subject: Easedale The Lake District [print this page] We are now entering EasedaleWe are now entering Easedale. De Quincey wrote in 1839: I have often thought, whilst looking with silent admiration upon this exquisite composition of landscape, with its miniature fields, running up like forest glades into miniature woods; its little columns of smoke, breathing up like incense to the household gods, from the hearths of two or three picturesque cottages abodes of simple primitive manners, and what, from personal knowledge, I will call humble virtue.
I have thought that, if a scene on this earth could deserve to be sealed up, like the valley of Rasselas, against the intrusions of the world if there were one to which a man would willingly surrender himself a prisoner for the years of a long life this it is this Easedale which would justify the choice and recompense the sacrifice.
The valley, a long shallow dale dominated by Helm Crag to the N, was one of the Wordsworths' favorite haunts during their Dove Cottage years. During their first months there, not knowing its real name, they called it 'The Black Quarter' because of the way it tends, viewed from Dove Cottage, to fall into shadow late in the day.
Walks in the valley often included a stroll on the lower slopes of Helm Crag, from where the village and church could be seen. In December 1801 Dorothy walked below Helm Crag, observing The birches on the crags beautifut red brown and glittering. The ashes beautiful spears with their upright stems. The hips very beautifut and so good!! and, dear Coleridge! I ate twenty for thee, when I was by myself.
Coleridge too gives a fine impression of the valley in a brief notebook entry of 1801: Scenes in Easedale, rocks & woods, & trees starting up around Rocks & out of Rocks where under the boughs & through the Boughs you have the glimmering Lake, & Church tower places wherein To wander & wander for ever & ever A Hollow place in the Rock like a Coffin a Sycamore Bush at the head, enough to give a shadow for my Face, & just at the Foot one tall Foxglove exactly my own Length there I lay & slept It was quite soft. June 18. 1801. Thursday.
He was here with William and Dorothy on April 22 1802, and 'talked of his plan for sowing laburnum in the woods'. Dorothy was tired and sat down to rest by 'the single holly behind that single rock in the field', listening to the sound of the waterfall and of 'William flinging stones into the river'. The poet returned 'repeating the poem I have thoughts that are fed by the sun' , which 'had been called to his mind by the dying away of the stunning of the waterfall when he came behind a stone.' On October 11 1802 the Wordsworths 'walked to the Easedale Hills to hunt waterfalls'.
