Get involved
There are many ways to support Friends of the Ullswater Way — from giving your time or sharing local knowledge to making a donation. Choose the one that works for you.
Your contribution helps us connect people with Ullswater’s nature, heritage and communities.
Give your time
Friends of the Ullswater Way is run by volunteers. Whether you can offer a few hours, a particular skill or a longer-term commitment, we would be pleased to hear from you.
Offer your time or skills
You do not need to become a trustee to contribute. You might help us collect and record oral histories, support a particular project, or share knowledge and skills that could help our work.
We do not always have formal volunteering roles available, but please get in touch if you would like to help.
Become a trustee
Friends of the Ullswater Way helps people explore, understand and connect with Ullswater’s heritage, nature and communities. We are looking for new trustees to help shape the next chapter of our work.
We would particularly welcome people with skills, experience or enthusiasm in areas such as governance and administration, digital communications, education and youth engagement, fundraising, grants and partnerships, and developing new projects across the valley.
Download our trustee information pack to learn more about the role and the different ways you could contribute. You are also very welcome to contact us informally before applying.
Share your story
Oral Histories
Do you, or someone you know, have a story about life in the Ullswater Valley – past or present? We’re looking for memories, experiences, and personal stories that capture the heritage, people, and everyday life of this special place.
Get in touchHeritage Knowledge Bank
Send us an Article - Have you a story to tell, a memory to share, or a topic you’d like included in the Knowledge Bank?
Submit a articleAsk a question - Seen something unusual? Curious about a place name? Wondering about life in the Ullswater Valley - past or present? Send us your questions and help us grow the Knowledge Bank
Ask a questionSupport our work
Make a donation
Contribute to the future of Ullswater’s nature, heritage and communities.
Your donation supports a wide range of projects across the valley — from freshwater ecology and community oral histories to our “Understanding Ullswater” talks, safer access at Stybarrow Crag, new walking routes such as the Wordsworth Way, and more sustainable ways to explore Ullswater.
Every contribution helps support projects that connect people with Ullswater’s nature, heritage and communities - now and for the future.
Buy the Wordsworth Way guidebook
The Wordsworth Way is one of Friends of the Ullswater Way’s newest walking routes, created to connect Ullswater, Grisedale, Grasmere, Rydal and Ambleside through the landscapes that shaped William Wordsworth, Dorothy Wordsworth and their circle.
The guide, written by Jade Cookson with illustrations and mapping by Mark Richards, brings the route to life through places, poems, stories and walking notes. You can order the guide directly from this page or buy it from local shops and information centres.
A walk in Wordsworth's footsteps.
The Wordsworth Way celebrates the life of one of Britain's most loved poets.
Trace William Wordsworth's footsteps on his favourite walks.
Be captivated by the mountain scenery that inspired his and sister Dorothy's verses.
Soak in the magic of Grasmere - where the Wordsworths lived 1799-1813 - and pay your respects at their graves in St. Oswald's churchyard.
Walk the path which Wordsworth describes as traversing a "sublime combination of mountain forms".
Visit the Brothers' Parting Stone - a poignant memorial to Wordsworth's brother John, who died at sea in 1805.
Step inside literary history at Dove Cottage and Rydal Mount, and discover personal treasures and archives.
There is something for everyone on the Wordsworth Way. Although 14 miles in length, this Guide also offers four shorter 'section by section' walks.
Help care for Ullswater
Choosing to travel without a car is one simple way to help protect Ullswater. Buses, boats and walking routes connect villages, attractions and trails throughout the valley.
Take the train to Penrith, follow the Eamont Way to Pooley Bridge, cross the lake on an Ullswater ‘Steamer’, or combine the Ullswater Way and Wordsworth Way with local bus services.
Every car-free journey helps reduce traffic and keep Ullswater peaceful and beautiful for everyone.