This soundwalk shares Dorothy's joy and passion for the Lake District. Grasmere Women's Institute and friends read passages from Dorothy's journal in the locations that inspired her.

"Thursday 7th [8th]. A rainy morning. I paid Thomas Ashburner, & Frank Baty. When I was coming home, a post Chaise passed with a little girl behind in a patched ragged red cloak. The child & cloak - Alice Fells own self. We sate in tranquillity together by the fire in the morning, in the afternoon after we had talked a little, Wm fell asleep I read the Winter's Tale. Then I went to bed but did not sleep. The Swallows stole in and out of their nest, & sate there whiles quite still, whiles they sung low for 2 minutes or more at a time just like a muffled Robin. William was looking at the Pedlar when I got up - he arranged it, & after tea I wrote it out - 280 lines. In the meantime the evening being fine he carried his coat to the Tailors & went to George Mackareth's to engage the horse. He came in to me at about ½ past nine pressing me to go out; he had got letters which we were to read out of doors - I was rather unwilling, fearing I could not see to read the letters, but I saw well enough. One was from MH a very tender affecting letter, another from Sara to C, from C to us & from my Br Rd. The moon was behind. William hurried me out in hopes that I should see her. We walked first to the top of the hill to see Rydale. It was dark & dull but our own vale was very solemn, the shape of helm crag was quite distinct, though black. We walked backwards & forwards on the White Moss path there was a sky-like white brightness on the Lake. The Wyke Cottage Light at the foot of Silver How. Glowworms out, but not so numerous as last night - O beautiful place! - Dear Mary William - The horse is come Friday morning, so I must give over. William is eating his Broth - I must prepare to go - The Swallows I must leave them the well the garden the Roses all - Dear creatures!! they sang last night after I was in bed - seemed to be singing to one another, just before they settled to rest for the night. Well I must go - Farewell. - -"

Read by Alex Jakob-Whitworth

"A grey morning till 10 o'clock. Then the sun shone beautifully. Mrs Lloyd's children and Mrs Luff came in a chaise, were here at 11 o'clock then went to Mrs Olliff. Wm and I accompanied them to the gate. I prepared dinner, sought out Peter Bell, gave Wm some cold meat, and then we went to walk. We walked first to Butterlip How, where we sate and overlooked the vale, no sign of spring but the Red tints of the upper twigs of the woods and single trees. Sate in the sun. Met Charles Lloyd near the Bridge. Got dinner. I lay down unwell - got up to tea. Mr and Mrs Luff walked home. The Lloyds stayed till 8 o'clock. We always get on better with conversation at home than elsewhere - discussion about Mrs King and Mrs Olliff. - The Chaise driver brought us a letter from M.H. - a short one from C. We were perplexed about Sara's coming. I wrote to Mary. Wm closed his letter to Montague, and wrote to Calvert and to Mrs Coleridge. Birds sang divinely today. Bowels and head bad. William better."

Read by Ellie Andrews

"Wednesday 12th. A sunshiny but coldish morning - we walked into Easedale & returned by George Rownson's & the lane. We brought home heckberry blossom, crab blossom - the anemone nemorosa - Marsh Marygold - Speedwell, that beautiful blue one the colour of the blue-stone or glass used in jewellery, with its beautiful pearl-like chives - anemones are in abundance & still the dear dear primroses violets in beds, pansies in abundance, & the little celandine. I pulled a branch of the taller celandine. Butterflies of all colours - I often see some small ones of a pale purple lilac or Emperor's eye colour something of the colour of that large geranium which grows by the lake side. Wm observed the beauty of Geordy Green's house. We see it from our orchard. Wm pulled ivy with beautiful berries - I put it over the chimney piece - sate in the orchard the hour before dinner, coldish. We have now dined. My head aches - William is sleeping in the window. In the Evening we were sitting at the table, writing, when we were rouzed by Coleridge's voice below - he had walked, looked palish but was not much tired. We sate up till one o clock all together then William went to bed & I sate with C in the sitting room (where he slept) till ¼ past 2 o clock. Wrote to MH."

