Ian Francis

Penny Bradshaw

Paul Ferguson

Jeff Cowton MBE

<h2>Highlights</h2>
<ul>
<li>Guided walks in spectacular Lakeland scenery with insights into how earth history created the landforms and inspired the Romantic Poets, authors, artists and early scientists</li>
<li>Private, behind-the-scenes visits with our experts at two of Wordsworth’s Homes and the Jerwood Centre at Wordsworth Grasmere to see original archive material</li>
<li>Enjoy escorted walks in this beautiful scenery at the locations that inspired the Romantics and learn about the glaciations, volcanic eruptions, and other geological forces which created these remarkable landscapes</li>
<li>Explore how the landscape reflects past tensions between industrialization and conservation, and the arena for more modern conflicts between the differing goals of conservation, agriculture, and tourism</li>
<li>The activity level is rated as EASY (see definitions <a href="https://www.geoculturaworld.com/about/health-and-safety" target="_blank">here</a>)</li>
<li>The group stays four nights in The Grange Country House, Keswick, a small, award-winning Victorian House with spectacular views over the Lakeland scenery.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Overview</h2>
<p>A remarkable interaction between geology, climate and human activity in the Lake District has produced some of the world’s most glorious scenery – the backdrop to an extraordinary period of literary creativity during the Romantic era.</p>
<p>As ideas of the ‘picturesque’ took hold in the popular imagination during the second half of the eighteenth century, the Lakes began to attract writers and artists who were thrilled by the wildness of the mountain scenery and captivated by the dramatic juxtaposition of ‘frightful’ crags with the pastoral tranquility of the valleys and lakes. Our escorted tour brings together the ‘deep time’ origins of the landscape with the literature and passions of Wordsworth.</p>
<p>The tour includes a private visit to Wordsworth Grasmere, where we will view original notebooks, drawings and maps that together provide a unique insight into Wordsworth’s life and poetry, and the Romantic era in general.</p>
<p>Guided walks will immerse participants in the 450-million-year history that makes the Lake District so special and inspiring. Join us on a short holiday to appreciate the uniquely beautiful Lake District landscapes that continue to be a mecca for pioneering poets, naturalists, geologists, artists, and authors.</p>

