original state – a very humble dwelling. Here Wordsworth lived in the earlier years, & wrote much of his best work. The little house is stocked with various articles reminiscent of the poet, and many personal relics. We had tea comfortably in a pleasant hotel by the lake–side: & then motored back to Kendal arriving about 6.30 p.m. Our way was made glorious by views of lake & mountains, changing in the evening lights.

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