Monday, 31 August
We intended to get up early and go to Beatrix Potter's farm at Hill Top, but we were a bit sloww off the mark again. So after some strawberries and cereal for breakfast, we drove to Hawkshead to see the Beatrix Potter Gallery. Housed in her husband's solicitor's office, it had a nice little collection of original watercolours - including several from Travis family favourite, Squirrel Nutkin.
Not much else to see in town, so popped up to Hill Top - but it was teeming, so we drove around Coniston Water to John Ruskin's estate, Brantwood. A grand old building crammed with the usual trappings of a Renaissance man, shells, fossils, plants etc. Walked up into the hill behind the house, for a pleasant bush walk, and to eat our lunch (Quorn escalope sandwiches) in a delightful fern gully with a view of the lake.
It was still raining, so we went to the Ruskin museum in Coniston. This also had some interesting local history, including some of the remains of the K7 Bluebird jetboat, which had crashed in the lake at 300mph, while trying to break the water speed record, and killing its occupant.
Completed a Ruskin trifecta by visiting his grave, then had a quick pint to shelter from a momentary downpour, and stopped to say hello to the ducks at the lakeside. Back to the cottage to hide as the sky fell apart once more...
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