Many years ago, before we had children, R and I went to The Lake District for what was supposed to be a week's holiday. We were camping. I can't really recall much of the holiday - a walk around Tarn Hows, the lads in a nearby tent (one of whom waxed lyrical about the prettiness of the local sheep loudly at 3 in the morning!) and a visit to Ambleside. After a couple of days R decided that he hated it. For some bizarre reason, he found it 'claustrophobic' (I'm quoting him here) and moaned so much that we ended up crossing the Pennines into Yorkshire, where he was as happy as Larry and I was less so.
Over the years, I have often regretted not taking the opportunity to visit Beatrix Potter's Hill Top Farm whilst we were actually there. Knowing R's dislike of the place, I thought that I had missed my one opportunity as we were unlikely to visit again. Imagine my surprise when, for Valentine's Day, R booked a 2 night stay in a B&B in Hawkshead - a 10 minute drive from Hill Top Farm. I don't know what came over him but I was thrilled.
We set off early the weekend before Easter, arriving in Hawkshead just after lunch. We were too early to check in but I had packed a picnic and we set off on a circular walk from The Old School House B&B to Tarn Hows and back.
The weather was glorious and, despite a few very muddy bits on the return route, we had a lovely time. We returned to the village, checked in and then popped to a local restaurant for dinner. To be fair, they did actually have a vegan GF pizza on the menu, for which I was very grateful. Sadly, there was just too much vegan cheese and pickled garlic. I ate half and they gave me a box to take the rest away in. They also wouldn't allow me to buy a small glass of wine. It had to be a medium and I failed to finish it. Quite annoying really. Our room at the B&B was very comfortable and we slept well.
The following day, after an amazing breakfast - I felt guilty filling in the request form (it's only when you actually write down vegan, gluten free and decaff that you realise how ridiculous and difficult to accommodate we are) but they rose to the occasion magnificently - we set off for Hill Top Farm. It was a rainy day and we were grateful that we had somewhere indoors to go.
What can I say, despite it not being quite what I had imagined (I pictured it as remote and on a hill away from other houses), I loved it. The furniture was all original, having been purchased by Beatrix, and many of the items and features were used as settings for her books.
This white gate (once the original entrance to Hill Top) was used in 'The Tale of Tom Kitten':
As was the porch over the front door:
I was rather hoping for a kitchen but this was the nearest we got. Part of the house was staff only and off limits, so maybe it was in that section.
Beatrix purchased this doll's house as an adult. It contained small items given to her by her publisher, and later fiance, Norman Warne, to help with her illustrations in 'The Tale of Two Bad Mice'. Sadly, Norman died before the marriage could take place:
The bed is covered by a reproduction of her parents' wedding quilt:
Some of her original artwork:
The garden - can't you just imagine Peter Rabbit here?
After finishing the tour, we popped into Kendal for lunch, a turmeric latte and a potter round the charity shops. I bought a Herdy tea towel to replace one of my more threadbare ones, a book and a jigsaw puzzle which we completed over the Easter weekend with L.
Lastly, we drove into Coniston to visit the John Ruskin Museum. The Bluebird wing told about the life and tragic death of land and water speed record holder, Sir Donald Campbell:
Mr. Whoppit, his lucky mascot, who rode in the cockpit with him during every race. He floated to the surface after Bluebird K7's fatal crash.
Bluebird K7 rebuilt - some of the original hydroplane can be seen around the middle section. The plan is to race it again.
Although I enjoyed reading about Donald Campbell, being an Arthur Ransome fan, my favourite bit of the museum was 'Mavis' - the inspiration for the fictional 'Amazon' in 'Swallows and Amazons'.
Donald's grave, complete with a rather soggy reproduction of Mr. Whoppit and some Bluebird beer, in the local cemetery.
We had planned to eat out again, but decided instead on a twilight picnic beside Coniston Water. R 'enjoyed' the remaining half a pizza and I had a sandwich left over from our original picnic - the advantage of vegan GF bread is that it's quite dry to start with, so can't get any worse! :O)
I won the stone skimming competition (much to my surprise and R's disgust!) and we had a chat with a woman who appeared out of the gloom to go for a swim in the lake.
On our final day, we checked out of the B&B and set off for Wordsworth's 'Dove Cottage' in Grasmere. Here, he lived with his sister, Dorothy, and later his wife Mary, her sister, and their first 3 children:
Walls papered with old newspaper, as done by Dorothy:
I enjoyed looking around the cottage but, to be honest, learning about Wordsworth's life didn't endear him to me.
R suggested a little walk from Grasmere before we returned home. I glanced briefly at his phone but, apart from wondering why it would take 2 hours to walk just 3.5 miles, I wasn't really paying much attention. All became clear when we set off and were soon climbing steeply. The walk was to the top of the fell 'Silver How' which, whilst lovely, did come as a bit of a surprise when I was expecting a gentle stroll. I'm still not entirely sure if R was just as surprised or if he was pulling a bit of a swifty! The views from the top were beautiful, even if it was a little gusty.
I placed my small pebble on the cairn and we started our descent, stopping only briefly to squeeze the berries of a juniper bush to release the scent of gin.
I loved the Herdwick sheep - that lad was right, they are very pretty!
After a restorative hot chocolate (and vegan sausage roll for R) in the museum cafe, we set off for home, arriving late on Tuesday night. I was so pleased to have finally seen more of The Lake District (even for just a few days) and am very grateful to R for arranging it.
More happies this month:
A magic show at our local Corn Exchange. James Phelan was Paul Daniels' nephew and the title pays homage to his late uncle. It was very enjoyable and, if no audience plants were involved, we're still unsure how he did some of the tricks.
Another disappointingly good production at the New Era theatre!
The results of R's blacksmith garden sculpture course that I bought him for his birthday:
Mother's Day flowers from Bloom and Wild:
My completed 'Felix Cardigan' blocking:
My finished 'Hinterland' dress:
Attending a wicker hare sculpting workshop near Fareham:
Sorting out my seeds. I also managed to put my potatoes in this morning (I was busy on Good Friday!) whilst it was still sunny:
The charity shop puzzle that we bought in Kendal and finished over Easter. I won't show it completed as you use it and the enclosed booklet to solve the murder and I don't want to spoil it for anyone who may want to try it:
Well, that's it for this month. I hope you all had a wonderful Easter and are looking forward to some beautiful spring weather. Any news at your end?
Toodle pip for now. x
