We arrived
to find the house and the surrounding hills partially hidden by the mist and headed
in to look around (and to warm up – it was so cold I was absolutely nithered).
Allan
Bank is a grade II listed two-storey villa looking over the village of
Grasmere. It was built in 1805, and from 1808 to 1811, Allan Bank was the home
of poet William Wordsworth. The property is now owned by the National Trust and
is undergoing major renovations after a fire in 2011.
Cumbria
is one of the few remaining habitats in England of the red squirrel, and the
grounds of Allan Bank is a place where they are commonly seen. We sat looking
out of one of the windows and were lucky enough to spot a couple of red
squirrels on our visit to the house.
The
gardens at Allan Bank were lovely to walk around, and even though it was July, there
was an autumnal feel to the place. Luckily, the sun did come out as we were
wandering round, and you could see the view over Grasmere.