My Self-Guided Jane Austen Tour of England

Having loved Pride and Prejudice since the impressionable age of 14, I have long been inspired to go on a Self-Guided Jane Austen Tour of England. I’ve been back from my European study abroad adventure for a year now. I’ve since recuperated, started a new job, and settled into the next phase of my life. Before I forget too much of what I experienced, I want to share my glorious Jane Austen inspired trip to England on my way home from Italy to the United States. I took ten days of freedom between my final final exam and graduation to explore the country where my favorite author lived and drew inspiration. Here’s how I did it, and I hope it makes it easier for you to do the same.

Books in the Pemberley (Chatsworth House) Library

1. Arrive in London

I arrived in London from Italy via budget airline into Luton. (Maybe I’ll save my rant about budget airlines for another post.) Since I was staying with some wonderful friends in the city, I had to take a bus from the airport to Victoria Station and then the Underground (The Tube!) to their home just off the Piccadilly line. The bus tickets were right at the airport, and it was a pretty quick bus ride. Once I got to Victoria Station and found a working ticket machine, getting a pass was pretty simple.

I spent a couple of days in London with my former neighbors who had moved to England a few years before. They took me around to see the touristy sites including the Tower of London and Hyde Park. London’s extensive parks make city life seem less daunting in a way; there are parks scattered everywhere, and they are beautifully kept, giving you the feeling that you are enjoying the great outdoors in the middle of a metropolis. The only Jane-related thing I really did in London was visit her writing desk at the British Library. It’s free to go in, and the library has a mis-mashed collection of all sorts of British things from early religious books to headphones blaring the Beatles.

2. Go to Bath

Why I Went

Jane Austen spent many years in Bath, though they hardly represented the brightest time in her life. When her father passed away, she, her mother, and her beloved sister moved to Bath to “economize.” Jane hated it there and the time represented some of the saddest years of her life. She loved walking outdoors, and Bath was considered a city. It was a place of style and entertainment, as symbolized by the great assembly halls that are still open to today. Imagining Jane Austen at these assemblies reminds me of how Pride and Prejudice‘s Mary Bennet feels about attending a dance. Austen’s first novel Northanger Abbey was happily based in Bath, and in her final novel, Persuasion, the  Elliot family moves there (also to economize). Heroine Anne dreads the prospect of living there- a plot choice no doubt influenced by Jane’s own dreary experience.

How I Got There

Getting to Bath is relatively easy from London. I simply took the tube to Victoria Station and a national express bus to the Bath bus/train station. The ride was £14 ($22) and about 3 and half hours long. The train station in Bath is basically downtown, so I was able to walk to the hostel I booked.

What I Did There

My first stop was the Jane Austen Centre. They pay tribute to the great author, though they are very honest about the fact that Jane was not particularly prolific in this city. They expound upon her darker days in Bath in addition to covering the story of her life. The small museum, a few numbers down from the actual residence where Jane lived for some of her time in Bath, was a treasure. The expereince started with a live presentation of her family history and background, and after talking about her life, the young lady dressed in Regency-era attire, led the group to the walk through museum with artifacts, a short movie, and facts about Jane and the time period in which she lived. There were even treats at the exit.

But the expereince did not stop there. After the museum portion, I went upstairs to the tearoom where they serve a delightful menu of foods and teas that truly transport you to the setting of any of Austen’s books. The tearoom was absolutely beautiful, complete with flowers, elegant place settings, and a portrait of Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy hanging over the mantle. Perfection? I think so. I ordered Lady Catherine’s Proper Cream Tea- two scones with sweet cream and jams and a small pot of the most English English tea I’ve ever had.

After trying to eat my delicious scones in the most proper and dignified manner (not an easy feat considering their deliciousness and tendency to crumble easily), I walked up the street into “the Circus,” a roundabout of stylish homes, and then on to the famous Bath Assembly Rooms. For a paltry £2 ($3.25), I was able to tour the three main rooms on my own. Though not as informative as a museum, the rooms appeared well-preserved from the Regency era, and the information from the Jane Austen Centre filled in whatever information gaps I would have otherwise found. I could simply sit back and imagine myself or a young Jane Austen wondering these rooms, dancing, and taking in the general splendor. As there were only three rooms, my visit did not take very long, but it was well worth the time spent. The Assembly Rooms also have a fashion museum with varying exhibits for an additional £7.50.

That was pretty much the extent of my Jane Austen specific experience in Bath, but I took some time to wander around the city as my beloved author might have two hundred years ago. I walked through the streets, popping into the interesting shops. In front of the abbey there is the most delicious fudge shop, and sometime in the early evening a man came out of the pasty shop in front of the Bath Abbey and started ringing a bell for £1 pastys. I got two of the delicious flaky pastry-shelled meat pouches. If I could only have one thing when I’m stuck on a desert island, it would be one of those pastys. I walked a loop around the river Avon, crossing the Pulteney Bridge, one of the few historic bridges originally designed with shops along it (the other two being the Ponte Vecchio in Florence and the Ponte di Rialto in Venice, both of which I had been fortunate enough to have just seen). As I walked down along the river, I was channeling my inner Jane or her spirit in Bath and I just felt so content with my journey, and excited that this was only the first stop.