Read by Alex Jakob-Whitworth

"Wednesday 2nd June 1802. In the morning we observed that the Scarlet Beans were drooping in the leaves in great Numbers owing, we guess to an insect. We sate a while in the orchard - then we went to the old carpenters about the hurdles. Yesterday an old man called, a grey-headed man, above 70 years of age; he said he had been a soldier, that his wife & children had died in Jamaica. He had a Beggars wallet over his shoulders, a coat of shreds & patches altogether of a drab colour - he was tall & though his body was bent he had the look of one used to have been upright. I talked a while to him, & then gave him a piece of cold Bacon & a penny - said he ‘You're a fine woman!' I could not help smiling. I suppose he meant ‘You're a kind woman'. Afterwards a woman called travelling to Glasgow. After dinner William was very unwell. We went into Frank's field, crawled up the little glen & planned a seat then went to Mr Olliffs Hollins & sate there - found a beautiful shell-like purple fungus in Frank's field. After tea we walked to Butterlip How & backwards & forwards there. All the young oak tree leaves are dry as powder. A cold south wind portending Rain. After we came in we sate in deep silence at the window - I on a chair & William with his hand on my shoulder. We were deep in Silence & Love, a blessed hour. We drew to the fire before bed-time & ate some Broth for our suppers. I ought to have said that on Tuesday evening, namely June 1 st, we walked upon the Turf near Johns Grove. It was a lovely night. The clouds of the western sky reflected a saffron light upon the upper end of the lake - all was still - We went to look at Rydale. There was an alpine fire-like red upon the tops of the mountains. This was gone when we came in view of the Lake. But we saw the Lake in a new & most beautiful point of view between two little rocks, & behind a small ridge that had concealed it from us. - This White Moss a place made for all kinds of beautiful works of art & nature, woods & valleys, fairy valleys & fairy Tairns, miniature mountains, alps above alps. Little John Dawson came past us from the woods with a huge stick over his shoulder."

Read by Lex Heaton

"Wednesday Morning 9th December. William slept well but his tongue fevrish. I read Palamon & Arcite - Mary read Bruce - William writing out his alteration of Chaucers Cuckow & Nightingale. After dinner it was agreed that we should walk, when I had finished a letter to C, part of which I had written in the morning by the kitchen-fire while the mutton was roasting. William did not go with us but Mary & I walked into Easedale & backwards & forwards in that Large field under George Rawnson's white cottage. We had intended gathering mosses & for that purpose we turned into the green Lane behind the Tailors but it was too dark to see the mosses. The river came galloping past the Church as fast as it could come & when we got into Easedale we saw Churn Milk force like a broad stream of snow. At the little foot-Bridge we stopped to look at the company of rivers which came hurrying down the vale this way & that; it was a valley of streams & Islands, with that great waterfall at the head & lesser falls in different parts of the mountains coming down to these Rivers. We could hear the sound of those lesser falls but we could not see them - we walked backwards & forwards till all distant objects except the white shape of the waterfall, & the lines of the mountains were gone. We had the Crescent Moon when we went out, & at our return there were a few stars that shone dimly, but it was a grey cloudy night.

Read by Jo Taylor

"Tuesday 2nd February. A fine clear morning but sharp & cold. William went into the orchard after breakfast to chop wood. I walked backwards & forwards on the platform. Molly called me down to Charles Lloyd, he brought me flower seeds from his Brother. William not quite well - we walked into Easedale - were turned back in the open field by the sight of a cow. Every horned cow puts me in terror. We walked as far as we could having crossed the foot-bridge, but it was dirty, & we turned back - walked backwards & forwards between Goody Bridge & Butterlip How. William wished to break off composition, & was unable, & so did himself harm.wished to break off composition, & was unable, & so did himself harm. The sun shone but it was cold. After dinner Wmworked at The Pedlar. After tea I read aloud the 11 th Book of Paradise Lost we were much impressed & also melted into tears. The papers came in soon after I had laid aside the Book - a good think for my William. I worked a little today at putting the Linen into repair that came in the Box. Molly washing."

