Class of 2024
Hi, my name is Jade Cookson, and I completed my MA in Literature, Romanticism and the English Lake District at the University of Cumbria in November 2024. Less than a year later, I became a published author with the release of The Wordsworth Way guidebook.
Rediscovering My Passion
I completed my BA in English literature back in 2012 but didn't do much with it afterwards. After working in various roles, I felt the need to push myself to do something more fulfilling. I always knew I wanted to pursue postgraduate study and began researching different courses online. I came across the MA course on the university website, and at the time, I was spending every possible weekend I had out walking in the Lake District, so I thought, ‘You know what, I'm 30 years old; I'm just going to go for it.’ For me, enrolling in the course was a bit of a gamble, but I was eager to learn again!
What stood out to me about the course was the broad array of topics taught. It wasn’t all solely related to Romanticism; we studied contemporary Cumbrian poets such as Norman Nicholson, children’s writers such as Arthur Ransome and Beatrix Potter, and the various figures who were integral to the region's cultural and literary heritage, like John Ruskin and Hardwicke Rawnsley. But it seemed that there was always a pull back to Wordsworth, whose literary canon has rather ironically helped to shape tourist cultures in the Lake District – his impact really can’t be ignored!
A significant aspect of the course involved reading poems and then visiting the locations where they were written. Sitting in these places, reading the poems, and seeing the landscape as the poets did was profoundly moving, and was a great driver for my research on The Wordsworth Way.
How The Wordsworth Way came about
One module, "Literary Tourism and Cultural Heritage in the Lake District," required us to develop a project in collaboration with a regional literary or cultural heritage organisation. At the time, the concept for The Wordsworth Way had been envisioned by the Friends of the Ullswater Way (FOUW), a local charity that is involved in educating the public on the Ullswater Valley. They had contacted Penny, my course tutor, about the project initially. Coincidentally, I had just completed an essay on early tourism and picturesque representations of Ullswater and had reached out to the FOUW for research. Penny suggested I collaborate with them, and it all progressed from there.
I was invited to one of their meetings, which went exceptionally well. The members were incredibly welcoming. I wrote the project, received excellent feedback, and they offered me the opportunity to develop it into the real thing, which I did. It felt like a stroke of luck.
The Wordsworth Way is a 14-mile linear walk from Glenridding to Ambleside, highlighting various points significant to Wordsworth, his sister Dorothy, and their circle. It can also be walked as four circular walks to cater to a diverse range of users.
Explore the published Wordsworth Way guide
Walking and Writing
Initially, the route was just a skeletal idea. I took the train to Penrith, then a bus to Glenridding, and walked the entire path, recording voice notes along the way. Later, I reviewed these notes and cross-referenced them with my collection of Wordsworth's works to identify relevant spots along the route. Part of the Literary Tourism module was to complete two work experience days at a cultural heritage museum. I worked at Wordsworth Grasmere, where I helped in their shop, gallery, and at Dove Cottage – I also spent a full day with curators at the Jerwood Centre, viewing their collection of manuscripts and the artwork that has made it into the guide.
From Assignment to Publication
The Friends of the Ullswater Way, who conceived the idea, also published the guide. They organised meetings, brought together various organisations, and oversaw the publication. What began as a 10-page Canva project evolved into a comprehensive 60-page guide. I submitted a 10,000-word draft to the University of Cumbria, Wordsworth Grasmere and FOUW, among others, including representatives from the Lake District National Park Authority. The curator at Wordsworth Grasmere meticulously fact-checked the document, and we had several productive meetings. The project became a collaborative effort, incorporating ideas from various contributors. Remarkably, the final guide remains true to the original concept, albeit with more detailed walking instructions, expanded content, and some excellent maps drawn by Mark Richards, artist and guide writer.
Sharing the Story
The launch of the Wordsworth Way took place at the University of Cumbria’s Ambleside campus on 7th April 2025, coinciding with Wordsworth's 255th birthday. It was a beautiful day; the sun was shining, we had various poetry readings, speeches and a buffet, and ITV came to film the inaugural walk along the Corpse Road between Grasmere and Rydal. We also unveiled a finger post with the Wordsworth Way logo outside the Scale How building (formerly Green Bank), which is the last stop on the trail. Green Bank was once occupied by Dorothy Harrison, a relative of William and Dorothy Wordsworth, and directly opposite the building are the “Wordsworth Steps”, which were a feature of the house’s grounds.
Ending the route at the university’s campus holds personal significance for me, as it’s where I carried out my studies and wrote The Wordsworth Way. It also holds thematic importance within the guide. Being the former home to the Charlotte Mason College, the Ambleside campus stands as a centre for progressive thought and “natural education”, which is an emblematic theme within Wordsworth’s poetry.
Additionally, an article titled "Poetry in Motion" was published in The Guardian, detailing the trail and its significance. I believe that Cumbria Life will be issuing a piece on Wordsworth in their Spring edition, and they will be writing a bit about the walk and the guide too.
“Poetry in motion: walking the new Wordsworth Way in the Lake District” – Guardian
Looking Ahead
I never anticipated that this would be the outcome of my degree. The experience has been incredibly rewarding. I envision a network of poetry trails throughout the Lake District, extending beyond the Wordsworth Way to include paths dedicated to the “Lake Poets”, i.e. Coleridge and Southey, but also to lesser-known poets like John Wilson, and contemporary poets such as Michael Roberts and Kathleen Raine. There are huge amounts of literary work out there relating not only to the Lake District but to Cumbria, and I would probably be none the wiser about their existence if it wasn’t for what I was taught by the tutors on the MA.
If I could write full-time, that would be a dream come true. I wholeheartedly recommend the course to anyone interested in combining English literature with unique, real-world applications relating to Cumbria and the Lake District.
If you're interested in studying literature in the Lake District and would like to learn more about our MA course, visit MA Literature, Romanticism and the English Lake District - University of Cumbria