Coffin Route-Ambleside to Grasmere
Follow the Coffin Route from Ambleside to Grasmere on this lovely walk in the Lake District. The popular walk is fairly easy with only a short climb and a well defined, signposted route. The path is so called because it was used to convey coffins on their final journey to St Oswalds Church in Grasmere.
You start off in Ambleside and follow the A591 to Scandale Bridge where you leave the road and head through Rydal Park to Rydal Hall. This 19th century mansion has formal gardens and the pretty Rydal Falls where you can enter 'The Grot' - an 18th century summerhouse designed for viewing the waterfalls. Rydal Hall also has a very good tea shop so it's a good place to stop for refreshments on the route. Just up the hill to the right you will find Rydal Mount - the home of the poet William Wordsworth from 1813 to his death in 1850.
The route continues west passing along the lower part of Nab Scar with lovely views of Rydal Water.
You soon come to Dove Cottage where Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy lived from December 1799 to May 1808. William wrote much of the poetry for which he is remembered today, including 'I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud' at Dove Cottage. It's now open to the public - you can enjoy a guided tour of the house and visit the adjacent musueum which has fantastic exhibitions about Wordsworth's work and life.
The final section of the walk takes you past Grasmere lake and into Grasmere village where you can see the grave of Wordsworth in the peaceful graveyard of St Oswalds church.
Coffin Route-Ambleside to Grasmere Ordnance Survey Map 
- view and print off detailed OS map
Coffin Route-Ambleside to Grasmere Open Street Map 
- view and print off detailed map
Coffin Route-Ambleside to Grasmere OS Map 
- Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking
Coffin Route-Ambleside to Grasmere Open Street Map 
- Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking
Pubs/Cafes
At the end of the route in Grasmere we recommend a visit to Tweedies for some well earned refreshments. This nice pub has a very large beer garden with plenty of tables. It's a lovely place to sit out and relax in after a long walk. You can find it in the village, near the lake, at a postcode of LA22 9SW for your sat navs.
Also consider stopping at Rydal Hall for a cup of tea and cake. There's lovely gardens and a tea room with a delightful outdoor seating area with views over a rushing waterfall.
Cycle Routes and Walking Routes Nearby
Photos
Grasmere Church at the end of the route. The church dates from the 14th century and is a Grade I listed building. It is architecturally very impressive with the interior housing several notable monuments. These include one to Wordsworth by Thomas Woolner, with an epitaph by John Keble.
Right next to the church is the noteworthy Grasmere Gingerbread Shop. The delightful little shop is set in a 1630's school stocking gingerbread, rum butter, fudge and mint cake. You will often see a long queue outside the popular shop.
Rydal Hall. The historic hall is a nice place to stop for a bite to eat and a stroll around the pretty gardens. The estate dates from the 17th century and is Grade II listed.
Rydal Beck at Rydal Hall.
Multi trunked tree in Rydal Hall garden. The gardens cover over 30 acres and include a number of interesting sculptures. In the spring months there are also lots of pretty bluebells to see.
In Rydal Park. Above the Coffin route looking towards Loughrigg
North of Ambleside
The Corpse Road above Rydal Water
Coffin Stone at Town End. This stone is beside a 'corpse road' along which coffins had to be carried from Ambleside for burial at St Oswald's Church, Grasmere. This stone, along with others along the way, was used to support the coffin while the bearers rested.