Read by Sue Dixon

"Thursday 2nd October. A very rainy morning - We walked after dinner to observe the torrents - I followed Wm to Rydale, he afterwards went to Butterlip How. I came home to receive the Lloyds. They walked with us to see Churnmilk force & the Black quarter. The black quarter looked marshy, & the general prospect was cold, but the Force was very grand. The Lychens are now coming out afresh, I carried home a collection in the afternoon. We had a pleasant conversation about the manners of the rich - Avarice, inordinate desires, & the effeminacy unnaturalness & the unworthy objects of education. After the Lloyds were gone we walked - avshowery evening. The moonlight lay upon the hills like snow."

Read by Sue Dixon

"Wednesday 18th. We sate in the house in the morning reading Spenser. I was unwell & lay in bed all the afternoon. Wm & Mary walked to Rydale - very pleasant moonlight the Lakes beautiful. The church an image of Peace - Wm wrote some lines upon it. I in bed when they came home. Mary & I walked as far as Sara's Gate before Supper - we stood there a long time, the whole scene impressive, the mountains indistinct the Lake calm & partly ruffled - large Island, a sweet sound of water falling into the quiet Lake. A storm was gathering in Easedale so we returned but the moon came out & opened to us the Church & village. Helm Crag in shade, the larger Mountains Dappled like a sky - we stood long upon the bridge. Wished for Wm - he had stayed home being sickish - found him better. We went to bed."

Read by Alex Jakob-Whitworth

"Sunday Mor. 26th [27th]. Seemed very warm - Molly ill - John bathed in the lake. I wrote out Ruth in the afternoon, in the morning I read Mr Knight's Landscape. After tea we rowed down to Loughrigg Fell, visited the white foxglove, gathered wild strawberries, & walked up to view Rydale we lay a long time looking at the lake, the shores all embrowned with the scorching sun. The Ferns were turning yellow, that is here & there one was quite turned. We walked round by Benson's wood home. The lake was now most still & reflected the beautiful yellow & blue & purple & grey colours of the sky. We heard a strange sound in the Bainriggs wood as we were floating on the water it seemed in the wood, but it must have been above it, for presently we saw a raven very high above us - it called out & the Dome of the sky seemed to echoe the sound - it called again & again as it flew onwards, & the mountains gave back the sound, seeming as if from their centre a musical bell-like answering to the birds hoarse voice. We heard both the call of the bird & the echoe after we could see him no longer. We walked up to the top of the hill again in view of Rydale - met Mr & Miss Simpson on horseback. The crescent moon which had shone upon the water was now gone down. Returned to supper at 10 o clock."

Read by Mel Miles

"Saturday [21st]. In the morning W & I went to Ambleside to get his tooth drawn, & put in - a fine clear morning but cold - Ws tooth drawn with very little pain he slept till 3 o'clock. Young Mr S. drank tea & supped with us they fished in Rydale water & they caught 2 small fishes, W no bite, John 3. Miss Simpson & 3 children called - I walked with them to Rydale. The evening cold & clear & frosty, but the wind was falling as I returned. I staid at home about an hour & then walked up the hill to Rydale lake. Grasmere looked so beautiful that my heart was almost melted away. It was quite calm only spotted with sparkles of light. The church visible. On our return all distant objects had faded away - all but the hills. The reflection of the light bright sky above Black quarter was very solemn. Mr S did not go till 12 o clock."

