THE WRITERS’ TRAIL

A walk through the cottage reveals the poet’s love for gardening and people—his living room was frequently filled with literary giants like Sir Walter Scott and Samuel Taylor Coleridge.The best part of the tour is spotting a small leather attaché,signed by the poet himself. Sitting pretty on the bed it displays a set of rather unusual contents—a pair of underpants,a white shirt and a dozen notebooks and pens that he took along during his trips to Europe.

Much of the information about the house comes from a journal that William’s sister Dorothy maintained. Her lucid descriptions—of the surroundings and the duo’s love for long walks up the hills—give a peek into the poet’s life. The journal rests at The Wordsworth Museum and Art Gallery that is adjacent to the cottage. If you want to,you can hear some poetry at listening counters provided with ear phones. But it is the daffodils that you can’t shake off,as even the gift shop has tea towels and postcards dedicated to them.

It isn’t just Wordsworth who was inspired by Lake District’s magnificence. Beatrix Potter made her home at Sawrey in the early 1900s,a beautiful village located on the western shore of lake Windermere. Potter is said to have purchased her house from the royalties of her book The Tales of Bunny Rabbit. Complete with a picturesque animal farm,here you can relive those bunny tales from your kindergarten days. I recall the animated animals being drawn against the region’s scenic backdrop,from the scenes of Hollywood’s Miss Potter (2006) where actor Renee Zellweger played the author-illustrator.

But while Lake District has me under its spell,I go back in time to the 16th century as we drive 200 miles south to Stratford-Upon-Avon in Warwickshire,the home of William Shakespeare. The first thing you will spot about this quaint locality is that it is decidedly “Shakespearean” in its set-up. You feel like you have walked into a film set. And everyone here plays their part. In every tea room,the tea and snacks are named after characters and events from the bard’s plays. There are umpteen number of gift shops fencing the pavements that sell everything from a bottle opener to a silver tea tray with Shakespeare’s face on them. But the real fans are lined up at a dilapitated cottage,Shakespeare’s father’s home,where the playwright lived before leaving for London for a career in theatre.

The cottage is a plain one and leaves me wondering what could have inspired his work. I find my answer two kilometers away at another idyllic cottage in Shottery. It was here that Shakespeare courted his ladylove Anne Hathaway. At her cottage —complete with an Elizabethan farmhouse,a low thatched roof,timbered walls and lattice windows —you can see what could have inspired the cheerful vibe of his comedies. At the end of this literary tour I know where the words come from.

FAST FACTSHow to get there
From London,rent a car or hop on a train to get to Lake District and Stratford. At Stratford (which is closer to London),several tourist buses ply between the major sightseeing spots. At Lake District,you may rent a bicycle or walk. Direction boards at Lake District will guide you well.
Where to stay
Bed-and-breakfast joints are in plenty at both locations. They have comfortable bedrooms and serve a quintessential English breakfast.
Where to dine
Try the tea rooms—The Tin Miner’s Pasty at Stratford,Cottage Garden Tea Room in Shottery. For ale,visit The Drunken Duck,Ambleside or the Watermill Inn in Cumbria.
Where to shop
Both places have plenty of shops selling mementos
When to visit:
February to December