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<h3>Tour Map</h3>
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<p><img title="T022 Itinerary Map" alt="T022 Itinerary Map" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T022%20LD%20Location%20Map%20(1).png">&nbsp;</p>
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<h3>Day 1 -&nbsp;Arrival and Meeting in Keswick, Cumbria</h3>
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<p><img title="The Grange Country House Hotel" alt="The Grange Country House Hotel" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T022%20LD%20The%20Grange%20KB.jpg"></p>
<p>Participants will gather in the evening at The Grange Country House for welcome introductions, dinner and a review of the trip itinerary.</p>
<p>Overnight in Keswick. Group dinner.</p>
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<h3>Day 2:&nbsp;Cumbrian Literature, Landscapes and Geology</h3>
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<p><img title="Grasmere" alt="Grasmere" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T022%20LD%20Grasmere%20KB.jpg"></p>
<p>A short drive to Rydal and Grasmere past Thirlmere Lake, the dramatic Helvellyn ridge and Grasmere, for a series of private tours and discussions on Wordsworth and his inspiration.</p>
<p>We then travel onto the Wordsworth Grasmere centre for lunch followed by a guided tour of Dove Cottage and Museum.</p>
<p>Jeff Cowton (Principal Curator) and Dr Penny Bradshaw will lead a private group discussion on the connections between Wordsworth, landscapes and geology, exploring both the poetry (including readings) and a special opportunity to see original historical notebooks and maps, not normally on display.</p>
<p>We will finish our visit to Wordsworth Grasmere with late afternoon/evening drinks in the Centre or in the gardens.</p>
<p>Overnight in Keswick. Group dinner.</p>
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<h3>Day 3:&nbsp;Deep-time Volcanoes, Landscapes and Artists - Excursion to Crummock, Buttermere and Honister Quarry</h3>
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<p><img title="Buttermere" alt="Buttermere" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T022%20LD%20Buttermere%20KB.jpg"></p>
<p>Today we travel along an extraordinarily scenic road south from Lorton to Buttermere that takes us through one of Lakeland’s most beautiful valleys.</p>
<p>After a short walk at Buttermere, we will have lunch at the famous Fish Inn, steeped in the history of Wordsworth’s writings.</p>
<p>Dr. Ian Francis, our local leader for the day, will take us back through time to reveal just how these dramatic landscapes were formed during the Ice Age. We will visit the rocks and a mine at Honister.</p>
<p>Dr. Paul Ferguson from Cumbria University, will join us to discuss the emotive relationships that have formed between the land and its inhabitants. Our visit to the Honister mines will highlight Cumbria’s industrial heritage: from mining and milling through to the appearance of the 20th century’s nuclear industry. Paul will share his insights into how recent literature and culture reflects the interplay between the people and landscape; and our evolving relationship with the land during the current period of climate change.</p>
<p>Overnight in Keswick. Free evening for dinner. GeoCultura can help with suggestions for restaurants or traditional pubs in Keswick.</p>
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<h3>Day 4:&nbsp;Excursion to Wordsworth’s Ennerdale: Unspoilt and a Rewilding Exemplar</h3>
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<p><img title="Ennerdale" alt="Ennerdale" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T022%20LD%20Ennerdale%20Crop%20KB.jpg"></p>
<p>Today we visit Wordsworth’s ‘Wild and Romantic.’ Ennerdale. It is the only major valley in Lakeland to be free of traffic, and creates a powerful impression of wildness.</p>
<p>Ian Francis will lead a walk along the valley bottom besides the serene Ennerdale Water and along forest trails into the heart of Lakeland. He will show us:</p>
<ul>
<li>Evidence of glaciation, including the major rock-slope failure on Crag Fell.</li>
<li>The imposing bastion of Pillar Rock, scene of Britain’s first recorded rock-climb</li>
<li>Evidence of medieval settlement patterns in the form of rectangular long houses</li>
</ul>
<p>An ecologist from the Ennerdale Rewilding Partnership will join us to demonstrate the results of their pioneering programme to enhance biodiversity and encourage natural geomorphological processes in this ‘Wild and Romantic’ setting that inspired Wordsworth’s poem The Brothers in 1800, after he and Coleridge visited the valley.</p>
<p>Overnight in Keswick. Final group dinner.</p>
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<h3>Day 5: Tour ends</h3>
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<p>The tour ends after breakfast. Participants may continue their exploration of the Lake District or return home. GeoCultura can help arrange transport to local rail stations or UK airports.</p>
<p>Note: this provisional itinerary is subject to change as specific locations and accommodations release more information regarding access for 2023.</p>
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<h3><span><span>Activity Level and Transport</span></span></h3>
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<p>The activity level is rated as EASY (see our definitions <a href="https://www.geoculturaworld.com/about/health-and-safety" target="_blank">here</a>), and is suitable for occasional walkers. The tour will include walks of up to ~5km (3 miles) on country/lakeside paths. Sturdy waterproof footwear is essential. Spring weather is typically mild, with daytime highs of 15-18°C (60-65°F) and night-time lows of 5-7°C (40-45°F). Rain is always possible, and participants should be prepared with warm and waterproof clothing.</p>
<p>Transport will be by small luxury coach.</p>
<p>If walking is an issue, alternative arrangements can be made instead of the scheduled longer walks, so please let GeoCultura know in advance.</p>
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<h3>The Tour Includes/Excludes</h3>
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<h4>The Tour Includes:</h4>
<ul>
<li>The services of your Tour Leaders and a Tour Manager, who will be with the group during the tour</li>
<li>Local experts and historians to guide the tour at selected sites</li>
<li>Transportation costs from the start to the end of the tour (at the hotel in Keswick)</li>
<li>All accommodation costs for four nights, all rooms double occupancy</li>
<li>All breakfasts and lunches, and three dinners</li>
<li>Entry fees, local guide fees and activity fees, where arranged as part of the tour</li>
