Dorothy Wordsworth (an equally good writing sister!)
We’ve all heard of William Wordsworth , but his sister was also a wonderful writer and passionate about the natural world in the Lake District, where they both lived. She and a fellow writer back in the day were involved in protests, against the round house built on the Lake District’s largest island of Belle Isle. Calling it ‘a beautiful spot that is now ‘deformed by man’ and resembling a tea canister!
The two siblings were close all their lives, and although Dorothy had no ambition to be a public writer, when she died her poems, diaries and letters were found. Born in Cockermouth, she spent a good portion of her childhood in Yorkshire, where she was sent to live and educate, after the death of their mother.
She then returned to Cumbria, where she lived in Penrith, and again was near her siblings. Eventually after a period living in Dorset, they settled at Dove Cottage, the house in Grasmere now frequented by tourists in the Lake District.
They later moved to Rydal Mount, where Dorothy lived for the rest of her life (she enjoyed walking and even climbed Scafell Pike with a friend, writing about the experience, which inspired her to tour Scottish islands and the European alps.
When she became ill, Dorothy was cared for by her brother and sister-in-law and others, although he died five years before her. She lies buried in the Grasmere churchyard, alongside her beloved brother.
William was inspired by Dorothy’s diaries
It’s now known that William’s most famous poem, was inspired by his sister’s diary entries on daffodils:
I never saw daffodils so beautiful they grew among the mossy stones about and about them. Some rested their heads upon these stones as on a pillow for weariness and the rest tossed and reeled and danced and seemed as if they verily laughed with the wind that blew upon them over the lake.
Did you know daffodils (like all bulbs) are unsafe near animals (dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, horses, livestock?)
Follow the Countryside Code to keep all creatures safe. Keep dogs away from steep banks, mushrooms, daffodils and other toxic plants and and trees) and on leads during nesting season (and near barnyard friends and wild ponies).
How to upright an overturned sheep
If when out walking you see a sheep on its back (due to pregnancy or rain-soaked wool), just firmly right it back (or it will die) then stay with it, until the rain has drained off.
