19 May 2014

Today we got up without a solid plan for the day. The weather predictions were not so great and we hated to plan on something scenic only to have it rain. After some planning and stratigizing, we decided to start with Beatrix Potter’s home, Hill Top and go from there. We hoped to also take a boat ride on one of the lakes if the weather held out.

When we arrived at Hill Top, we were thrilled to find out that parking was free! We just had to wait a few minutes until a spot became available; but that didn’t take long. Then we bought our tickets for the house and headed up through her gardens to it.

 

She donated her home and the thousands of acres she owned across the Lake District to the National Trust so that everyone could enjoy them. Her home has been preserved as it was back when she lived there so there is no electricity or modern heating or cooling. We were not allowed to take pictures inside the home.

There were many items inside that had to do with her life, her work , and her belongings. Some of her drawings and sketches were framed and there were replicas of one of her letters that had drawings of Peter Rabbit as well as the other rabbits. It was hard to see them well because of the lack of lighting.

Back out in the garden, we were able to see the lovely flowers and vegetables planted there.

We also saw sheep and a few rabbits hopping around next to the garden.

In the shop, we enjoyed looking at souvenirs and got a book on her life with lots of pictures.

Then we drove on to the next sight which was Dove Cottage, the home of William Wordsworth.

By the time we got there, we were pretty hungry, so we stopped in the café by the car park to get a roasted veggie sandwich and potato and leek soup. We got our tickets for the house with enough time to just see the beginning of the museum before going down to the house for a tour. Again, we unfortunately were not allowed to take pictures. But we did get to see some interesting thing in the house and hear how it had been updated. It seems to have been a dark and dreary little house in its day. The windows were small and they arrived in winter when things were dark, anyway.

After leaving the house, we were able to see the garden

including an arbor where he had a good view down to the lake. The time when he lived in this house is when he wrote some of his most famous works.

          "This plot of orchard-ground is ours;                      
          My trees they are, my Sister's flowers;
          Here rest your wings when they are weary;
          Here lodge as in a sanctuary!
          Come often to us, fear no wrong;
          Sit near us on the bough!
          We'll talk of sunshine and of song,
          And summer days, when we were young;
          Sweet childish days, that were as long
          As twenty days are now!"
                          - William Wordsworth

We enjoyed sitting in the arbor for a few minutes to enjoy the view. Then we went back the museum and looked through the rest of the exhibit before leaving for our boat trip.

We ended up getting there with plenty of time to meet the boat. We were able to watch the Gondola coming in for the evening.

Once our boat arrived,

we boarded and started a 90-minute cruise around Coniston Water. The cruise was meant to be a "Sparrows and Amazons" tour to point out the locations in the books and the films. We know nothing about these books, so the references meant nothing to us. But there were two Japanese ladies on the cruise who knew them all. The sights were beautiful and the weather was perfect.

Once we were back on land, we drove back to the cottage for supper of pizza and salad.