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Allan Bank and Grasmere
Lake DistrictThe loveliest spot that man hath ever found
Allan Bank, Grasmere, Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 9QB
Important notice
Allan Bank will be closed today (Sunday 5th October) due to staff illness. Apologies for any inconvenience.
Opening times for 5 October 2025
Asset Opening time Allan Bank 10:00 - 17:00 Open Bank Holiday Mondays. Also open on Saturdays during local school holidays.
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Ticket type With Gift Aid Without Gift Aid Adult (18+) £9.40 £8.50 Child (5-17) under 5s free £4.70 £4.25 Family (2 Adults and up to 3 children) £23.93 £21.75 1 adult, 2 children £12.75 Become a member and discover more than 500 places
- Bookshop
- Dogs allowed
Dogs on leads welcome in grounds and house.
- Toilet
Accessible toilet on ground floor. Limited Blue Badge parking. Not accessible by mobility scooter.
- Accessible toilet
Accessible toilet available on the ground floor of house.
- Designated parking
Only Blue Badge parking is available on site.
- Drop-off point
- Induction loop
- Level access/terrain
From the accessible parking space, entry to the house is through the rear door. This is a level entrance, through a manual inwards opening door, fitted with a doorbell. The doorway is 102cm wide. Staff can assist with opening the door if required.
- Ramped access/slopes
- Seating available
- Steps/uneven terrain
Main visitor entrance to house - what3words: ///narrate.played.broached
- By road
- From the south: Junction 36 M6, then take the A591 to Grasmere village. From the north: Junction 40 M6, then take the A66 onto A591 to Grasmere village. Allan Bank is a short walk up the hill from the Inn at Grasmere / Emma's Dell in centre of village.Parking: No parking onsite, please use public pay and display car parks in Grasmere village. Blue Badge parking space only.Sat Nav: LA22 9QB
- On foot
- Allan Bank is a short 10 minute walk up the hill from the Inn at Grasmere / Emma's Dell in centre of village.
- By train
- Windermere train station 9 miles (14.5km), then catch the 599 Stagecoach bus to Grasmere village. Allan Bank is a short 10 minute walk up the hill from the Inn at Grasmere / Emma's Dell in centre of village. West Coast Main Line services run through Oxenholme Lake District station. From here, connect to the Northern Lakes line to Windermere.
- By bus
- Stagecoach 555 bus service between Keswick and Kendal and 599 bus service between Bowness and Grasmere both stop in Grasmere village. Allan Bank is a short 10 minute walk up the hill from the Inn at Grasmere / Emma's Dell in centre of village.
- Cycling
- National Cycle Network route 6 runs through the Lake District but there are two missing links in the route north of Windermere (between Windermere and Ambleside, and between Grasmere and Thirlmere), as some sections of Route 6 are still being developed.
Planning your visit
Article
Things to do at Allan Bank and Grasmere
With rugged 19th century woodland grounds, formal lawns, exhibitions and surrounding countryside and lakes to explore, there’s plenty to see and do at Allan Bank and Grasmere.
Activity
A family day out at Allan Bank
Come and play at Allan Bank. Whether you are following the woodland pathway, creating art, looking for red squirrels or having a picnic, we’ve got plenty of family activities to help you create great memories together come rain or shine. Enjoy a family day out at one of the Lake District's top places to visit.
Article
Visiting Allan Bank with your dog
Allan Bank is a three pawprint rated place. Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome at Allan Bank, inside downstairs and outside in the garden.
Activity
Walking in Grasmere
From relaxing lakeshore strolls to fell-top expeditions, when it comes to walking you’re spoilt for choice here in Grasmere. Here are some popular walks to get you started.
Venue hire
Article
Weddings at Allan Bank
Perched on the hill above Grasmere, Allan Bank house sits within romantic 19th century wooded pleasure grounds with inspiring lake and mountain views. From here, it’s easy to see why Wordsworth called Grasmere ‘the loveliest spot that man hath ever found’ and what better place to host your Lakeland wedding.
Highlights
House
Allan Bank, once home to William Wordsworth and Hardwick Rawnsley, is an historic villa that combines a small, informal art gallery with a giant indoor mural space - a place for to explore nature, with plenty of space to sit and enjoy the views.
Garden
Romantic 19th century wooded pleasure grounds with inspiring lake and mountain views. Woodland walk with secret hideaways, unique historic features and views of the fells surrounding Grasmere.
Billiard Room
Chapel-like building built in the 1830s for Thomas Dawson. Ornamental focus of the garden. It has been restored, including the conservation and re-installation of the original stained-glass windows.
Indoor picnic space
For those rainy days we have tables and chairs indoors where you are welcome to eat a snack or picnic.
Spotlight events
Hidden Histories Guided Tour (14 October)
Hear from the conservation surveyor who was involved in the restoration of the house following the devastating roof fire in 2010, and gain insights into the challenges and triumphs of bringing this historic building back to life. 14 October, 11am. £5, booking essential.
Halloween Pumpkin Carving (25-30 October)
Have a go at carving a spooky pumpkin this half-term at Allan Bank. All the materials are provided. Book a time slot to guarantee your place. £3.50 per pumpkin.