In the evening, I was feeling quite bored, so I decided to take a walking tour called Bizarre Bath. For a student price of £5 ($8), or £8 ($13) if you’re all grown up, the 90 minute comedy tour takes you through the streets of Bath to simply entertain you. If you’re looking for real history, look elsewhere, but if you want a fun night that will actually make you laugh, this is the place to be. It was well worth the time and money, plus the spirited guide pointed out some places of interest I was able to visit the next day.

3. Amble about the Peak

Why I Went

For anyone who has read Pride and Prejudice (and if you haven’t, why the hell are you reading this blog entry? GO DO IT ALREADY), you know that the story starts to get really romantic really fast when Elizabeth falls in love with the Peak District, runs into Mr. Darcy at his estate Pemberley, and then begins to really fall in love with Darcy. Well I also went to the Peak to take in the striking wilderness, go to Pemberley, and fall in love with Mr. Darcy. I’ll settle for the two out of three, especially since I already had my own Mr. Darcy waiting for me to come home.

How I Got There

I took a 4 hour train from Bath to Manchester for £39 ($63). I had found a hostel a quick walk from the station in Manchester and met up with some travel friends I had met in Krakow over a year ago. We went to a bar and they gave me some great history about the Peak and sights to see there.

In the morning, I took a local train that ran at 52 past the hour, every hour, to Buxton. From Buxton, I took local bus 442 to the tiny town of Hartington smack-dab in the middle of some of the best walking trails in the Peak. I stayed at a YHA Hostel in Hartington for four nights. The hostel is in this small manor-like stone building, and it was quite elegant inside. For the price at checkout, I feel like I robbed them blind. I paid something close to £80 ($130) for four nights in a 5 person dorm (but I was the only occupant so it turned out to be a private room), 3 classic English dinners (delicious shepard’s pie, a lamb stew, and something else wonderful I can’t remember), and 3 full (none of this continental stuff) breakfasts with sausage and eggs and pancakes and the works. They had an elegant library with books and board games for the adults, and a smaller sitting room with internet for the younger sort. The rooms in the main house are beautiful and then there are also rooms I did not explore off the back for larger groups. Hartington is perfectly situated for accessing some of the most famous hikes through the Peak District.

What I Did There

Hartington is a quaint, tiny English country village. There is an impressive church in the center, a couple of places to stay, a ceramics studio, a cheese shop (possibly my favorite store in all of England), a convenience store, and a bar. There are also quite a few parking spots right in the middle of town because this particular place is an excellent starting spot for many different hikes around the Peak. The day I arrived in Hartington, it was pouring rain. I walked into the hostel completely drenched from a 5 minute walk from the bus stop around the corner, and I had some tea in the dining room until check in. I mostly stayed around the hostel that day avoiding the rain, but in the evening the downpour ceased, and I decided to venture outside. The hostel had free maps of local walking trails, so I decided to take a short loop around the countryside. Despite my poor-suited footwear for the muddy, hilly farmland, I had an amazing hike through farmland and woods. What is fascinating about the Peak District is that it is really a national park, and people are free to walk anywhere. Farmers must allow people to walk across their land along designated footpaths and build gates or stiles through and over stone walls and fences. There are incredibly detailed maps of the most popular walking paths, down to depicting the stiles in the exact location on the wall with features such as big rocks or slight bends in the fences clearly shown.

Gypsy Bridge, a footbridge across the river Dove and leading to Gypsy Ledge and Gypsy Lane

The next day, I took a long walk through several dales. I started through Biggen Dale to Dovedale (mentioned in Pride in Prejudice as a place Elizabeth visits with her aunt and uncle), and saw such sights as the giant rock tower Ilam, limestone caves, and Lover’s Leap where in a silly story a woman jumps from the rock when jilted by her love, survives, and never loves again. I wanted to go down to the stepping stones, flat rocks poking out of the River Dove that allow walkers to cross, but they were completely flooded due to all the rain. I turned around, and made the mistake of crossing Gypsy bridge and trying to climb up Gypsy Ledge a set of dilapidated wooden logs set into a steep hill that are supposed to be a series up steps to the top. I managed to get to what I thought was the top, but saw even more treacherous paths going up, so I clambered back down another part of the hill and crossed back over Gypsy Bridge to continue on the path the map told me to follow. I walked around up to Alstonefield and then followed my map to a Gypsy Lane. I was walking through a narrow path surrounded by small, wild gardens and then low and behold, found myself on top of Gypsy Ledge! Figuring I just needed to get back at this point, I braved the ledge and found it slightly easier to go down than clamber up. When I finally reached the bottom, I began the last stretch through Wolfscote Dale back to Hartington.

All throughout my rambles in the dales of the Peak, I was stunned by the natural formations of the steep, jagged hills, the farms on practically vertical slopes, and the baby lambs running everywhere much more skillfully than I could move. My exploration of the Peak was a success, and my adventure one to rival even Miss Elizabeth Bennet’s!

4. Tour Pemberley

Why I Went

To run into Mr. Darcy. Preferably after he takes a swim in his lake. Duh.

