Want to travel back in time to a long forgotten England? The great thing about the lakes is that beautiful blend of the historic and the contemporary that seeps into the environment that characterise this area. One minute you could be taking part in the latest water sports armed with sophisticated safety technology and the next minute you could be wandering around the original home of William Wordsworth.
One such attraction that is steeped in old-world ambiance is Sarah Nelson’s Gingerbread Shop, Church Cottage, Grasmere. The adorable store has been in business since 1854 and has never been short of admirers and consumers, from its opening to present day. The shop itself is right next to the village church, giving it that quaint rural community feel.
Produce from this famous sweetshop is the quintessential Grasmere souvenir. The all-time favourite pick-me-up of visitors, is the traditional gingerbread with a half-biscuity, half-cake texture, cooked according to the same top-secret recipe since the 19th century. Reasonably priced, you can walk away with twelve slices for under six pounds. A nice touch which adds to the time-traveller feel of the place, is the fact that customers will be served by friendly ladies dressed in frilly pinafores and starched bonnets.
A visit to Sarah Nelson’s is an educational trip for the young ones. The store is packed full of Victorian produce that kids can explore and engage with, to really get a feel for what dietary habits were like two centuries ago.
Grasmere is just a short 20 minutes car journey away from the Beech Hill Hotel or an even more convenient 30 minute train trip.