Article
A relaxed Christmas at Allan Bank
Enjoy the welcoming warmth of the roaring open fire and the house decorated with natural seasonal foliage. Enjoy a wintery woodland walk or simply sit in a chair enjoy the view of snow capped fells and the lake glistening in the distance. It’s the place to slow own and take a moment and relax. There are seasonal crafts to have a go at in the back kitchen. The house is open until 21 December 2025.
Wordsworth the Influencer (ongoing)
William Wordsworth wrote his radical Guide to the Lakes at Allan Bank. This new permanent exhibition looks at how his influence shaped the Lake District we know today.
Women in Print - The Caravan Press (April-December)
Uncover the life and work of printmaker Gwyneth Alban Davis who ran her business whilst living in a caravan in Langdale in the late 1940s.
All The Better To Hear You With (April-December)
Contemporary art exhibition exploring how bird song is codified and represented in text, print, sound and video by Heather Mullender-Ross.
Things to see and do
Article
Things to do at Allan Bank and Grasmere
With rugged 19th century woodland grounds, formal lawns, exhibitions and surrounding countryside and lakes to explore, there’s plenty to see and do at Allan Bank and Grasmere.
Activity
A family day out at Allan Bank
Come and play at Allan Bank. Whether you are following the woodland pathway, creating art, looking for red squirrels or having a picnic, we’ve got plenty of family activities to help you create great memories together come rain or shine. Enjoy a family day out at one of the Lake District's top places to visit.
Top trails
Activity
Walking in Grasmere
From relaxing lakeshore strolls to fell-top expeditions, when it comes to walking you’re spoilt for choice here in Grasmere. Here are some popular walks to get you started.
Trail
Alcock Tarn walk
From Grasmere, the village made famous by Wordsworth, walk up to Alcock Tarn for a picnic and beautiful views over the fells and lakes, on this rewarding circular walk.
Eating and shopping
Eating at Allan Bank and Grasmere
We welcome picnics at Allan Bank, both outdoors and inside the house where we have plenty of tables and chairs for you to picnic on. Tea and coffee are available on donation in the kitchen, or you could drop by one of the cafés or shops in the village.
The second-hand bookshop at Allan Bank
Take home a new page-turner from the second-hand bookshop at Allan Bank. You’ll find it nestled in Morning Room.
Places to stay
Great Langdale Campsite
In the dramatic Langdale valley, a natural playground of trails, summits, waterfalls and small lakes, all accessible on foot.
Silverthwaite
An inspiring spot looking out over Langdale Valley with Arts and Crafts influenced detail inside.
The Summer House
A cosy house in the old kitchen garden of Wray Castle with views of stunning scenery all around.
Low Wray Campsite
By Windermere, England’s largest lake, surrounded by things to do and places to visit.
Rose Castle Cottage
A two-bedroom cottage just above Tarn Hows with heaps of character in the heart of the Lakes.
Trees
A 1930s log and stone cabin high above Lake Windermere with a sun terrace and great views.
Upcoming events
Event
All the Better to Hear You With
Print, sculpture and sound-based installation exploring bird song.
Event
Wordsworth the Influencer
Explore the landscapes that inspired Wordsworth through large scale photography.
Event
Women in Print - The Caravan Press
Uncover the life and work of printmaker Gwyneth Alban Davis who ran her business from a caravan in Langdale in the late 1940s.
Event
Hidden Nature and Histories - Guided Tour
Join us for a special guided tour as part of our Hidden Nature & Histories series, celebrating the lesser-known stories and spaces of the Lake District.
Event
Sing Out! live at Allan Bank
Listen to the uplifting music of the Sing Out! choral group, as they perform traditional folk and choral music.
Event
Spooky winter tales
Join storyteller Jessie McMeekin for a family focused story telling session around the fire at Allan Bank.
About Allan Bank and Grasmere
The most significant Georgian villa in the Lake District, once home to William Wordsworth and National Trust co-founder Canon Rawnsley. It’s a place where radical ideas were born, that have shaped the Lake District we know today.
Wordsworth wrote his Guide to the Lakes here, the first guidebook to fully define the culture, people, traditions and natural beauty of the landscape. A new permanent display explores Wordsworth’s influence.
Today Allan Bank hosts displays, exhibitions and creative activities. It’s a place to relax while enjoying views across the vale of Grasmere. Explore the rugged woodland path with secret hideaways, unique historic features and a rare chance to encounter red squirrels.
Self serve tea and coffee are available for a small donation. If you'd like a bite to eat, please drop by one of the many village cafés or shops in Grasmere. You are welcome to bring a picnic to Allan Bank to enjoy indoors in the back kitchen or Butler’s pantry or outside in the garden.
Our work
Article
Our work at Allan Bank and Grasmere
Find out about our important work at Allan Bank and Grasmere, from the efforts of our Ranger Team to protecting red squirrels to resurrecting the villa after the great fire of 2011
Support us
Activity
Help Out Days in central Lake District
Join our Help Out Days in the Lake District and make a positive impact on nature. Led by National Trust rangers and gardeners, learn new skills and get outside.
Volunteer with us
Search for live volunteering opportunities, or register your interest with Allan Bank and Grasmere.