How I Got There

One bus leaves Hartington for Bakewell in the morning. One bus returns in the evening. Don’t miss either of them or you’re walking all night. Bakewell is the town Jane Austen stayed in while actually visiting the Peak. The hotel she slept at still stands and has the room where she stayed available for booking! It is a small town with lots of little shops. Given the unrelenting weather, I bought a rain jacket. From Bakewell, I hopped a bus to Baslow. Busses to and from Bakewell and Baslow apparently run about every half hour, but there are several different routes, so it can be a bit confusing. From Baslow, there is a footpath a little over a mile long to the house.

What I Did There

Pemberley… I mean Chatsworth House is the home of the Duke and Dutchess of Devonshire. It is really their home, as in, they live there for real. About half the house is on the tour route, with their private quarters kept separate. I’ll leave the description of the grandeur to the pictures, but let me just say that the beauty of this mansion is incredible. The collections of art are overwhelming and the interior decoration is lavish yet elegant. There is a room of solid mahogany and a chapel that reminded me of a miniature grand cathedral. Admission to the house is a little pricey (even the duke and duchess gotta eat, right?), but you can get a book to guide you around the house and give you all the details about every room. What I really loved was the grounds. I spent quite a while wandering through the gardens, out by the lake, and roaming through the maze in the back. There is a vegetable garden for the house and a man-made waterfall- or really steps up a hillside with water flowing down them. Then all throughout the grounds and inside the house is a collection of modern art the family has collect and put on display. It clashes with my desire to be transported back to Mr. Darcy’s time, but it serves as a stark reminder that this is a building that has been brought into modern times, with modern people living as a family here. On my way out, I stopped at the stables which have been converted to a gift shop area. The stables are grander than any house I will ever likely own, but that’s beside the point. I bought some beautiful treasures there.

Though Mr. Darcy did not materialize before me to give me a personal tour of the grounds, I felt strongly what Jane Austen must have felt when she visited here. She was so inspired by the house and the Peak in general that she just had to include it in her story. She had edited Pride and Prejudice in that very hotel room, not able to wait a minute longer lest her memory of the beauty and wonder of this place be tainted.

5. Pay Respects at Winchester and Visit Jane Austen’s Home in Chawton

Why I Went

Jane Austen moved to Chawton, her final home, with her sister and mother on the generosity of a brother. She did most of her published writing and edited her earlier stories in this home. Jane died young in 1817 and was buried in Winchester Cathedral, a published but little-known author. Her grave mentions nothing of writing, but a plaque in erected in 1872 references her achievements.

How I Got There

I left the Peak for London via train again. From London, I took a bus from Victoria Station to Winchester. The Cathedral is right in downtown Winchester surrounded by a little park and cobblestone streets with quaint shops. The Jane Austen House Museum is in Chawton. A bus from Winchester station brings you nearby if you ask the driver to make sure they stop at the Jane Austen stop (it’s not a regular stop because only crazy Austen-tourists without cars use it). They’ll know what you’re talking about don’t worry. From the stop, it’s kind of a strange walk across a main road rotary and then down a random country street without a sidewalk.

What I Did There

The Jane Austen House museum is quite small- just the house she lived in, but it has been remarkably preserved. There is a small gift shop at the entrance, and the entire house is open for you to just walk around in and explore.The rooms contain many original artifacts from Jane’s family and the rest are era-appropriate furnishings.  There are descriptions on most items of interest, and you can take your time making your way through the house. I found the most inspiration in the sitting room where Jane Austen wrote every morning by the front window. Apparently she enjoyed the spot not only for the prospect, but because the door into the room creaked and she could hear anyone entering behind her giving her time to hide her writing.

After seeing the Jane Austen House, I returned to Winchester to visit Jane Austen’s final resting place in the Winchester Cathedral. It was a fitting end to my grand Jane Austen Tour of England. Her grave is in the cathedral on a side aisle and there is a permanent exhibit detailing information about her life and writing nearby. A plaque erected years after her death acknowledges her success as a writer, but her original epitaph only alludes to good nature and her ability to love and be loved:

…The benevolence of her heart, the sweetness of her temper, and the extraordinary endowments of her mind obtained the regard of all who knew her and the warmest love of her intimate connections.Their grief is in proportion to their affection, they know their loss to be irreparable, but in their deepest affliction they are consoled by a firm though humble hope that her charity, devotion, faith and purity have rendered her soul acceptable in the sight of her REDEEMER.

Jane Austen Plaque in Winchester Cathedral

6. Reflect

Visiting these places, experiencing what inspired Jane Austen has increased my already abundant appreciation of her works. Seeing firsthand what she wrote of, I understand her brilliance even clearer. Not only was she writing of love and romance, so foreign from her life, but giving us, 200 years later, a view into the outlooks and society of her time. We will forever have a glimpse of her Regency Era world from an under-explored feminine perspective. From the striking beauty of the Peak to the humble simplicity of her final home, elegant assembly halls in Bath to a plain writing desk behind pristine glass in the British Library, Jane Austen lives on through her novels, sharing with the world the treasures she adored in her life so that we may enjoy them in ours.