Whilst we are enjoying a beautifully sunny May bank holiday weekend here in London, I am finally finding time to record my trip to the Lake District over Easter with two good friends. Although only two weekends ago, it seems much longer - possibly due to the fact that just after we arrived back from the lakes, I flew to Atlanta for five days to speak at a conference.
The trip to the lakes was only planned a few weeks in advance. When my friend L was able to extend her trip to the UK past Easter, we made a decision to look for somewhere to stay and explore a part of the UK to which she had never been before. I also calculated that it was over 15 years since I had last been there - it was so beautiful that it made me wonder why I had allowed such a long time to pass before a return visit.
We stayed in a little terraced cottage in Bowness (a village on the shore of Lake Windermere). After a seven-hour drive from London on Friday, we arrived to a lovely warm and sunny afternoon. We promptly set off to explore the village and lakeside.
In our planning we had decided to devote one day to a walk. Based on the weather reports, we chose Saturday as the day, and decided to take the walk that circumnavigates Derwent Water. Being such a beautiful day, it was a popular route...but after the first hour or so, the numbers of people thinned out. The surrounding scenery was gorgeous...
And one cannot visit the Lake District without reference to Beatrix Potter. On Sunday we caught the ferry to the other side of Lake Windermere and walked (uphill!) to Hilltop, the farm that she bought with the sale proceeds from 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit'. It is located near the village of Far Sawry. Beatrix mainly used the farmhouse initially as a holiday home. Once she married, she lived on a farm nearby, but used to visit Hilltop daily to write and receive visitors. Hilltop is now managed by the National Trust (after Beatrix bequeathed it to them after her death).
Hilltop Farmhouse
We were so blessed with the weather, and it was lovely to spend the time in the company of two very good friends...
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