Ian Francis

Penny Bradshaw

Paul Ferguson

Jeff Cowton MBE

<h2>Highlights</h2>
<ul>
<li>Travel back through deep time as you learn to 'read' the rocks and landscapes of the extraordinary Lakeland scenery draped in its autumn finery.</li>
<li>Enjoy private, behind-the-scenes visits to two of William Wordsworth's homes and see original archive material.</li>
<li>Explore some of the Lake District's most beautiful villages, valleys and meres on foot and from the comfort of your luxury minibus.</li>
<li>Join expert-led walks and talks that cover everything from how Wordsworth learned to understand the scenery he wrote about, to Britain's first-recorded rock climb and a pioneering rewilding programme.</li>
<li>Wake up to award-winning breakfasts and views across Keswick, Derwentwater and the fells.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Overview</h2>
<p>What have volcanic eruptions got to do with Wordsworth's "golden daffodils"?&nbsp; Join us on this three-night tour and immerse yourself in the deep-time origins of the Lakeland landscape and the literature it has inspired.</p>
<p>Our handpicked team of experts will show you how landscapes, geology, climate and human activity produced some of the world's most glorious scenery, in turn inspiring the Romantic era - an extraordinary period of literary creativity.</p>
<p>Prepare to feel dwarfed by time and place.</p>

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<h3>Tour Map</h3>
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<p>&nbsp;<img title="T022 Itinerary Map" alt="T022 Itinerary Map" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T022%20LD%20Location%20Map%20(1).png"></p>
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<h3>Day 1: Arrival in Keswick, Cumbria</h3>
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<p><img title="The Lake District" alt="The Lake District" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T022%20LD%20Senior%20Hikers%20KB.jpg"></p>
<p>Keswick, know as the Queen of the Lakes, is conveniently - and charmingly - positioned for Lakeland explorations.&nbsp; Encircled by soaring fells and silvery Derwentwater, the market town's pretty streets are lined with interesting shops, restaurants and bars.</p>
<p>Settle into your accommodation close to Keswick town centre, then meet the rest of the tour group over dinner and a review of the trip itinerary.</p>
<ul>
<li>Overnight in Keswick</li>
<li>Group dinner</li>
</ul>
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<h3>Day 2: Rydal and Grasmere: 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><em>Get to know William Wordsworth, his inspiration and the Romantic era on a series of private tours in Rydal and Grasmere.</em></p>
<p>Born and bred in Cumbria, Wordsworth walked the fells with professional geologists, learning everything he could about the landscape.&nbsp; Today, we visit locations that captured Wordsworth's imagination on those walks.&nbsp; We also explore two houses he lived in: Dove Cottage, where he lived from 1799 to 1808, and Rydal Mount, his home from 1813 until his death in 1850.</p>
<p>At the Wordsworth Grasmere centre, take a private guided tour of Dove Cottage and the Museum.&nbsp; Jeff Cowton (Principal Curator at The Wordsworth Trust) and Dr Penny Bradshaw (Associate Professor of English Literature at the University of Cumbria) will show you original historical notebooks, drawings and maps not normally on display.</p>
<p>At Rydal Mount, enjoy a private tour of the house, readings from Penny linking the poems and geology, and a talk by Dr. Ian Francis (local geologist, author and conservationist) on the geology of the building.</p>
<ul>
<li>Overnight in Keswick</li>
<li>Free evening for dinner. GeoCultura can help with suggestions for restaurants or traditional pubs in Keswick</li>
</ul>
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<h3>Day 3: Crummock, Buttermere and Honister Quarry: Deep-time Volcanoes, Landscapes and Artists</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><em>Learn about the geological forces and human activities that created and shaped the remarkable landscape surrounding you, and the cultural masterpieces they ultimately inspired.</em></p>
<p>Today we travel along an extraordinarily scenic road through one of Lakeland’s most beautiful valleys.&nbsp;&nbsp;After a short walk at Buttermere, guided by Ian, we have lunch at the famous Fish Inn, steeped in the history of Wordsworth’s writings.</p>
<p>Ian is our local leader for the day, accompanied by Dr. Paul Ferguson (Senior Lecturer in literature and culture at the University of Cumbria).</p>
<p>Ian takes us back through time to reveal how these dramatic landscapes were formed during the Ice Age. Learn to 'read' the rocks and the landscapes to understand their amazing history, and visit a mine at Honister that was a centre for both local industry and culture.</p>
<p>Paul shares 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>
<ul>
<li>Overnight in Keswick</li>
<li>Group dinner</li>
</ul>
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<h3>Day 4: Wordsworth's Ennerdale: Walking, Wildness and Rewilding</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><em>Experience a powerful sense of wildness as you take a walk through time in the only major valley in Lakeland to be free of traffic.</em></p>
<p>Ian leads a walk beside the serene Ennerdale Water, along forest trails and into the heart of Lakeland.&nbsp; See evidence of glaciation and medieval settlements as well as the scene of Britain's first recorded rock-climb.</p>
<p>A Rewilding Partnership ecologist also tells us all about the pioneering programme to enhance biodiversity at Ennerdale.</p>
<p>The tours ends after a pub lunch. We can help arrange your transport to local rail stations or UK airports, or you can carry on exploring the Lake District.</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>Single Supplement</h3>
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<p>There is a charge of £199 / $249 for solo travellers.</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 optional walks of up to ~5km (3 miles) on country/lakeside paths. Sturdy waterproof footwear is essential.&nbsp;</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.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Transport will be by small luxury coach.</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 3 nights, assuming double occupancy rooms. Single occupancy rooms are generally available for a small surcharge.&nbsp; Please contact GeoCultura for details</li>
<li>All breakfasts and lunches, and 2 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 drinks with meals,</li>
<li>Transportation to the start venue or from the end venue of the tour (your hotel in Keswick). However, for an additional cost we can help to arrange: rail travel from London Euston to Penrith railway station and a taxi to your hotel; transport from Penrith railway station or from London/Manchester airports to your hotel; and the same service for the return journey on Day 4. 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 3: 4 star hotel in Keswick, Cumbria</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 9pt">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.</span></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="Grasmere" alt="Grasmere" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T022%20LD%20Hiker%20in%20Grasmere%20Crop%20KB.jpg">
<p>The Lake District offers walkers some of the most beautiful views in England.</p>
</div>
<div><img title="Autumn Colours of the Lake District" alt="Autumn Colours of the Lake District" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T022%20LD%20Autumn%20Colours%20KB.jpg">
<p>The landscape of the Lakes 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="Crummock" alt="Crummock" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T022%20LD%20Crummock%20Colour%20KB.jpg">
<p>A view of Crummock Water, the picturesque lake immortalised by JMW Turner in 1797 (image credit:&nbsp;Ian Francis).</p>
</div>
<div><img alt="Spectacular walks in the Lake District" src="https://geocultura.arlo.co/content/img/T022%20LD%20Senior%20Hikers%20KB.jpg">
<p>&nbsp;The Lake District is enjoyed by walkers of all abilities.</p>
</div>

Stand in awe between towering mountains and deep lakes shaped by 450 million years of geological activity.  It's easy to see why this spectacular landscape has inspired an outpouring of poetry, prose and paintings.

England’s Lake District: A Journey through Time and Imagination