App available in time for National Walking Month in May
New Dorothy Wordsworth walking app
Perhaps not as famous as her poet brother, William Wordsworth, Dorothy Wordsworth was an equally unique and compelling character. Not only was she a source of inspiration for many of her brother’s poems but she too was a writer in her own right, recording vivid observations of her daily walks in what would later become known as the Grasmere Journal.
Visitors to the Lake District can now quite literally follow in her footsteps thanks to the launch of a new location-based app, Dorothy Wordsworth Walks.
Created in collaboration with Dr Joanna Taylor of the University of Manchester, the app is the perfect companion for walkers exploring Grasmere and Rydal, two of the main areas frequently walked by the siblings. Using GPS technology, the app will notify users when they arrive at locations Dorothy described in her journal entries.
Through a combination of text and audio, users will be immersed into Dorothy’s world, experiencing the landscape though her words and observations and gaining new perspectives on familiar surroundings, much as William Wordsworth once described her ability to help him see everyday things in a new light: ‘She gave me eyes, she gave me ears’.
Commenting on the app, Wordsworth Grasmere Curator, Melissa Mitchell said: “It’s been really exciting to work closely with the University of Manchester to create this app. The team at the University used a combination of audio and text, to brings to life the colours, smells and general ambience of the landscape, something we hope visitors remain in-tune with even today. What’s also unique is the app is serves as an educational resource. Each notification provides the date and year of Dorothy’s original journal entry, allowing users to compare what they see now with Dorothy’s observations from that exact moment in history.”
She continues: “We hope that people who are new to the lives and works of the Wordsworths will be inspired to learn more after using the app, and perhaps visit us at Wordsworth Grasmere to continue their journey – metaphorically speaking.”
Although Dorothy was known to often walk alone, she also viewed walking as a social activity. The routes featured in the app remain popular with both locals and visitors, meaning users are likely to encounter fellow walkers along the way.
The audio recordings featured in the app were created by members of Grasmere WI, an organisation with strong historical links to Wordsworth Grasmere.
The Dorothy Wordsworth Walks app is free to download via Google Play and the App Store. While best experienced on location, it can also be explored and enjoyed from anywhere in the world.
For more information and to download the app visit wordsworth.org.uk/dorothy-wordsworth-walks