Read by Jill Morrison

"Saturday 12th. A fine frosty morning - snow upon the ground - I made bread & pies. We walked with Mrs Luff to Rydale, & came home on the other side of the Lake. Met Townley with his dogs - all looked chearful & bright - Helm Crag rose very bold & craggy,a being by itself, & behind it was the large Ridge of mountain smooth as marble & snow white - all the mountains looked like solid stone on our left going from Grasmere i.e. White Moss & Nab scar. The snow hid all the grass & all signs of vegetation & the Rocks shewed themselves boldly everywhere & seemed more stony than Rock or stone. The Birches on the Crags beautiful, Red brown & glittering - the ashes glittering spears with their upright stems - the hips very beautiful, & so good!! & dear Coleridge - I ate twenty for thee when I was by myself. I came home first - they walked too slow for me. William went to look at Langdale Pikes. We had a sweet invigorating walk. Mr Clarkson came in before tea. We played at Cards - sate up late. The moon shone upon the water below Silver-how, & above it hung, combining with Silver how on one side, a Bowl-shaped moon the curve downwards - the white field, glittering Roof of Thomas Ashburner's house, the dark yew tree, the white field - gay & beautiful. Wm lay with his curtains open so that he might see it."

Read by Abigal Palmer

"Tuesday May 4th. William had slept pretty well & though he went to bed nervous & jaded in the extreme he rose refreshed. I wrote the Leech Gatherer for him which he had begun the night before & of which he wrote several stanzas in bed this Monday morning. It was very hot, we called at Mr Simpson's door as we passed but did not go in. We rested several times by the way, read & repeated the Leech gatherer. We were almost melted before we were at the top of the hill. We saw Coleridge on the Wytheburn Side of the water, he crossed the Beck to us. Mr Simpson was fishing there. William & I ate a Luncheon, then went on towards the Waterfall. It is a glorious wild solitude under that lofty purple crag. It stood upright by itself. Its own self and its shadow below, one mass - all else was sunshine. We went on further. A Bird at the top of the crags was flying round & round & looked in thinness & transparency, shape & motion, like a moth. We climbed the hill but looked in vain for a shade except at the foot of the great waterfall, & there we did not like to stay on account of the loose stones above our heads. We came down & rested upon a moss covered Rock, rising out of the bed of the River. There we lay ate our dinner & stayed there till about 4 o clock or later - Wm & C repeated & read verses. I drank a little Brandy & water & was in Heaven. The Stags horn is very beautiful & fresh springing upon the fells. Mountain ashes, green. We drank tea at a farm house. The woman had not a pleasant countenance, but was civil enough. She had a pretty Boy a year old whom she suckled. We parted from Coleridge at Sara's Crag after having looked at the Letters which C carved in the morning. I kissed them all. Wm deepened the T with C's penknife. We sate afterwards on the wall, seeing the sun go down & the reflections in the still water. C looked well & parted from us chearfully, hopping up upon the Side stones. On the Rays we met a woman with 2 little girls one in her arms the other about 4 years old walking by her side, a pretty little thing, but half starved. She had on a pair of slippers that had belonged to some gentlemans child, down at the heels, but it was not easy to keep them on - but, poor thing! young as she was, she walked carefully with them. Alas too young for such cares & such travels - The Mother when we accosted her told us that her Husband had left her & gone off with another woman & how she 'pursued' them. Then her fury kindled & her eyes rolled about. She changed again to tears. She was a Cockermouth woman - 30 years of age a child at Cockermouth when I was - I was moved & gave her a shilling, I believe 6d more that I ought to have given. We had the Crescent moon with the 'auld moon in her arms' - We rested often: - always upon the Bridges. Reached home at about 10 o clock. The Lloyds had been here in our absence. We went soon to bed. I repeated verses to William while he was in bed - he was soothed & I left him. 'This is the Spot' over & over again."

Read by Alex Jakob-Whitworth

"Friday 7th November. A cold rainy morning Wm still unwell. I working & reading Amelia. The Michaelmas daisy droops. The pansies are full of flowers. The Ashes opposite are green, all but one but they have lost many of their leaves. The copses are quite brown. The poor woman & child from Whitehaven drank tea - nothing warm that day. Friday 7th. A very rainy morning-it cleared up in the afternoon. We expected the Lloyds but they did not come. Wm still unwell. A rainy night."

Read by Sue Dixon

Walking with Dorothy - Short Walk

16 ECHOES

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The Echoes

07/07/1802 - Red Cloak/Thorny Howe

26/02/1802 - Buthralyp Howe

12/05/1802 - Easedale Road Blossom

Allan Bank 1

Allan Bank 2

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