<li>All service charges and most gratuities</li>
</ul>
<h4>The Tour Excludes:</h4>
<ul>
<li>Extra or optional activities not described in the tour</li>
<li>Personal expenditures, any alcoholic or soft drinks with meals,</li>
<li>Transportation to the start venue or from the end venue of the tour. However, (at extra cost) we can arrange transport and pick-up from Penrith railway station or from London airports. Please contact us for details +44 2081 451001 or use our Contact Form</li>
<li>Passport and visa fees</li>
</ul>
<p>Participants are required to carry their own health and travel insurance in case of accident or unforeseen circumstances.</p>
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<h3>Suggested Reading</h3>
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<p><em>‘The English Lakes’ by Ian Thompson. 2010.</em></p>
<p><em>‘Lake District: Landscape and Geology’ by Ian Francis, Stuart Holmes, and Bruce Yardley. 2022.</em></p>
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<h3>Accommodation</h3>
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<p>Nights 1 to 4:&nbsp;<a href="https://grangekeswick.com/" target="_blank">The Grange Country House</a>, Keswick, Cumbria<br><em><a href="https://grangekeswick.com/" target="_blank">The Grange Country House </a>is located just outside Keswick, the northern hub of the beautiful English Lake District. This Victorian country house has excellent views and is in a superb location with peaceful surroundings and just a short walk of about 15 minutes from Keswick town centre and the beautiful Derwentwater lake.</em></p>
<p>Note: If required for reasons beyond our control, GeoCultura reserves the right to substitute alternate accommodations. All attempts will be made to substitute hotels of equal quality.</p>
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<h3>Deposit and Payment Terms</h3>
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<p><strong>Deposit:</strong> A deposit of 10% of the tour price is due upon registration for a tour.</p>
<p><strong>Final payment:</strong> Full payment is due 60 days before a tour begins, or upon registration if within the 60-day window.</p>
<p><strong>Cancellation by participant:</strong> A participant may cancel a registration after securing a confirmed place on a tour for any reason. The following refund terms will apply:</p>
<ul>
<li>Greater than 60 days before tour begins: Any monies paid plus half of the deposit will be refunded</li>
<li>30 to 59 days before tour begins: 35% of tour price will be refunded</li>
<li>15 to 29 days before tour begins: 25% of tour price will be refunded</li>
<li>Within 14 days of tour or during the tour: No monies will be refunded</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Cancellation by GeoCultura:</strong> GeoCultura reserves the right to cancel any tour due to low enrolment, inability to run the tour or concerns about the safety, health or welfare of participants. If a tour is cancelled before it begins, all monies paid will be refunded (including any deposit).</p>
<p>Please refer to our <a href="https://www.geoculturaworld.com/terms-and-conditions" target="_blank">Terms and Conditions</a> page for additional details.</p>
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<h2>Ian Francis</h2>
<p><img title="Ian Francis" alt="Ian Francis" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/Ian%20Francis.jpg"></p>
<p>Ian Francis grew up near Loweswater, in the northwest Lake District. Having gained his degree and PhD in geology from Oxford University, he worked as a Higher Scientific Office with the Geological Conservation Review Unit in Newbury, then as a well-site geologist in the Australian outback, before returning to the UK to lead earth science book publishing at Blackwell (later Wiley-Blackwell).</p>
<p>Ian is co-author of The Lake District: Landscape and Geology, recently published by Crowood Press, and writes a regular column on landscape and geology for Cumbria Magazine.</p>
<p>Ian is a keen fell walker, musician and photographer, and a member of the Cumbria GeoConservation Group, a volunteer organisation working to record and preserve important geological sites in the county.</p>
<p>He lives in Maryport, on the Cumbrian coast.</p>
<h2>Penny Bradshaw</h2>
<h2><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 1); font-size: 9pt">&nbsp;</span><img style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 1); font-size: 9pt" title="Penny Bradshaw" alt="Penny Bradshaw" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/Penny%20Bradshaw.jpg"></h2>
<p>Dr Penny Bradshaw is an Associate Professor of English Literature at the University of Cumbria and Programme Leader for the MA in Literature, Romanticism, and the Lake District.  She is also theme lead for Cultural Landscapes within the University’s Centre for National Parks and Protected Areas and publishes primarily within the field of place writing, with a particular focus on Romantic-era Lake District literature. Penny is also interested in literary tourism. She runs literary-themed tours for students as well as public audiences and is the author of two literary tour guides: Literary Lancaster (2016) and A Literary Walking Tour of Ambleside (2021).</p>
<h2>Paul Ferguson</h2>
<p><img style="font-size: 9pt" title="Paul Ferguson" alt="Paul Ferguson" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/Paul%20Ferguson.jpg"></p>
<p>Dr Paul Ferguson grew up next to what was then a working quarry in the north-eastern Lake District. He is a Senior Lecturer in literature and culture at the University of Cumbria and is the programme lead for the MA in Creative Practice. He also teaches modules on ‘Literature and the Environment’ and ‘Contemporary Cumbrian Fiction’ for the MA Literature, Romanticism and the Lake District. He has published on literary connections with the Anthropocene and is currently working on material relating ‘local’ Cumbrian experiences to global events'.</p>
<h2>Jeff Cowton MBE</h2>
<p><img title="Jeff Cowton MBE" alt="Jeff Cowton MBE" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/Jeff%20Cowton%20MBE.png"></p>
<p>Jeff is Principal Curator &amp; Head of Learning at The Wordsworth Trust. Jeff has worked in the Museums world for 38 years, having begun his career as a volunteer with the Wordsworth Trust in 1981 before becoming Curator in 1994. The Trust cares for the single largest collection of Wordsworth’s verse manuscripts, many of them now held in the place where they were written, and holds the four surviving notebooks comprising Dorothy Wordsworth’s Grasmere journal. In 2010, Jeff was awarded an MBE in recognition of services to museums. He is currently leading on the reinterpretation of the site and Museum for the HLF-funded project Reimagining Wordsworth.</p>

