14 August 2010: Beatrix Potter and John Ruskin

No walks arranged for our last day today, instead we visited the homes of two of The Lakes' most famous ancestors. Beatrix Potter's Hill Top Farm wasn't at all what I expected location wise as I expected it to stand alone on a hill but instead it was surrounded by other small houses and cottages. It was lovely inside though and full of her personal belongings and nik naks as well as some of her "grown up" landscape paintings of her beloved Lakes. The house was quite a good size too much larger than Dove Cottage just down the road.

John Ruskin was also a famous poet and painter, a man before his time who had aspirations for humanity that he was unable to see in his own lifetime, like state education for everyone and the NHS. His home Brantwood sits on the lakeside overlooking Conniston Water and is truly beautiful both inside and out. Saboohi fell in love with it and would move in tomorrow if she could. Today the weather was warm and sunny and the lake was glistening, looking its best. A perfect final view to take away with us as we headed off on our 6 hour drive home. We will be back.

13 August 2010: Conniston and The Tarns

Our walk today took us on a 7 mile circular route above Lake Conniston and over to Tarn Hows and The Tarns another fantastic offering from our 1001 British Walks folder! The weather was kind today and the scenery really gorgeous - the picture here is of our view looking down over Conniston. Our walk took us across lush green meadows, up steep but deserted country lanes, on rocky paths tracking fast flowing becks and waterfalls and circumnavigating still and clear tarns. Saboohi decided to take an impromptu dip in Yew Tree Tarn (mad woman) she said it was cool and very refreshing after the 5 hour walk but I wasn't tempted! Maybe another day.

12 August 2010: A wet day in The Lakes

At last a few days away in the beautiful Lake District for Saboohi, Lilia and myself. We rented a National Trust property, an appartment called Bank Wood in the west wing of the old sandstone Acorn House (see photo). This is NT at its best, they have renovated the wings of this building to provide income from 4 appartments so that they can eventually repair the rest of the house. We were very pleased to be donating to such a good cause! We visited Dove Cottage today the simple and small home of the great poet William Wordsworth. Apparantly 14 people lived in this tiny cottage at one stage during his ownership, they must have been sleeping in shifts. We also learnt the origin of the saying "daylight robbery" here, a phrase that was coined when they introduced a tax on glass windows and people had to brick them up to save themselves money!

We set off on one of our 1001 walks of Britain today, starting at Pooley Bridge and then up and over the moors around Ullswater. RAF jets were flying low above us throughout the walk and the famous Lake District rain soaked us to the skin. Lilia had a ball! After the walk we called in to watch the Rydal Sheep dog and Hound trials, it was wet and muddy but it was placed in the most gloriously green valley,such a pretty spot. The highlight of our visit was a hound race called the "dog dash". A pack of hounds following a aniseed scented trail around the lakeland hills ad the first hound back to the valley won. The noise was terrific, from owners as well as the hounds, such excitement and with such a stunning backdrop it was the highlight of my day.