<div><img title="Rannerdale at sunset" alt="Rannerdale at sunset" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T022%20LD%20Ennerdale%20KB.jpg">
<p>Crummock Water as seen from Rannerdale.</p>
</div>
<div><img title="Spectacular walks in the Lake District" alt="Spectacular walks in the Lake District" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T022%20LD%20Senior%20Hikers%20KB.jpg">
<p>The Lake District offers walkers some of the most spectacular views in England.</p>
</div>
<div><img title="Lake Buttermere" alt="Lake Buttermere" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T022%20LD%20Lake%20Buttermere%20KB.jpg">
<p>The landscape of Buttermere is both spectacular and charming, and has inspired artists for centuries.</p>
</div>
<div><img title="Wordsworth's Dove Cottage" alt="Wordsworth's Dove Cottage" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/Wordsworth%20Grasmere%20Dove%20Cottage%20from%20top%20of%20the%20Museum%20_Credit%20Gareth%20Gardner%20KB.jpg">
<p>Dove Cottage and its surrounding gardens were described by William Wordsworth's sister Dorothy as 'the loveliest spot that man hath ever found' (image credit Gareth Gardner).</p>
</div>
<div><img title="Buttermere" alt="Buttermere" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T022%20LD%20Buttermere%20KB.jpg">
<p>Swimmers enjoying the calm waters of Buttermere.</p>
</div>
<div><img title="Grasmere" alt="Grasmere" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T022%20LD%20Grasmere%20KB.jpg">
<p>The dales and hills of Grasmere.</p>
</div>

NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT FOR SOLO TRAVELLERS.
Explore the stunning Lakeland scenery that inspired Wordsworth. The perfect trip to immerse yourself in the origin of the landscape, the literature and ‘deep time.’

England’s Lake District: Landscapes, Literature and Geology